What's in a name?

* Don is a mate of mine. I cannot stand people who think they're worse off than everybody else.
Don is brilliant. He had a bad accident just before Christmas where he lost his voice and both legs. Does he make a song and dance about it?... Does he heck!


What's in a name? We can find out meanings of names from books, from conversation and especially looking on the Internet. I looked at the potential origins of the 'Nickisson' name in my Blog 'What's in a Word? back in March 2011.

But, what really is in a name? Is it just what the word means, is it how its pronounced or is it what the name became?




Nelson Mandela. South African born in 1918, sentenced to life imprisonment in 1962, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state, released in 1990. Opened negotiations with the then president of South Africa to abolish apartheid and establish multiracial elections in 1994. Became president of South Africa 1995 - 1999. He received more than 250 honours, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, often described as "the father of the nation". He died on the 5th of December 2013

A name that will not be forgotten, remembered by the world.

Paul William Walker IV. Born in 1973 and became a well known film actor. In 2001, his breakthrough role was in the successful film 'The Fast and the Furious', an American street racing film. He was filming Fast and Furious 7' when he was tragically killed in November 2013. He was leaving an event for his Walker's charity, 'Reach Out Worldwide for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines', when he was involved in a car crash.

A name remembered by his film audience and for his charity work.

Edwin Roberts. My Uncle Ted died Thursday last week (5th Dec). He lived in Kempston, Bedfordshire, with my Auntie Win and they have three daughters, Lynne, Susan and Pauline. I remember when I was younger, with my brother and sisters, we would go on holiday to their house, his dad had a caravanette. Uncle Ted was quite a strict person, enjoyed gardening but I vividly remember his smile. I saw my Uncle Ted and Auntie Win before we left for Australia. He still had that smile, especially when we reminisced about the past.

A name remembered by family and friends.

* A couple were Christmas shopping. The shopping centre was packed - as the wife walked through one of the shops she was surprised when she looked around to find that her husband was nowhere to be seen.
She was quite upset because they had a lot to do. She became so worried that she called him on her mobile to ask him where he was. In a quiet voice he said, "Do you remember the jewellers we went into about five years ago where you fell in love with that diamond necklace that we couldn't afford, and I told you that I would get it for you one day?"

The wife choked up and started to cry and said "Yes, I do remember that shop."

He replied, "Well, I'm in the pub next door."


What's in a name?

In my last Blog, Creating New Memories I started to look at the Birmingham branch of the Nickisson Family Tree. Charles Nickisson (1805-1864) and his wife Elizabeth Oseland (nee Barratt)(c1806-1875) started the branch when they married in 1832 and they had six children.
I told the story of Charles, Elizabeth and their children, Thomas, Ann, Robert, Frederick, Emma and Charles Edwin in my previous Blog. So who are the next generation?

At the moment I only know of two of Charles and Elizabeth's children getting married and having children.

Robert Nickisson (c1837-1880) and Susannah Whateley (c1835-1890) had a daughter Caroline Nickisson (1865-1926) who lived with her parents until 1891. She moved out of the family home to Prescott Street, Birmingham, moving on to New Spring Road. She then moved Warwick Road, Birmingham after she married William Thomas Banford in 1903.
Caroline seemed to be an enterprising lady as she had her own business as a Draper, working on military ornaments and brace and buckle making (suspenders apparently!). The business was in the name of Carrie Nickisson and Carrie Banford after she married.
William Thomas Banford (1876-1958) was born in Birmingham and was ten years younger than his wife. William was also in business running a cycle repair shop, he trained as a tool setter earlier in his life. He married a Laura Williams following the death of Caroline in 1926.
Caroline and William had no children.


Charles Edwin Nickisson (1845-1871) and Mary Elizabeth Hallam (1846-1905) had four children, Polly, Alice Jane, Charles Edwin and Fanny Emily.

Polly Nickisson (1866-?) lived with her parents but sometime before the 1881 census, she had moved out and was living and working as a servant in Coventry Road, Lemster Place, Aston, Birmingham. The 1891 census shows she continued her servant role at Deveraux House, Coventry Road, Aston. I cannot find any more information about Polly so more research needed, do you know any more about Polly Nickisson? Did Polly put the kettle on?

Alice Jane Nickisson (1867-?) stayed with her parents, but sometime after 1881 she moved to Wolstanton, Stoke on Trent, working as a District Nurse. By 1891 she had moved back to Birmingham and was working in a warehouse (nuts and bolts?).
Alice Jane married James Howard Small in 1906 in Aston, Birmingham and continued living there until James Howard died, they had no children. By 1919 she had met and married Thomas Miles and had moved to London living at 31 Torrington Square, Bloomsbury. After 1922 I have lost the trail of Alice Jane, do you know any more? Alice, Alice, who the ....... is Alice?
James Howard Small (1860-1915) was born in Bridgnorth, Shropshire and lived in various places around the midlands working as a Boiler Maker. By 1906, he had moved to Aston, Birmingham where he died.
Thomas Miles (c1860-?). Little is known about Thomas other than the Parish Record of Marriage shows he worked as a messenger. Do you know anymore?

Charles Edwin Nickisson (1869-1870) was only seven months old when he died of Pneumonia.

Fanny Emily Nickisson (1871-1910) lived in Birmingham with her parents until she married John Harvey in 1892. Their address at that time was Copenhagan Street, Islington, Middlesex but by 1901 they were living back in 40 Humpage Road, Aston, Birmingham where she died.
John Harvey (c1869-?) was born in Reading, Berkshire and moved to Birmingham after he married Fanny Emily. He worked as a Boiler Rivetter. According to the Midlands Electoral Register, in 1912, he had moved to 38 Humpage Road, Aston but then the trail goes cold. Do you have any more information?
At the moment I believe Fanny Emily and John had no children.

There is a lot of research still to be done to determine certain aspects of the Birmingham 'Nickisson's' and their families, but at the moment, this branch of the Nickisson name seems to have ended.

If you want information on any of the names mentioned in my previous Blogs from the Nickisson Family Tree, just click on the name link to the left of the Blog.

* I entered a Christmas raffle and the phone rang telling me I have won either $1000 cash or tickets to see Elvis Presley.
Press 1 for the money, 2 for the show..................


What's in a name?

Family. Over the last four weeks we have had our first family visitors to stay with us, Diane (Sue's mum) and Allan came to us from Blackburn, Lancashire. We had a fantastic time (you may have seen lots of photo's on Facebook) and they stayed with us in Perth for three weeks doing the touring thing as well as relaxing by our pool. They then went to Melbourne for a few days staying with family until they finished off their holiday in Sydney. We joined them in Sydney, having a brilliant time.

Thank you for coming to see us, 21 months since Sue has seen her family, it was much needed.


* My daughter asked me for a pet spider for Christmas, so I went to our local pet shop and they were $70!!! Blow this, I thought, I can get one cheaper off the web.

What's in a name?

* An Asian fellow has moved in next door. He has travelled the world, swum with sharks, wrestled bears and climbed the highest mountain. It came as no surprise to learn his name was Bindair Dundat.


Australian post boxes. From previous photo's, does it mean they can be all shapes and sizes, is there a standard? I looked it up on Google, post box Specifications. You will definitely be bored after reading the first paragraph and many of the designs I have shown you in my previous Blogs certainly don't comply.

No more pictures of Australian post boxes now, unless you want more?

* Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarfs are not Happy.


What's in a name?

Zucchini (see the link below). The hot weather is here now that summer has arrived, 35 degrees as I write this Blog today. My veggie patch is suffering so I have now built frames around the 'allotment' to give shade to the plants. Lettuce grows really well and quickly, we also grow Onions, Beetroot, Raddish, Cabbage, Chilli's and Peppers. The herb pots have Chives, Basil, Mint and Parsley planted. Zucchini  or Courgette is a fruit that we used to grow in our allotment in Stoke and can be cooked/eaten in so many ways. I thought I would try growing them so I've just planted two, lets see how they go.

What's in a name?


Santa Claus.

I want to wish you all a very, very Happy Christmas and I wish you all that I wish myself and my family for the coming New Year.

What does the name Santa Claus mean, I don't care, I just hope I have lots of pressies off him.




* Scotch?
On the last day of school before Christmas, the children brought gifts for their teacher.
The Supermarket manager's daughter brought the teacher a basket of assorted fruit.
The florist's son brought the teacher a bouquet of flowers.
The sweet-store owner's daughter gave the teacher a pretty box of candy.
Then the liquor-store owner's son brought up a heavy box. The teacher lifted it up and noticed that it was leaking a little bit..she touched a drop of the liquid with her finger and tasted it.
"Is it wine" she guessed. "No," the boy replied. She tasted another drop and asked, "Champagne?"


"No," said the little boy...................."It's a puppy!"


Speak to you soon