Do you Know????

Do you know: If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

My previous Blogs have looked at the Nickisson Family Tree and also what was growing in the allotment in England. Now we are living in Perth, Western Australia, I will also be looking at what can be grown in the Australian soil.
So:

Do you know:

• How many Nickisson's live in Australia?
• How the vegetables are growing in England, and Australia?
• How are we settling in now were living in Australia?

Do you know: If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Do you know:

• How many Nickisson's live in Australia?

The Nickisson Family Tree is not moving on at the moment as my computer and family tree files are still in a container, although it has just arrived from England, docking in Freemantle just 25 km from where we live. Whilst awaiting the container, I have been looking at Australian websites to find possible information and connections to the Nickisson family.

What I did find gave me some glimpses of possible connections, although a little vague:

As of April 2012, the estimated population of Australia is 22,872, 499, Western Australia: 2,296,411. Of those, I found links to the following Nickisson's

• FamilyLink website: 44 Nickisson's
• WorldVitalRecords: 871 (although I think many of these Nickisson's are repeated in the information)
• Mundia: 23
• Ancestry.com.au: 178 (again, many repeated, Births/Marriages/Deaths)
• Personlookup: 30

I am sure that there are quite a few more and I cannot wait to get going again in searching for those elusive Nickisson's. Do you know any good Australian websites? Do you know any other Nickisson's living in Australia? Are they connected to my Nickisson Tree? Let me know, it would me most appreciated. You can view my Nickisson Family Tree by going on http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ and request access to view.


Do you know: If someone with a split personality threatens to commit suicide, is it a hostage situation?


Do you know:

• How the vegetables are growing in England, and Australia?

Hot News from the Allotment in England:

Joanne, Neil and the boys have now planted lots of seeds and plants and the vegetables are now starting to grow. There are still some vegetables that were planted in the ground late last year, these being Leeks and various varieties of Onions.

This is how the allotment and the greenhouse looked at the beginning of March.

We will be getting some more information and photographs very shortly about
the progress in the allotment and I will let you know in my next Blog.

Joanne is getting plenty of help from my grandchildren, Joseph and Izac and although they have had plenty of rain this last week in England, earlier on they needed some help to water the newly planted vegetables.

Where's this water coming from mum?

Do you know: If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

What about Australian vegetables?

I have been looking at books and magazines about what to grow in the garden when we have our own home. Australia is such a large country that some vegetables are not recommended depending on where you live. The month of May is quite cool as we are approaching the autumn/winter months. Some examples of seeds you can sow or plant for the area where we live are; Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Spinach, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radish, Strawberries and Shallots. You can also grow many variety of Herbs. It certainly is a different process of growing fruit and vegetables but I'm really looking forward to having a go.

Do you know: What level of importance must a person have, before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? 

Do you know:

• How are we settling in now were living in Australia?

Life is getting to be more of a routine now in the extended Nickisson household.

Ryan has got used to getting up at 5.45am for me to take him to the station to catch the train to Bayswater, where he works. He is getting more involved with the cabinetmaking process and now goes out to customers to help remove/ replace kitchen units. He is now playing for the under 18's football team at Gosnells City FC ( http://www.gosnellscityfc.org.au/ ), training two nights a week and playing Saturday mornings.

Kye has now gone back to school following the three week Easter holiday break.

What about myself and Sue?
Were still job hunting.
Sue has got herself a casual job working in child protection. She will be attending a four day training course and then will be part of a pool of workers who will be called, when required, to work at a centre for looking after vulnerable children. Although this is the first step in employment in Australia, Sue wishes to get a full time position/job as soon as possible.
Me. Well it seems as though they do not employ the 'older person' (just my thoughts). I have applied for part time/casual jobs but have not been able to get one yet. I have registered for my own business so that if friends/contacts want any work doing (painting/gardening etc.), I'm ready.



And finally,
Do you know:
How much deeper would oceans be if sponges didn't live there?
A scientist crossed a skunk with an owl. He's got a bird that smells but doesn't give a hoot.
Two's company, three's a crowd but what is four and five? ...............Nine.
Ten animals from Africa? ...............................Nine elephants and a giraffe
How do you keep a person in suspense???
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
Speak to you soon

Were here, where? Over there, in Australia.

We have now arrived in Australia, 5th March 2012, and getting used to life in Thornlie, Perth.

38-40deg's for the first two weeks but now its cooler, a mere 28deg's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a sad and exciting experience leaving England,

lots of family and friends at the airport, very mixed feelings.

We are living with my son Dean, Rachel and my two grandchildren, Charlotte and Jacob.

The weather: A husband and his wife were sound asleep when suddenly the phone rang. The husband picked up the phone and said, "Hello? How the heck do I know? What do I look like, a weatherman?" He then slammed the phone down and settled into bed.

"Who was that?" asked his wife.

"I don't know. It was some guy who wanted to know if the coast was clear."

Its also job hunting time for myself, Sue and Ryan whilst Kye needs to start school, although I don't think he see's it that way!! A long process that will lead to us moving into our own home.

Firstly though, we need transport. Cars to buy.

My car, the family car;

Holden Commodore Executive (Vauxhall)

Sue's car, the run around;

Ford Fiesta

already with Blackburn Rovers stickers!!!!

Not saying anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!

So life has moved on for the four of us:

Kye has started Thornlie Senior High School, just completing his first week. He walks to and from school, about 20mins away and has joined the school basketball club.

He looks happy in his school uniform!!!!!!!!!

One down, three to go;

Ryan started looking for work that would involve apprentice/training jobs, possibly in the building industry. First application, first interview, got a job. He is a Junior cabinetmaker, working with a family run company making kitchen furniture.
Ryan started his job this week, travelling to and from work by train, and he is enjoying it. He's also very happy now he can say he has his own money in his pocket.
He has joined the local football club and is training and playing for the under 18s team.

Two down, two to go;

That leaves me and Sue. Job hunting, joining agencies, completing applications, applying for jobs.
Plenty to look at and apply for, awaiting application closing dates then hopefully, interviews to be arranged.

In the meantime, 28 deg's sunshine to sit out in............

Need to take the cover off the pool,

It's still cooler though!!!!!

The weather: The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the Australian desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep. Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, “Kemo Sabe, look towards sky, what you see?”

The Lone Ranger replies, “I see millions of stars.”

“What that tell you?” asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says,

“Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.

Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning.

Theologically, the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.

What's it tell you, Tonto?”

“You dumber than I thought. It means someone stole the tent.”

Speak to you soon

Au revoir but not goodbye

Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will.


As I have mentioned in my Blog, we will be leaving Stoke for a new life in Australia on the 4th of March. This will be my last Blog for a few weeks but I will be in touch as soon as possible to keep you up to date on the growing of the Nickisson Family Tree and those Australian vegetables!!!!

Goodbyes are not forever.

Goodbyes are not the end.

They simply mean we will miss you

Until we meet again!

I will be in touch

Parents have Parents and Grandparents - Next Chapter continued, with Vegetables?

My Blog has been looking at the Nickisson Family Tree and how it is growing and also what is growing in the Allotment in England. We will be moving to Australia in March so the Blog will continue to look at what is happening to the TREE and where it's MOVED to.

As far as the allotment is concerned, how is it growing?

There are a few Leeks that were planted last year and Onions

that were sown for this year in the allotment. It's all prepared now for spring planting.

The greenhouse is empty except for the Grape Vine and a couple of bags of Onions remaining from last years produce.

The allotment is now ready for my daughter Joanne and grandson Joseph to take over in the spring, with help from Neil and my other grandchild, Izac .

I have really enjoyed the allotment in England.

I will keep you updated on the 'Australian Vegetables'.

*Growing old - An elderly couple was attending church services, about halfway through she leans over and says, " I just let out a silent trump what do you think I should do?"
He replies " Put a new battery in your hearing aid."

As far as the Nickisson Family Tree, how is that growing?

In my last few blogs I have been looking at the Direct Line from myself to the oldest Nickisson, John Nickisson born abt 1690, my 5xGreat Grandfather.

Since my last Blog I have made a couple of visits to Staffordshire Record Office and to  some degree, I discovered a little more about my Nickisson family. Due to this new information, you will see below I have updated the chart I posted in the December Blog (Parents have Parents, and Grandparents!!)

*Growing old - Growing old is a question of mind over matter. Provided you don't mind it really doesn't matter.

In my last blog I looked at my Grandparents, Ernest Nickisson and Florence Ada Smallman, today I want to look at Ernest Nickisson's father and mother, William Nickisson and Rachel Lunt, my Great Grandparents. They had fourteen children, ten boys and four girls between the years 1865 to 1888. So lets start with William Nickisson, my Great Grandfather.

*William Nickisson was born on the 3rd of December 1842 in Wood Street, Lane End (now named Longton), Stoke on Trent. He was baptised on the 28th of December at St John's Parish Church, Lane End

Following the death of his parents, William and his brothers George Latimore and Thomas and his sister Elizabeth lived in Caroline Street, Longton. The 1851 Census entry showed them as 'Orphaned'. The head of the household was Ralph Steele, a wine merchant and his wife Sarah. Ralph Steele had six daughters and one son.

By 1861 William had moved back to Wood Street, Lane End and was working as a barman, but by 1865 he had moved to Kidsgrove, Stoke on Trent.

I have not found any iinformation on a marriage to Rachel Lunt although Census Records from 1881 onwards show them as being married, the 1911 Census shows Rachel as widowed. Do you know when they married, if so, let me know?

Their first child was born in 1865 and during the period of the births of the other children, they continued living in Kidsgrove living in Chapel Street, Sims Bank, Atwood Street, Gilbert Street, but mainly in Napier Street (No.3 - 14 - 20 - 21). Whilst living in Kidsgrove, William worked in the steel industry as a Forgeman, Puddler and a Gas Stoker.
William Nickisson died on the 7th of November, 1901

*Rachel Lunt was born about 1842 in Willenhall, Staffordshire (information from Census records). By 1861 she was living in Caroline Street, at the same house as William was in 1851 (Ralph Steele, see above). Rachel was working as a Servant at the house.

After William had died in 1901, Rachel moved in with her son Ernest Nickisson (1911 Census) in Peel Street, Kidsgrove.

Rachel Nickisson died on the 21st November, 1914

Do you know any information about when Rachel Lunt was born? Let me know

*Growing old - You know your growing old when the candles cost more than the cake

As I mentioned above, William Nickisson (1842-1901) and Rachel Lunt (Abt 1842-1914) had fourteen children:

1 Edwin (Edward) Nickisson (1865-1866), born in Chapel Street, Kidsgrove and only lived for 22 days. Birth Certificate and Registration Document and ukbmd.org.uk show name as Edwin Nickisson. The Death Certificate and Death Registration Document shows as Edward Nickisson.

2 Ralph Nickisson (1867-1870), born in Sims Bank, Kidsgrove but lived for only 3 years.

3 Martha Ann Nickisson (1868-1936) was also born in Kidsgrove and had a child in 1887, father not named. She worked as a Domestic Servant before she married Moses Chadwick (1868-1954) in 1889 at the Weslyan Chapel, Wolstanton. They continued to live in Kidsgrove and had twelve children, seven of them were girls. Moses worked as a Coal Miner at the local pit.

4 Mary Nickisson (1870-1870), she lived for just 6 months, born in Kidsgrove.

5 William Nickisson (1871-1951) married Sarah Ann Colclough (1876-1946) at St Thomas Church in Kidsgrove in 1893. They had thirteen children, eight girls and five boys.  He then met Annie Dobson(nee McDermott) (1883-1951) and they had three more sons before they married in 1946, following the death of Williams first wife.
Sarah Ann ColcloughGoldenhill, Stoke on Trent and Annie Dobson was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire where she worked in the Silk Industry as a Weaver/Winder (winding silk on the bobbins ready for the weaving process)
William was born in Kidsgrove and later worked as a House Painter and Journeyman, then around 1904 he moved to Wolstanton. He then moved to Stockport around 1921 with Annie Dobson, living there until their deaths.

6 Rachel Nickisson (1873-1937) was born in Kidsgrove but moved to Mount Pleasant, Fenton, Stoke on Trent after she married Charles Fryer (1872-1936) in 1892 at St Thomas Church, Kidsgrove. I believed they had four children, two sons and two daughters, but according to the 1911 Census, two more children had been born. Some more research??? Charles Fryer was born in Audley, Stoke on Trent and worked as a Fitter and Millwright Foreman at the local locomotive works. Before she got married, Rachel worked as a Fustian Cutter, want to know more?, follow the link  http://www.mowcop.info/htm/industry/fustian.htm

7 John Thomas Nickisson (1875-1973) was born in Kidsgrove and married Lilly (Lily) Knapper (1879-1951) in St Thomas Church, Kidsgrove in 1902. During his life John Thomas worked as a General Labourer, Journeyman and also a Boiler Maker/Rivetter at the locomotive works. Lilly was also born in Kidsgrove and worked as a Wash Laundress until she married after which, they also moved to Mount Pleasant, Fenton, where they had three sons and one daughter.

8 Arthur Nickisson (1876-1877) Arthur was born in Kidsgrove but only lived for 9 months.

9 Henry Nickisson (1878-1885) born in Kidsgrove and lived for just 7 years.

10 Edwin Nickisson (1879-1880) again, born in Kidsgrove but only lived for just over 7 months.

11 George Allen Nickisson (1881-1882)  lived for just over a year in Kidsgrove.

12 Hannah Nickisson (1883-1960) lived all her life in Kidsgrove during which she had a daughter, father not named. At this time Hannah worked as a dressmaker and then married William Hayward Davies (1880-?) in 1912 in St Peter's Church, Stoke, Stoke on Trent. They had one son and two Daughters. William Hayward worked as a Chemical Distiller in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire where he was born in 1880. No information yet on his death, anyone know?? More research

13 Ernest Nickisson (1883-1945) This is my Grandfather, please see my last Blog - Parents have Parents, and Grandparents - Next Chapter (with Australian Vegetables) -  for his family information.

14 Henry Frederick Nickisson (1888-1897) lived for just over 9 years. He was born in Kidsgrove.

As I mentioned earlier, William Nickisson and Rachel Lunt had fourteen children.

Five died before they reached the age of two.

Three before the age of ten.

What must life have been like for the children and their parents?

See you soon

*And finally: When you get old, your secrets are safe with your friends. They'll never share them because they can't remember them.
 

Parents have Parents, and Grandparents - Next Chapter (with Australian Vegetables???)

Visiting his grandparents, a small boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out. He picked it up and found that it was an old leaf that had been pressed flat between the pages. "Mama, look what I found," he called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked."
With astonishment in his voice, the boy answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"

Growing Family Trees
In my last blog I looked at the Nickisson Family Tree and the Direct Line from myself to the oldest Nickisson, John Nickisson born abt 1690, my 5xGreat Grandfather. See the Direct Line Chart in the Blog; Parents have Parents, and Grandparents!!

I wrote about my parents, Victor Nickisson (1919-1981) and Lilian Byatt (1923-2002) and now I'm going to look at their parents, my Grandparents, Ernest Nickisson and Florence Ada Smallman,

Growing English - Australian Vegetables
There is not a lot happening in the Allotment now that Autumn/Winter is here. I have just planted some Onion Sets and covered them with fleece to help them through the winter. Out of curiosity I went on the internet to find out about growing vegetables in Australia, I have found out that it is not as easy as you might think. Let you know later in this Blog,

So back to the Nickisson Family Tree and my Grandparents,

Ernest Nickisson and Florence Ada Smallman.

This photograph was taken circa 1923 and shows Ernest and Florence Ada Nickisson with five of their children; William Edward, standing next to his father, Gertrude Florence, Ernest, Victor (my father)(sitting from left to right) and Vera Nickisson sitting on her mothers knee.

There are three other children: Arthur (who died before this photograph was taken), Eric and Harold Nickisson (born after the photograph).

* Ernest Nickisson was born on the 15th May 1885 in Napier Street, Kidsgrove, Stoke on Trent. He then moved to Minshall Street, Mount Pleasant, Fenton, Stoke on Trent and was married on the 27th December 1909 to Florence Ada Smallman at St Peter's Parish Church, Stoke .

The 1911 Census shows them still in Minshall Street, a Private House with 5 rooms (not including scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathrooms). His occupation at the time was a Furnace man and Engineers Labourer, working in a boiler yard.
The family moved to North Street, Stoke, where Ernest Nickisson died on the 26th October 1943.

* Florence Ada Smallman was born on the 26th October 1884 in Harrison Street, Derby. By the 1891 Census she had moved to Milner Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent and then had moved to Westbank, Penkhull, Stoke (1901 Census) and was working as a Domestic Nurse. When she married Ernest Nickisson in 1909 she was living in Peel Street, Mount Pleasant, Fenton, Stoke. The 1911 Census show she was now working in the pottery industry as a Lithographer.

Following the death of Ernest Nickisson in 1943, Florence Ada Nickisson (nee Smallman) married Daniel Smith Darlington in 1954 at the Wesley Methodist Church, Epworth Street, Stoke.

Florence Ada Smallman died 15th July 1976 at Broadway House, Meir, Stoke on Trent at the age of 91 years.

Daniel Smith Darlington (1881-1965) was born in Stoke on Trent. In the 1891 Census he was living in George Street, Penkhull, Stoke moving to Wood Street, Stoke (1901 Census). The 1911 Census shows him living at Brighton Street, Penkhull in a Private House with 4 rooms, living with his first wife, Ellen Elizabeth Darlington and her parents.

Daniel Smith Darlington worked as a Placer in the pottery industry but by the time of his death, he was a Railway Storeman.

As I mentioned above, Ernest Nickisson (1885-1943) and Florence Ada Smallman (1884-1976) had eight children:

* William Edward Nickisson (1911-1989) married Mabel Wilshaw (1913-1988) in 1931 in Stoke on Trent and have two daughters. Mabel Wilshaw remarried in 1952. William married again in 1947 to Jessie Barnett (nee Hughes)(1920-1985) and had two more daughters and a son. He lived in Stoke on Trent until he remarried and ran a Grocery/Newsagent business in Dorset where he died.

* Gertrude Florence Nickisson (1912-2002) lived all her life in Stoke on Trent and was born in Minshall Street, Mount Pleasant, Fenton, Stoke on Trent. She married Sampson Harrison (1910-2003) on the 11th September 1938 at the Bethesda Chapel in Hanley and moved to North Street, Stoke, only a few doors away from her parents. They had two sons and Sampson worked as a Fitter at the local Iron and Steel Works for over 45 years.

* Arthur Nickisson (1914-1915) only lived for 5 months.

* Ernest Nickisson (1917-1990) was born in Stoke on Trent and was living in Brighton, Sussex when he married Murial Gertrude Barber (1921) in 1932. They have six children, two daughters and four sons and Murial still lives in the Brighton area.

* Victor Nickisson (1919-1981) This is my father, please see my last Blog (Parents have Parents, and Grandparents!!) for family information.

* Vera Nickisson (1922) has always lived in Stoke on Trent and married Charles Clowes (1913-1989) at the Wesley Methodist Church in Epworth Street, Stoke in 1951. They have one daughter and Vera has lived in Cedar Grove, Blurton for many years and still resides there today.

* Eric Nickisson (1926-2005) was born in Stoke on Trent and was married on the 3rd September 1949 in St Bartholomew's Parish Church, Blurton, Stoke on Trent. He married Dorothy Jean Nicholls (1926) (known as Jean) and lived in Birch Walk, Blurton, having one daughter and one son. They then moved to Langland Drive, Blurton where Jean still lives now. Jean was born in Newton Abbot, Devon.

* Harold Nickisson (1927-1929) Born and died in Stoke on Trent.

In my next Blog I will look at my Great Grandparents,

William Nickisson (1842-1901) and Rachel Lunt (Abt 1842-1914)

A preacher visits an elderly woman from his congregation. As he sits on the couch he notices a large bowl of peanuts on the coffee table. "Mind if I have a few?" he asks.
"No, not at all!" the woman replied.
They chat for an hour and as the preacher stands to leave, he realizes that instead of eating just a few peanuts, he emptied most of the bowl. "I'm terribly sorry for eating all your peanuts, I really just meant to eat a few."
"Oh, that's all right," the woman says. "Ever since I lost my teeth all I can do is suck the chocolate off them."

Earlier in the Blog I mentioned about looking at the possibiliy of growing Vegetables in Australia. Looking on the internet, I found this information:

Growing vegetables in hot weather

There will always be more bugs in a tropical climate than in a cool climate, that's for sure! But in a balanced environment there will be more good bugs, too.
Better soil certainly does make your vegetables less susceptible to insects and diseases. Happy plants don't get sick and don't attract as many pests. But that's not the whole story.

Some plants, like cauliflowers or lettuce for example, they just don't like heat. Most Mediterranean plants including tomatoes, they can't stand humidity.
If it's too hot or too humid for them then plants stress. And if they stress they attract bugs, just like people attract colds and flus when they are stressed out and run down... Insects can smell the stress. Really. Stressed plants do emit substances the insects can detect.

The bugs are a symptom, not the core of the problem, and good soil can only do so much. It means the plants will withstand the heat a bit longer, but sooner or later the heat will get to them...

So you can support your vegetables with a combination of good, deep soil, regular moisture and planting them in the right position. Forget what your English gardening book preaches about full sun. Plan ahead so that once it gets hot there will be something shading the more sensitive plants...

But the best thing to do during hot weather is to grow tropical vegetables. Grow vegetables that like heat!

I think the best thing to do during hot weather

may be to lie on the beach, swim in the sea etc. etc. etc.

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large tray of apples. A nun lettered a note and posted it on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."
Moving along the lunch line, at the other end was a large tray of chocolate chip cookies. A girl wrote a note, which she put next to the tray of cookies, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

See you soon

Parents have Parents, and Grandparents!!

There is not much going on in the allotment now that Autumn / Winter is upon us so I thought it would be a good opportunity to pass on some information regarding the Nickisson Family Tree.

For the next few weeks I will be looking at the Direct Line from myself to the oldest Nickisson, John Nickisson born about 1690, my 5xGreat Grandfather.

* A little boy liked nothing better to do than to sit on his grandfather's knee and have stories read to him.  One day after a story about Noah's ark, and how Noah led pairs of animals to the safety of the ark. 

The little boy asked, 'Granddad, you are very old, were you in Noah's ark?' Gosh no', said Granddad.' In that case, how come you didn't drown when the flood came?'



Back to the Blog!

Now that I have added names to the Nickisson Family Tree, you will see from the Direct Line Chart below that information/proof is needed to identify some of the Births, Marriages, Deaths etc. For example, I have recently added John Nickisson who married a Catherine? This information was found from a Family Tree website on the Internet. So my next step is to research their names at the Stafford Record Office to determine; are they my family? If so, when and where were they born, married and when did they die?

Until the research starts, I thought it would be of interest to pass on information from the chart below that has been proven. This is found from Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates and Registration Documents, Parish Records, Military Service Records and even British Phone Books.

For this Blog I will look at my parents, Victor Nickisson 1919-1981 and Lilian Byatt 1923-2002. See the chart below.

 

* Having one child makes you a Parent; having two makes you a referee



My father, Victor Nickisson was born in Bridge Street, Mount Pleasant, Fenton, Stoke on Trent on the 13th September 1919 and was christened on the 19th October 1919 at the United Methodist Church, Mount Pleasant. He married my mother, Lilian Byatt at Christ Church, Fenton on the 14th September 1946 whilst living in North Street, Stoke. The witnesses were his brother Eric Nickisson and my mothers sister Winifred Byatt.

My twin brother and myself were born in 1947 and lived in North Street, Stoke, until we moved a few miles away to Blurton, finally moving to Cemlyn Avenue, Blurton where three more children, all girls, were born between 1948 and 1963. My mother and father lived in Cemlyn Avenue until my father died in 1981.

My father served in the second world war from 1939 to 1946 as an artillery gunner. He enlisted in Rhyl on the 15th December 1939 and joined the Royal Artillary Regiment  and saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Palestine, Italy, Greece and Austria. He left the service on the 23rd of July 1946

He earned (top row ,left to right) the War medal 1939-45 (Single Oak Leaf clasp) - the Italy Star - the Defence Medal (Silver Laurel Leaves clasp. King's Commendation for Brave Conduct. Civil) (bottom row, left) the 1939-45 Star (Battle of Britain clasp)  - the African Star (showing the 1st Army bar).  When my father left the army he worked in the pottery industry, mainly in the production of sanitaryware.

My Mother, Lilian Byatt was born on the 16th September 1923 in York Street, Fenton, Stoke on Trent (renamed Dimmock Street in the 1950's) to parents Alfred Byatt (1881-1953) and Esther Riley (1888-1964). She worked in a sweet factory and as a tea packer until she married and became a housewife and mother to the five children. When my father died my mother eventually lived with my sister and finally moved to Fairbourne, Gwynedd, Wales, where she died in 2002.

In my next Blog, I will look at my fathers parents, my Grandparents, Ernest Nickisson (1885-1943) and Florence Ada Smallman (1884-1976).

* Parenting is the only job, that you don’t know if you did a good job, until it’s too late

* Two young boys were spending the night at their Grandparents. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his voice. "I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE... I PRAY FOR A NEW PLAYSTATION... I PRAY FOR A COMPUTER..."
His older brother leant over and nudged his brother and said, "why are you shouting your prayers? God isn't deaf." To which his little brother replied, "no, but our Grandparents are!"

See you soon

Times are changing

Times are changing! Clocks were put back last weekend but times are moving forward!

• Changes to the Nickisson Family Tree.
• Times have changed at the allotment.
• Times have changed from our house of 22 years,
• to a temporary home for the next four months.

* Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once

• Changes to the Nickisson Family Tree.

I mentioned in my last Blog (October) that due to changes in my email address I needed to create this new Blog. In that previous Blog, (if you would like to familiarise yourself with it, please go to: http://growingfamilytreesandvegetables.blogspot.com) I decided to introduce into the Nickisson Family Tree information regarding my great great great grandfathers possible parents, brothers and sisters. This was because I could only presume that the information I had was correct but not fully proved.

So I introduced into my tree;

My new great, great, great grandparents:

Charles Nickisson (1771-1852) married (1799) to Elizabeth Stubbs (c1775-1850),

Their children:

Henry Nickisson (already in the Family Tree)
Sarah Nickisson (1802-?)
Charles Nickisson (1805-1864) married (1832) to Elizabeth Oseland (c1805-?)
George Nickisson (1811-1842)
William Nickisson (1816-1866) married (1842) to Mary Ann Parkes (1823-1904
Mary Ann Nickisson (1821-1840)
Their children:

Robert Nickisson (1837-1880)
Charles Edwin Nickisson (1845-1871) married (1865) to Mary Elizabeth Hallam (1846-1905)
Alfred Parkes Nickisson (1840-?) married (1874) Harriet Frances Hancox (1854-?)
Ellen Nickisson (1845-?) married (1866) Edwin Willis (1842-?)
Elizabeth Nickisson (1847-1891) married ( 1871) Carl Casper Franklin (?)
Frederick Nickisson (1857-1941)
Louisa Nickisson (1863-1875)
Their children:

Charles Edwin Nickisson (1869-1870)
Polly Nickisson (1866-?)
Alice Jane Nickisson (1867-?) married (1906) James Howard Small (1860-1915)
Fanny Emily Nickisson (1871-1910) married (1892) John Harvey (?)
Joseph Arthur Nickisson (1876-?)
Frederick W Nickisson (1878-1878)
Herbert S Nickisson (1879-?)
Alice Eva H Nickisson (1882-1882)
Louisa Nickisson-Corbett (1884-?)
Carl Frederick Franklin (1872-1936)
Mary Louisa Franklin (1874-1875)
Ellen Elizabeth Franklin (1878-1931)
William Edward Franklin (1876-1937)

As you may be aware I have been really busy over the last few months and this has meant that the Family Tree has been a little neglected. Now that we are a little more settled and the winter months are approaching, I will start to look for more evidence / proof that will connect the above family members more closely to the Nickisson Family Tree.

I enjoy this part of genealogy



* Time is a great healer, but it's also a lousy beautician

• Times have changed at the allotment:

from this;

A full allotment, to this;

All the produce has been harvested and since these photo's were taken the remainder of the potatoes have been dug up and stored in the allotment shed. All that remains in the ground are Leeks (that will be harvested next year), Strawberry plants that have been thinned out and replanted into a bigger plot and Rhubarb that will now lay dormant over winter. All the plots have been dug over and some of the plots have been covered to reduce weed growth. Onion sets will be planted in the next few days to produce next years crop.

Times have changed in the greenhouse / Conservatory:

From this;

To this:

Empty now other than the remainder of the Onions,

and the Grapevine is now ready to be wrapped in fleece to protect it through winter.

We had a small but really good crop of Grapes, there should be a lot more next year.

The allotment is now ready for my daughter Joanne

and my grandson Joseph to take over next year.

I will miss the allotment - Vegetables in Australia? Hope so!!!!!!



* Time is like money: you can either spend, waste, or invest!

• Times have changed from our house of 22 years, to a temporary home for the next four months.

Emotions were high when we left our home of many years and we moved into our temporary accommodation before moving to Australia in March next year.

Times have changed to an empty Foster Court;



The lounge

The Kitchen

The main bathroom

The small bedroom

The main bedroom

Large attic bedroom

Smaller attic bedroom

 

To Highfield Drive

The small lounge.

The only room that looks like somewhere to live, no storage boxes etc

The study come

TV room come dining room come box storage room

The small kitchen

The main bedroom with rails to store clothes

Another bedroom with rail storage of clothes and boxes

There is another small bedroom but could not photograph it due to not having enough room to focus the camera.

Although small, it has now become a comfortable home for the next 4 months.

Times have really changed.



* Time is relative... The mind makes it slow, the heart makes it fast, our friends make it worth while, and words... make it timeless

See you soon