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Archiver > ESSEX-UK > 2004-09 > 1094073588


From: "Pamela" <>
Subject: Re: Re:Nicknames - ' Pole' GOODY (Maypole Pub) & others
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 22:22:05 +0100
References: <44C44479.1869476F.006A19F4@aol.com>


In my own family tree I have Punch (Henry Robert Hudgill) Old Rosie (Arthur
James Hudgill) Nobby (Arthur James Jn Hudgill) Dummy(William David Hudgill)
and China (William George Hudgill) in addition to this I found that most of
the time the original name wasn't even know by people, there's many a funny
example of Fred Browns in his books on my website,

Pam
www.hudgill.co.uk


----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 11:47 AM
Subject: Re:Nicknames - ' Pole' GOODY (Maypole Pub) & others


> In an email dated 1/9/2004 8:21:18 am GMT Daylight time, "colleen
morrison" <> writes:
>
> >>The nicknames which seem to have been rife in this part of Essex -
Maldon, Tiptree, Tollesbury, Blackwater estuary villages - especially in
coastal areas among the fishing and boating community, fascinate me.
> >
> >Old Pye, Old Stubbins, Shaver Mills, Sooty Mussett, Hobby Keeble, Gunner
Cook, Pinky Hewes, 'Admiral' Wyatt among them.
> >
>
> Hi Colleen
>
> ISTRT I have read about the commonness of nicknames in Essex somewhere
before. I'm not sure if it was a method of 'bonding' during difficult times,
but to use a different name from the given name has always put both the
person called by the nickname and the person calling them by it into a sort
of 'club' - a piece of shared knowledge that puts them outside the boundary
of a formal relationship and inside the boundary of friendship. The
fishermen in Leigh-on-Sea were nearly all known by their nicknames
>
> These nicknames could also seem quite insulting to those on the outside,
using descriptions of the person in one form or another. Your 'Pole' Goody
(tall and thin like a bean-pole, with the added 'in-joke' of him running the
Maypole Inn) is one example, as well as 'Lofty' meaning someone tall. Then
there are the opposites - 'Lofty' for someone short, 'Bright' for someone
who's a bit on the dim side, etc.
>
> But 'insults' like these are all part of the British way of life which is
not always understood by those places abroad where it is socially
unacceptable to say anything bad about someone to their face. In the UK,
once you have got to know someone well enough to feel comfortable stepping
over the boundaries in order to be rude to them and they have insulted you
back then it's a sign you have been accepted.
>
> However, it must be obvious that the insult is meant in jest. Get that
wrong and they will never speak to you again!
>
> It is the same with nicknames - unless your nickname has virtually become
your Christian name (I know someone whose name is Helen but everyone calls
her Hen) it is insulting for a stranger or an official to use it until you
have got to know them better.
>
> Dave D
>
>

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