What's In A Name?

(Any errors or omissions in the following? See Alan - Ed.!)

Alan Thomas

When I was first asked to compile this list I thought it was because members would be interested to know how others came by their nicknames.  I have since found that many members are interested to know the real names of people they only know by their nicknames.

Ian Caldwell was given the name Wormhole by Trevor Hughes because he had a propensity for digging small holes and because he was a womaniser (which I suppose is another way of digging small holes).

S.J. Collins is called Alfie for a reason that I have already adequately explained in "The Story of Priddy".

Pat Cronin is called Stumpy for obvious reasons.

Chris Hall was known as Snogger Hall as a description of his behaviour.  On joining the police force he became known as "Evening all".

Chris Harvey became known as Zott because when he was first seen on Mendip he had a puke-coloured (and occasionally puke-covered) Consul with a mascot suspended from a spring which he was in the habit of pulling.  As it flew up to the roof he exclaimed: Zott.

Colin Houlden became known as Colin the Screw when he worked at Shepton Mallet Prison.  I last saw him last November when I was making my way to Guernsey on Channel Island Ferries, but Tony Jarratt (pronounced J'Rat) tells me that he is still about.

Trevor Hughes is called Biffo

Dave Irwin is called The Wig, which is (strangely enough) short for a corruption of Irwin.

When I was staying at the Hill Inn in February the Landlord (Pissy Riley by name) reminded me that in the late 1960's the definite article was put in front of names and nicknames. For instance, when he was in Australia he went call on Phil Kingston and was greeted with:  "Ah! It’s the Riley".  I have never had a nickname but in the 60's was sometimes called the Thomas.  John Riley, by the way, was called Pissy Riley because on one occasion he objected to someone passing his cigarettes round the Hunters.

Mike Jeanmaire is called Fish because he was declared by the D.H.S.S. to be temperamentally unsuitable for anything except diving.

Greame Johnson (as opposed to Graham) was given the name Bolt because he resembled Frankenstein's monster.

Ron King is known as Kangy which, when we were young, we meant to be a corruption of King.

Mark Lumley is called Gonzo after one of the Muppets, whom he resembles.

Stuart McManus is known as Mac usually but occasionally Mac Anus for obvious reasons.

Peter McNab is known as Snab. When he was in the R.A.F. there were so many Peters that every Peter had to have a nickname.  He called himself Snab to avoid being called Macscab.  It is obvious that his son would be called Snablet.

When we were staying at the Hill Inn in February he was heard to say wistfully:  "Peter used to be known as my son; now I am known as his father".

Mike Macdonald is called Trebor after an impersonation of a newsreader done by Lennie Henry.  The newsreader is called Trebor Macdoughnut.

Richard Neville-Dove is called Mongo because he resembles a character in "Blazing Saddles".

Dave Shand is known as Wobbly, for reasons that become obvious on Saturday night.

Chris Smart is known as Blitz because he was struck by lightning in Austria.

Nigel Taylor was given the name Mr. Nigel by Gordon Tilly because when he first became a member he called everybody Mr.  In fact he called me Alan long before he called my wife Hilary.

Brian Van Luipen is called Loopy for obvious reasons.

Graham Wilton-Jones is called Bassett because his surname is said to resemble Wootton Bassett.