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
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
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
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.