Your nickname

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

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J.R.
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Re: Your nickname

Post by J.R. »

You are truly a font of information, Michael.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
michael scuffil
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Re: Your nickname

Post by michael scuffil »

J.R. wrote:You are truly a font of information, Michael.
At CH I was famous for reading encyclopaedias. Our housemaster John Page said I ought to be reading novels (curious, a sort of Gradgrind in reverse). Still, in my present profession, it comes in useful.
Th.B. 27 1955-63
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J.R.
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Re: Your nickname

Post by J.R. »

I do certainly remember C.M.E.S. being referred to as 'Clarence'.
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Mid A 15
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Mid A 15 »

J.R. wrote:I do certainly remember C.M.E.S. being referred to as 'Clarence'.
Clarence or "Clarrie" in my time.
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Goatherd
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Goatherd »

"Milt" as well, I think!
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Jabod2
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Jabod2 »

Milt surely came from a seaman homonym 'Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals who reproduce by spraying this fluid which contains the sperm, onto roe (fish eggs)' - or was that too intellectual for pupils? Certainly many others were far from subtle!
Goatherd
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Goatherd »

Never heard that explanation before! I'm pretty sure it came from his second name: Clarence Milton Edwards Seaman.
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michael scuffil
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Re: Your nickname

Post by michael scuffil »

'Milt' was invented by Nic Mudie (ColB) in 1962. It was a reference to (a) the M in CME Seaman (Milton) and (b) Milt Jackson, the MJQ vibraphonist. The MJQ were quite famous at the time. To start with, to refer to CMES as Milt was an insider thing for a certain clique of us (or 'coterie' as CMES himself described us), but it trickled down, and within a year or two had caught on. I fear the semen/seaman explanation is fanciful.
Th.B. 27 1955-63
BroadieMan
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Re: Your nickname

Post by BroadieMan »

My old nicknames...I used to be called "Brickwall" on the rugby pitch, due to my rather impactful, and early onsetting puberty making me quite dangerous. :P
Off of it, everyone called me either "Cuencs", or "Leroy", on account of my overly confident, slightly clumsy and heavy impacting actions. :D

I remember my mates had some odd names too. Some of them we gave them, others were bestowed by the right honourable Rev Mitra, who was and still is a living legend to some of us. :) There was "Wizard", "Table-strider" or "Lamp-post", "Woodbean", and "Bacon-arms". :) Aaah, good times.
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JustRob
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Re: Your nickname

Post by JustRob »

My nickname? Now therein lies a tale and I am not known for my brevity, so ...

When I became a pupil at CH I quickly gained the nickname Wonky Pooh because I had a dense mop of unruly hair, which a comb would not penetrate. For the less well read here, Wonky Pooh was a persian cat in Agatha Christie's book Murder is Easy. I didn't know that myself then as I only ever read practical textbooks in those days. Also in that book the cat had an ear infection which had dire consequences. In my first year at the school I also coincidentally suffered a serious ear infection, an enormous internal boil which threatened to impair my hearing, according to Doctor Scott. I subsequently accidentally got my revenge for this unfortunate association of events by starting a 'flu epidemic which brought the entire school community to its knees. Doctor Scott told me never to reveal that I was "patient zero" so to speak in case I was subsequently found hanging from a tree in the avenue. Unlike the original Wonky Pooh I didn't actually cause any deaths to my knowledge though.

The whole thing was mistaken identity anyway. Anyone well read knows that it was Winnie the Pooh who lived under the name of Sanders. It was an easy enough mistake to make though.
Lamb B 1956-63 now a Donation Governor
sejintenej
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Re: Your nickname

Post by sejintenej »

I have absolutely no idea about the origin or meaning of my nickname. If you google it you get sent to a certain young lady in Verkhnekamsky District which, from the script seems to be in Russia. She appears to be very skilled at her (respectable photographic) trade. Otherwise it could refer to a Jakarta bass or even certain CD's. Unfortunately all these are later discoveries. It doesn't help that the name has several possible spellings.
My guess is a liking for iced cakes from a manufacturer with a Germanic name.
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Dover
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Dover »

My nicknames all derived from my real name, Robin Over. I am still known as Rover by more people than know me as Robin. (Mr R Over according to my bank card).
Clover, lover, fell, turn, and numerous other variations on the theme were heard over the years but almost all fell into disuse after some unremembered comedian came up with my most used nickname in homage to the infamous adult video star whose career peaked during my time at housey. Thanks Ben Dover!
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Fitzsadou
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Fitzsadou »

In my day (40s & 50s) the most imaginative and prolific bestower of boys’ nicknames was the eccentric master Cecil Francis Kirby (Uncle or Bill). Although he is hardly mentioned in recent forum entries he has a well deserved thread devoted to him and was often mentioned elsewhere too.

A selection from his many, many nicknames


Nickname - Explanation

Blossom - A red cheeked rustic looking boy
Weasel - It rhymed with his surname.
Tommy - This boy had the same surname as a very famous “Tommy.”
Cow - Incredibly it was used as a nickname of respect for his senior sergeant in the CCF’s Signals Section.
Aeolus - For a boy who spoke a lot in class. Aeolus was the Ancient Greek god who controlled their release from the bag in which they were kept.
Liz - A very feminine looking young boy
Clarar
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Re: Your nickname

Post by Clarar »

Hi all
My nickname Belly,and my real name clarar khan.
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jhopgood
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Re: Your nickname

Post by jhopgood »

Interesting to see this thread resurrected, and I would imagine that some of the original posters are now offline.
I asked people to guess mine, which no one did, but I appear never to have revealed it.
I inherited it from Hilliard and was called Joz, and my brother Jozzy.
I was small for my age but not dramatically so, was not Jewish nor was my Christian name Joshua, so I was, and am, at a bit of a loss for the reason.
Barnes B 25 (59 - 66)
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