Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

My father used to tell me that had I been born a week or so earlier - on Partition Day, they would have called me Pakistan - new country new baby. I never knew whether he was joking or not! I trust it would have been a third name rather than a first!!

The same midwife delivered all four of us (at home) and when it got to the youngest (fortunately a girl) my gave her the midwife's name as a second name. (Nancy). when the midwife was told she said that both she and my sister had had a lucky escape.

She (the midwife) had been born in the first world war while her father was in the Merchant Navy. At the time he had been MIA and the mother had determined that if he was alive the baby would be called after his ship,(SS Calliope) and the ship which rescued him. He had been picked up but fortunately wiser heads prevailed or I would have had a midwife (and a sister) called Calliope Eustycha!!

My maternal grandfather was an infantryman fighting in Belgium in the 1st World War. He was in Louvain when he heard of my mother's arrival in the world, and that became her middle name (but pronounced Loovayne). Well, they weren't edificated and froggified like wot moi is. Unfortunately they spoiled things just a smidge by making Edna her first name, but I suppose you can't have everything. Maybe it had a beautiful ring to it in those days...

I always liked that story, as well as the name, and when my daughter came along I passed it on to her (again as a middle name), with an 'e' shoved on the end. Je ne regrette rien!

I've just googled Louvaine, and it turns out that this is the name of a small bistro/restaurant not a stone's throw from where I was born in London SW. Not mind-boggling, but one of those little coincidences that would make me raise one eyebrow if only I could (an ability I've always hankered after...)

Not particularly odd names, but my paternal grandfather`s surname was Clare, my paternal grandmother`s was Howard.
Several members of the following generations have been given those names as middle names , including one of my own daughters.
I wonder how long they`ll be kept going?

I had a lucky escape, too...
My mother's grandfather was a bible-bashing Welsh preacher, and when his daughter produced a lively brood he used to say that his son-in-law (my grandfather) needed the patience of Job to cope with them all. He nicknamed my mother and her sister 'Jemima' and 'Kezia' after two of Job's children (Job Ch. 42 v. 14....). When I came along a generation later my mother decided to finish off the triad - Job's third daughter was 'Keren Happuch'. Fortunately both my parents decided not to use the second half of the name (phew), but unfortunately when it came to registering my birth, my father demonstrated his philistinism and mis-spelt my name. So I am pretty unique.....
But when I was at school I longed to be just plain 'Jane'.....

kerrensimmonds wrote:So I am pretty unique.....

Kerren you ARE unique in so many ways - not least in your friendship with DR in her declining years! But also the way you charged down the hockey field towards me when I was in goal!!

Yes.. I can see it now.. girls thundering down the pitch, breath visible in the freezing air. Clods of turf flying when a stick hacked into the grass! The "peep" of Nellie's whistle as the ball thwacked into goal. Players pink, panting, spattered in mud; stomping back into position for the bully-off.

Kerren, star player!

The joys of hockey!

Angela Woodford wrote:

midget wrote:Doraine Truscott (1s and 3s--1944-1952) had Anne as her second name. She always insisted on saying Anne-with-an-e, and eventually decided that if she had a daughter she would call her Withany. I dont't know if she did have girls-I'm assuming she didn't give the name to her sons.

Maggie

Most amusing Maggie!

However, the name "Doraine" is a bit of a superb parental creation, isn't it? Perhaps they couldn't decide on "Doreen" or "Lorraine" and went half and half?

Munch

Actually it's worse than that. Her parents couldn't decide on a name, so stuck a pin in a "Name your baby" book and came up with Dorene, all French with accent grave on the first 'e', but the registrar was a twit and Doraine she became.

Maggie

Kerren, I have a little confession to make about your name. When I first heard it spoken I knew that you must be a very very smart person.

Think of the accent of a very superior person who pronounces

house as "hice"
axe as "ex"
power as "pah" and of course
Karen as "Kerren"

I was so impressed!

Love, Munch

I don't talk like that! My 'accent' is very Sarf of England. My mum tried to make me talk 'Oxford' but now she is no longer around to pick me up on pronounciation, my speech has gone native. Oh well...

No, no, Kerren, I never actually spoke to you at all - I was but a junior hearing about the achievements of the Sports Goddess!

A name I thought was wonderfully smart was Drusilla Cassell. Hmm, thinking... Alexandra Szantyr, Sabina Stewart!

er, "Munch"

chubby name, with me ever since!

I think parents always have to be careful with names as these children will have to go through school with them!

Like Apple, Peaches and Plum you mean?

Our youngest daughters brother in law has recently married a Thai girl and her name is Apple.