Remember

It was not so long ago, on Remembrance Day, that we thought of those who lived or died through the many wars and conflicts around the world. We may not know them individually but when you find names that are connected to you through your Family Tree, you want to know more!!!!

There is more information available now using Genealogy sites, especially about World War 1 and even some conflicts going further back, so I hope its interesting to enlighten you on a couple that have now appeared in my Family Tree.

We have Henry Frederick Nickisson and Leonard Nickisson who served in the First World War.(both my 1st Cousins 1x removed)

Henry Frederick Nickisson, Military Service No. 3956, served in the 1st World War for just one day (explain later).

He was 5ft 3 inches in height with good vision and good physical development, Chest measurement 31 inches (surprising what information you can gather).
He enlisted on the 6th of February 1915 in Stockport and joined the 6th (2nd Reserves) Battalion Cheshire Infantry Regiment.

Why one Day?
Henry Frederick was sent home on the same day he enlisted because of "Wrong declaration of age on enlistment".
He enlisted under the name of Frederick Nickisson and declared his age as 18 years and 2 months.

His actual age was only 16 years.

Now we have;
Leonard Nickisson, Military Service No. 10322 & 45227 (sounds strange, two service numbers, more later)
Leonard was 5ft 4 inches in height, weight 113 lbs with good vision and physical development, Chest measurement 31 inches. He had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair.
He enlisted in Stoke on Trent on the 11th of August 1914 (Military Service No. 10322) and declared his age as 20 years and 65 days (true age). He joined the North Staffordshire Regiment but was discharged 6 weeks later.
Why?
Leonard was discharged on the 25th September 1914 under Paragraph 392 (iii) (c) of the King's Regulations 1912:

(iii) Not being likely to become an efficient soldier.

(c) Recruit within 3 months of enlistment considered unfit for service!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leonard Nickisson was to prove them wrong

The same Leonard Nickisson, now Military Service No. 45227, again enlisted in Stoke on Trent on the 28th May 1915 and joined at Hounslow into the Royal Fusiliers. Declared age as 19 years and 11 months (how did he get away with it????) and this was is service:

• 27th July 1916 Transferred to the Machine Gun Corps
• 7th August 1916 Posted to France
• 8th January 1919 Returned to England. Demobilisation
• 30th January  1919 Transfer to Reserve
• 6th February 1919 - 14th February Admitted to Stoke on Trent War Hospital, suffering from Dyspepsia and Bells Palsy
• 24th July 1919 Requested for Discharge Documents

Final Service: 3 years 247 days, of which 2 years 155 days were served abroad during the 1st world war.

13th September 1922 Certified the British War Medal and Victory Medal

Leonard Nickisson definitely proved them wrong

Remember

A little girl came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? I was reminded on how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

Remember

I cannot believe the weather we have been having!!!!!!!

The allotment has been a near no go area since my last Blog.

Remember I told you we had Winter Cabbage, Cauliflower and Onions growing in trays in the greenhouse?

Well they are out of the greenhouse and into the allotment beds. We have covered the areas with fleece and netting, hopefully, to protect them from the winter weather.

Then the snow came......... and we haven't seen them since.

Lets hope we can remember where they are and the coverings worked!!

Can you remember what was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread?

A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up a thousand times the memory

If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame

Remember. Be nice to your kids: they'll choose your nursing home

And finally,
Remember. If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you

Growing up and Maturing

I'M BACK

It seems a long time since my last blog but I'm back!!!!!

Since my last blog we have had a fantastic 6 weeks holiday in Australia, more about that later. We then had five weeks to get the allotment emptied, tidied and ready for winter because I knew I was going into hospital for a hernia operation.
The operation was two weeks ago and I am now on the mend.

Growing up and Maturing - My four Grandchildren

So what about our holiday in Australia. We had a really good holiday with my son Dean and Rachel but can you remember this photo from my last blog?

Well these are my Grandchildren now, Charlotte and Jacob.

Really growing up and probably learnt a few things from Ryan and Kye, better not to think about it!!!!!!!

• I didn't know if my granddaughter, Charlotte, had learned her colours yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what colour it was. She would tell me and she was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. When I finished, she headed for the door, turned and said,

"Grandad, I think you should try to figure out some of these, yourself!"

While we were in Australia my daughter Joanne and Neil had my new Grandchild, Izac, born on my birthday (I was chuffed).

Remember this photo?

Well look at Izac now, with a very happy Grandad,

so these are my other two Grandchildren, Joseph and Izac.

• When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandad," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to 6."

Grandchildren. This is what the Nickisson Family Tree is all about!

Growing up and Maturing - Now the Allotment

As I mentioned at the beginning, when I got back from holiday we needed to work on the allotment so that it was ready for winter and before I went into hospital. We needed to take out any produce that was left growing and then compost everything else.

All that is left in the ground are Brussels Sprouts, Leeks and a few Potatoes.

The Greenhouse and the 'Conservatory' have been emptied and Onions, Winter Cabbage and Cauliflower have been planted in seed trays, ready for planting out in the next week (hope we haven't left it to late!!).

We are also growing Lettuce in the Greenhouse hoping that it will continue to grow during the cold winter. You never know!!!!!

Joanne also bought me a Grape Vine for my birthday and this will be kept in the 'Conservatory'

This vine is a German Hybrid, Vitis 'Regent' and has been bred specifically for the UK climate. Grapes to eat or Red Wine to make? Looking forward to letting you know.

On Reflection:

• I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'

• Maybe it is true that life begins at fifty .. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out..

• Money can't buy you happiness ... But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.

See you soon

Roots Down Under

July 2010

Well, we are having a fantastic amount of fruit and vegetables from the allotment. Courgettes are coming out everywhere, we know for next year not to plant so many.

Peas, Strawberry's, Onions, Garlic, Turnips, picked in abundance.

The Broad Beans have been good but have now been attacked by blackfly. So we have had to put the remainder on the compost, still it has given us a space to put the winter cabbage in now that the seedlings are coming through.

Its good to see the cupboard with home grown vegetables.

The first Potatoes have been picked 3kg (7lb) from just 3 plants. The Runner Beans, Tomatoes etc. are now ready for picking and the Carrots will be ready in a few weeks time. It will be interesting to see if our experiment of growing Carrots in the cardboard of toilet rolls, in the ground, has worked. Apparently, it supposed to protect them from carrotfly and produce better growth. We will see!!!!!!

I need a coffee break now!!!

By the way, did I tell you we are off to Australia tomorrow (Mon. 26th) for 6 weeks. YES, 6 weeks,

cannot wait to see my son Dean, and Rachel and especially my grandchildren,

Charlotte and Jacob

And the allotment!!!!

It's in the capable hands of my daughter Joanne, with Neil and my grandson Joseph.

It also means that I am sorry not be near when Joanne has my new grandson Izac (expected on the 7th August)

Really will be looking forward to seeing everyone when we get back.

Speak to you in September

From Planted Seeds to Maturity

That's strange: half my ancestors are WOMEN!

In my last blog I mentioned that I would look at the Females in the Nickisson Family Tree

We have (to Date) 379 persons and of those:

• 176 are females
• 82 were born a Nickisson

Should women have children after 35?           

No, 35 children are enough

• Most Popular Nickisson name: Unlike the Nickisson Males there is no particular name that seems to have been passed on through the Generations. There are just two each of the following names: Diane - Elizabeth - Hannah - Irene - Janet - Julia - Laura and Rachel. The most popular names in all the females in the family tree is Rachel and Susan (5 each)

There was a woman who was pregnant with twins, and shortly before they were due, she had an accident and went into a coma. Her husband was away on business, and unable to be reached. While in the coma, she gave birth to her twins, and the only person around to name her children was her brother.
When the mother came out of her coma to find she had given birth and that her brother had named the twins, she became very worried, because he wasn’t a very bright guy. She was sure he had named them something absurd or stupid.
When she saw her brother she asked him about the twins.

He said, “The first one was a girl.”
The mother: “What did you name her?!?”
Brother: “Denise!”
The Mother: “Oh, wow, that’s not bad! What about the second one?”
Brother: “The second one was a boy.”
The Mother: “Oh, and what did you name him?”
Brother: “Denephew.”

• The oldest female Nickisson: 88 years and still going strong

Did you hear about the 88 year old woman who talked herself out of a speeding ticket by telling the young officer that she had to get there before she forgot where she was going?

From Planted Seeds to Maturity

June 2010

We cannot believe how the vegetables have grown over the last month!

This is how the allotment looked at the end of May

and now, 4 weeks later!!!!!!!!!!

The weather has been perfect with plenty of sun and rain (although we could do with a little more rain now). That's put the damper on it!!!!!!! (Hope so)

The allotment is full, everything has been planted out from the greenhouse and we are now harvesting our first produce. We have already had about 3 kilo (nearly 7lb) of Strawberry's, they are fantastic.

By the way, have you seen my Whopper?

No, not the Peas, over 7 kilo (16lb) have been picked already.

Guess what, its coffee time, still amongst the Peas.

Have you seen my Whopper Yet?

No not the Courgettes

The Button Turnips are now being harvested.

We have also picked Garlic and Onions.

Whilst the above vegetables and fruit are still producing, in the next few weeks we will also be harvesting: Early Potatoes, Broad Beans, Runner Beans, Rhubarb, Tomatoes, Lettuce and Beetroot.

Well, have you seen my Whopper yet?

Later in the year we will have (hopefully) Leeks, late Potatoes, Sweetcorn, Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage. They are all growing well at the moment but the saga of the Cauliflower continues - no luck with them, just five plants out three trays of seeds. Still those five are doing well.

In the greenhouse we have plenty of Tomato plants

whilst outside on the 'patio' we have Peppers Planted in Plastic Pots

See how quickly you can say that!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you ready to see my Whopper now?

Take a deep breath.

Here it is, its a beauty!!!!!!!!!

What can I say!!!!!!!!!!!

What a difference the son makes

All Family Trees need Sons to be born to continue the family name.

In my Nickisson Family Tree we have;

7 Generations starting from Circa 1809 to the latest Son born in 2007.

379 Persons

172 Born a Nickisson. Of them;

90 Males

After a young couple brought their new baby home, the wife suggested that her husband should try his hand at changing nappies. "I'm busy," he said, "I'll do the next one." The next time came around and she asked again. The husband looked puzzled, "Oh! I didn't mean the next nappy. I meant the next baby!"

In the Nickisson Family Tree;

The most popular MALE Nickisson Christian name?

We have 3 Davids - 3 Thomas - 3 Harolds

We have 4 Williams

We have 6 Henrys

The most popular Nickisson name: John (8)

If your parents never had children, chances are you won't either.

Which Male Nickisson had the most Children?

Ernest - Peter -  John - With 6 children each

 Leonard - Ernest - 8 Children each

Derek - 12 children

William - 14 children

With the most children: William - 15

Father: Don't you think our son gets his brains from me?

Mother: Probably, dear. I still have all of mine.

The oldest Male Nickisson?

79 years (to date)

You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while your down there.

I will look at the Nickisson Females next time

What a difference the sun makes

May 2010
Its all coming together now that the sun has been shining. Plants are coming out of the Greenhouse and Cold frame and into the ground.

You can see in the photo above: Onions, Garlic, Broad Beans, Courgettes, Cabbage (under the netting) Carrots and Peas.

The photo below shows: Sweetcorn, Runner Beans, Potatoes (early and lates) and Herbs and Spices such as Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Chives and Coriander.

Within just a few weeks of worrying about frosts and really cold weather, we have the first signs of positive growing. I deserve a coffee break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Strawberries are flowering with the first fruits developing!

Honest, you can see the fruits below

Even the Peas are flowering, certainly a growing success so far. Last year we couldn't grow them at all. We even have Pea Pods on them this time.

See, you didn't believe me did you?????

We lost all the Broad Beans we planted last October as the cold winter weather was so severe. The ones we planted in spring are going really well, full of flowers.

I need another coffee break

No, I'll have a sandwich instead!

Now,................ I'll have that coffee

In the Greenhouse and "Conservatory" we have Tomato plants in flower, we still have Leeks, Peppers, and Lettuce in seed trays. These are not ready to be planted out yet, hopefully in the next few weeks. Struggling with Cauliflower though, we just cannot get the seeds to germinate. Only five individual plants have grown out of three attempts in seed trays!!!!!!!!!!! We will keep trying.

Plenty still to do, but at least we are actually growing vegetables now.

Have you spotted my deliberate mistake above??????????????

Let me know if you find it

Ever since I saw you in our family tree, I've wanted to cut it down

April 2010

As you would expect, there are quite a few and varied occupations

 belonging to many of the persons in the Nickisson Family Tree.

For the Men these included Miners, Labourers, Journeymen, Engineers, Joiners and Sailors, to name just a few.

For the Ladies, Domestic Servants, Milliners, Silk Workers, Nurses and most of all, Housewife.

Some other occupations were more obscure and strange, see a couple of those below.

Lighterman

The Lightermen conveyed goods between the ships and the quayside. They took their name from this process of ‘lightening’ the ship. The picture above shows the silhouette of a London lighterman. St Paul's Cathedral can be seen in the distance.

The boat, a 'Lighter' was similar to a barge, the above picture shows one loaded with packing cases. The lightermen had an important voice in the running of the Port of London right up until the final closure of the docks in the 1980s. Entry to the trade was tightly controlled and each man had to serve an apprenticeship of between two and seven years.

Doffer

The above photograph gives an indication what a cotton mill was like. A 'ring spinner' would look after at least four "sides", that is two complete ring frames. They would make sure that all the ends were pieced up, and keep the frames as clean as possible. That was about 1000 spindles. The doffers worked in teams of five or six (boys or girls) removing the full bobbins from the frames, and replacing them with empty tubes. The lead doffer was called the coppice winder (they were paid more a week than the other doffers), the coppice is the mechanism that raises the ring platfoms. Once the rings had been lowered, the coppice winder would release the ratchet stops and rewind the coppice. then doff their section of the spinning frame. They were usually the fastest workers in the mill. Doffing around one hundred bobbins in under two minutes.

The picture above shows a Sweeper and Doffer Boys in a Lancaster Cotton Mill 1908

 

More on the Nickisson Family Tree later.

Hold on, about Family Trees!

Can a first cousin once removed..RETURN?
"Crazy" is a relative term in my family.

Heredity: Everyone believes in it until their children act like fools!

Finally, plants in the ground. Well almost!!!!!!!!!!

April 2010

Sorry it's nearly been a month since my last Blog but the cold weather has still continued to delay us putting vegetable seedlings into the ground. But finally ...........

We have started to take plants out of the greenhouse and the sun is shining!!

So we have planted out:

Broad Beans, Garlic, Onions, Strawberries, Rhubarb and Peas. Hard work.

I need a break

Early Potatoes are also in the ground, honest, you can see where I have watered them.

But it wasn't all going ok. The Runner Beans we planted out were doing really well until two nights of frost. Tragedy. Well almost, I dug them out of the ground, replanted them in trays and then back into the greenhouse. What a sorry sight!

I think we saved them, just in time, you can now see new shoots.

I need another break

We still have plants in the greenhouse and the cold frame, (at least for the next couple of weeks) they are: Carrots, Sweetcorn and Courgettes.

We still have seedlings to plant out when ready, such as Turnips, Leeks, Couliflower and Sprouts. Once we have emptied the greenhouse we can then repot the tomatoes and Peppers as these will need the room inside. There's lots still to do.

I need another Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are finally planting this years vegetables, great.

Lets see how it goes?