…. Unbelievable. Russell Ash comments in Potty, Fartwell and Knob, that ‘some are born with strange surnames, some are blessed, or cursed, with unusual first or middle names.’ It is certainly true to say that some bearers of what we consider to be strange names were probably unremarkable in their own countries. However, many of the more unbelievable names are actually of British people.
So, let’s begin our humorous journey with the Poo Train…. Poo Too died in Southampton Registration District (RD) in September qtr 1918 aged 22. I wonder if s/he was related to Too Poo who died the following year in West Ham RD aged 24? And a few decades previously in Stepney RD, Poo Out died aged 26, in December qtr 1888…. But what I cannot fathom is: why do Poos not last into their 30s?
One particular character appears to have caused much Ah Poo…. married as Ah Poo although his father is referred to as Ah Sing, see below. The marriage is registered as Ah Poo, Poo Ah, Roo Ah and Ah Roo in the GRO indexes….
Not Wanted James Colvill did not last very long – born in March qtr 1861 and died June qtr 1861 – and it would seem that maybe this was what his parents desired. And, I am guessing that Moron Crossley was probably lucky not to have been old enough to attend school (having died aged 0 in Lunesdale RD in June qtr 1896). He would probably have been the butt of many jokes – perhaps from Joke Edward S. Coleman who married in Hendon RD in 1903.
No More Durrant also met his maker before any witticism could be bestowed upon him (born and died March qtr 1899 in Risbridge RD) and although One Too Many Gouldstone‘s birth has been located in September qtr 1870 in West Ham RD, I have yet to locate him/her in a census under the same name. [Searching for ‘one’ as a first name in a census can bring hours of amusement…. Is your ancestor enumerated as ‘One Servant’ aged 16 born Clewer in the 1891 census for Twickenham?]
Urinal, Toilet …. they didn’t, did they? Oh yes, they did. Urinal Bray born March qtr 1882 in Pontypridd and Toiletter A. Rose marrying in December qtr 1959. Good heavens – whatever next?
If you are looking to while away many hours (or dare I say, days, weeks or longer) in a comical manner, I would recommend the purchase of Russell’s book and/or utilising the online search facilities on BMDs and censuses to find your own amusing entries.
