T’would be fair to say that Hallowe’en has become much more popular in recent decades than when I was a young person…. but let’s face it, that was a long time ago now! Since I have been based in Calne, I have never had a knock on the door on October 31, until tonight. Without being a misery guts, I have to confess that we did not answer. It was the middle of the Rugby World Cup final!!! Come on….!!!
You can perhaps guess – if you are a regular reader of the FWL blog – where Hallowe’en takes us. Yes, there are people who have been called Hallowe’en! Halloween Lucy Troddan‘s birth was registered in March quarter of 1899 in Lanchester Registration District. That makes no sense! 31 October birth could not be registered in the March quarter of the following year, surely?! And a further (more current) Halloween is Beverley Halloween Toppin born in September quarter 1968 – how did Halloween get involved there?
Vera Halloween Ingeborg Lincoln is a bit of a mouthful but is more likely to have been born on 31 October, being baptised on 21 November 1915 in Belvedere, Kent:
She died aged 16 and was buried in Erith, Kent on 6 July 1932.
The word Halloween or Hallowe’en dates from about 1745 and is of Christian origin, according to Wikipedia…. and it means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening”, don’t you know?! It comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows’ Eve (the evening before All Hallows’ Day). Well, that makes sense….
I am more than slightly disturbed about the number of children born in the 21st century with Pumpkin as either their first name or a middle name. Oh good heavens….! And Ancestry would have you think that there was a Leah Pumpkin Lewis born in 1854 but that would be a lie – Leah Plumpton Lewis would be closer to the GRO index reference for her birth.
Well, Happy Hallowe’en my pumpkins! Enjoy your Hallowe’en weekend! Trick or treat?
