People of Stoney Middleton - Goddard's Quarry

This group of Quarry Workers certainly seem to be enjoying themselves! However, unfortunately, it is not known what event the photograph commemorates. The two shaking hands are (on the left) Thomas (‘Tommy’) HANCOCK (1892-1980), and on the right, George Robert (‘Judd’) GODDARD (1883-1966), my grandfather, who at the time may have been the “gaffer”.

Others on the photo are (left to right) William (‘Bill’) SLATER, who married George Robert's sister Mary GODDARD; George HANCOCK (nicknamed ‘Sousy’); the tall one is Walter GODDARD, George Robert's nephew (son of his brother William, who died in WWI), and next to him is Lawrence MASON (son of George Robert's aunt Louisa, who married Joseph MASON). George and Tommy HANCOCK were brothers in law of George Robert GODDARD (brothers of his wife Martha), so an extreme family concern!

In such a situation, as there were so few forenames to go round, nicknames might have proved essential! The provenance of the nickname ‘Sousy’ is unknown, but we understand the word ‘souse’ described a dish of pigs' trotters pickled in brine (or vinegar?), so we wonder if it was a dish George HANCOCK had been particularly fond of! He had a younger brother, Alfred who was nicknamed ‘Gongy’ - a word he ‘coined’ for a penny as a baby. Another common nickname was ‘Talt’, which may have been either Alfred or Albert; likewise ‘Judd’ for someone named George...

So why was George Hancock known as ‘Sousy’ and not ‘Judd’? Such questions do not really have an answer beyond providing an opportunity for reflection on why even today, certain nicknames are not universally applied...

(Information provided by Tony Mason/Rosemary Lockie)