Thursday, March 11, 2021
Photo a Day Challenge - 11.3.2021 - K - Ancestry.
Married Eva Nora Orford Martin - 13.4.-1924 - Born 8.11.1897 - Dalkey, Dublin. Ireland - Died - 14.6.1994 - Mosman, NSW - aged 96 - Having three Children.
Long Family - Alan Kelvin, Nancy, Edith, William, Samuel and Eileen our Mama.
Why was Alan Kelvin known to me and others as Uncle Bill?: I put this question on my personal Blog in 16.03.2009.
Now I need help... my Great Uncle Alan Kelvin Long was always known as 'Uncle Bill', Mum doesn't know why, my first cousin once removed Sue doesn't know why but my Aunt Pamela tells me it was from a story or nursery rhyme about a little boy called 'Billy Buttons'.
Pam said she knew Alan used enjoy playing with a wooden horse on wheels... so I did a Google but the only Billy Buttons that came up were the flowers.
Do you... Dear Readers... know of an early 1900's story or rhyme about Billy Buttons?? That same day I received this message from one of my readers... The first circus clown appeared in England in 1768 when Philip Astley created the character of "Billy Buttons". This act was based around the story of a tailor, who was also an inept horseman, as he tried to ride into town to vote in the election. The comedy act featured a lot of physical jokes, as the clown humorously exaggerated the failure of the tailor to correctly ride a horse. This particular act became a classic and variations of it were performed in circuses for 100 years.
The following day I received this message from another reader... I've just checked my "Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes" and Billy Button was a 1904 Kidson version of Bobby Shafto (Bobby Shafto's gone to sea, silver buckles on his knee...) Also: From The Routledge dictionary of historical slang: c1840 - billy-button was a journeyman taylor (which came first, the tailor or the circus I wonder) also, rhyming slang for mutton So which version of Billy Button was he named after? More mystery....
P.S. But enough is enough, I'm just happy knowing why Great Uncle Alan was called 'Bill'!
Labels: 3/21 PAD, Ancestry, Long Family
