us. XL APRIL 24, 1915.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
Robert ; two, Henry ; and two, Richard.
Where so many of the same name live in
the same village some ancillary name has
become necessary to establish identity ; and
the above-named Wrights and others are
distinguished in the newspaper report by
the following sobriquets in brackets after
the name : Toffy, Clogger, Wheel, Stem,
Pluck, Diamond, Shrimp, Hutch, Cock,
Sweet, Pantry, Few, Pen, Fash, Mike,
Willox, Strodger, Daddy, Smiler, Nice,
Jenny's, Manty, Fullsea, Music, Owd Ned,
Margery, Buskin, Orchard, Siff, and Muff.
Are such distinguishing names common in other parts of England, or is this a custom peculiar to this part of Lancashire ?
In the same district we find lanes bearing such names as Cockle Dick's Lane, Manx Jane's Lane, and Ralph's Wife's Lane.
F. H. C.
ALDERMAN JOHN WILLIAMSON, MAYOR OF COVENTRY 1793-5. I shall be glad of any information relating to this person. All I know is that he was a builder, and that he died on 9 Oct., 1816, having been Mayor of Coventry during the years 1793-4-5.
- F. WILLIAMSON.
Museum and Art Gallery, Derby.
AUTHOR WANTED. I should be grateful if any one could verify for me the following quotation :
Who loves the light, To him the dawn shall rise anew.
B. G. M. STUNT. 217, Goldhawk Road, W.
RAEBURN'S PORTRAIT OF THE FOURTH DUKE OF GORDON. On 9 June, 1902, the Corporation of Manchester purchased from Messrs. Agnew the fine portrait of the fourth Duke of Gordon which now hangs in their gallery, and which is reproduced in pho- togravure in my book, ' Territorial Soldiering in the North-East of Scotland, 1759-1814.' The Agnews, I believe, bought it from a dealer. Can any reader tell me its previous history ? J. M. BULLOCH.
123, 'Pall Mall, S.W.
"WiCK." Can anyone tell exactly what this word means ? Most of the dictionaries give it as a creek or inlet, which is very indefinite. B. H.
[Skeat in his ' Etymological Dictionary ' gives the three words concealed under this spelling : (1) A cluster of threads of cotton in a lamp or candle (English) ; (2) a village or town (Lat. vicus) ; (3) a creek, bay (Scand.). He adds that it is not always easy in place - names to distinguish between (2) and (3).]
AMBROSE PHILIPS. I wonder if any of
your readers know of the existence of any
letters of Ambrose Philips, the " Pastoral
man," the friend of Addison and Swift. If
I could learn the whereabouts of any, I
should be very glad. M. G. SEGAR.
CHAPTERS OF DENAIN AND MAUBEUGE. Where can I find full particulars, with armorial bearings and habit, &c., of the noble chapters of Denain, Maubeuge, and district ? DE T.
SIR SAMUEL GOWER, 1757. In Mus- grave's ' Obituary ' the following entry appears : " Sir Samuel Gower of Goodman's Fields, Sail-cloth Maker, died 31st Aug., 1757." I should be very glad to have some information concerning this Sir Samuel Gower. Who were his parents ? When and where was he born ? Whom did he marry ? R. VAUGHAN GOWER.
Ferndale Lodge, Tunbridge Wells.
FILM-PRODUCING COMPANIES. Would a reader of ' N. & Q.' kindly inform me which was the first American film-producing com- pany (producing film dramas) ? In what year did the following companies commence producing films ? American Biograph, Ame- rican Film Co., Pathe Freres, Kalem, Lubin, Vitagraph, Selig. E. C. WIENHOLT.
10, Selborne Road, Hove, Sussex.
LUDGATE OR GRAFTON PICTURE OF SHAKE- SPEARE. In The Times of 25 March was published the will of Mr. Thomas Kay, a former Mayor of Stockport, who died on 22 Sept. last, aged 73; and among the bequests was one to the Rylands Library, Manchester, of
" the Ludgate or Grafton picture of Shakespeare, which I believe was saved from the sack of Grafton Regis by the troops of the Commonwealth on Christ- mas Day, 1643, by an ancestor of Miss Agnes A. Ludgate, the presenter late tenant of 'The Bridg- water Arms,' Winston-on-Tees."
Are the qualifying terms of description of this picture generally recognized ?
J. LANDFEAR LUCAS. Glendora, Hindhead, Surrey.
LEAD CISTERN. A finely preserved and handsome lead cistern, removed a few years ago from a house on the w r est side of Queen Square, Bloomsbury, has been placed in Broomfield Park, Southgate. On the front of it are three panels, joined : the left bears the date 1736 ; the centre, the letters C. I. ; the right, the date 1736. Over the panels are five devices, that in the centre being a stag couchant at the foot of a tree ; on either side
