Guy FAWKES`s alias

Printed from: The Gunpowder Plot Society
Topic URL: http://www.gunpowder-plot.org/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17
Printed on: 10/11/2006

Topic:

Topic author: GWRC
Subject: Guy FAWKES`s alias
Posted on: 12/02/2005 02:06:53
Message:

I was reading Antonia FRASER`s excellent book on the subject last night when I discovered that Guy FAWKES`s mother`s maiden name was JACKSON.
Both my grandfathers were named John but everyone in those days called them Jack.
Jack of course is a derivitive of John.
In the olden days, the son of Jack or John would be known as JACKSON or JOHNSON.
When opening a bank account recently my wife was asked to invent a password and the maiden name of her mother was suggested.
Did FAWKES take his mother`s maiden name and from it invent the alias John JOHNSON ?
Not vitally important in itself, but if it is correct, I find it fascinating to imagine that this very thought process would have been going through his mind at some time about something so mundane and everyday.
A bit like how much milk should one put in one`s coffee etc. ?
On that note, I can hear the kettle in the kitchen !

Replies:

Reply author: wayland2002
Replied on: 12/05/2005 16:09:17
Message:

I read somewhere recently that John Johnson was the Queens Lute player (lutist) in the court of Elizabeth I. I wander if Guy Fawlkes adopted the name from him.

Reply author: beth
Replied on: 01/27/2006 12:03:18
Message:

i think he did it on the spur of the moment because he couldnt say his own name

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