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 !
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.
Guy FAWKES`s alias
Posted - 12/02/2005 : 02:06:53
