Bermudians are famous for giving just about everyone a nickname, and those of us who served in the Bermuda Police Force were not exempt! Anyone reading the obituary column in the Royal Gazette will be aware that nicknames are invariably included in death notices for the simple reason that many folks are often known to the general public only by their nicknames rather than their first names.

Shortly after my arrival on the Island in 1964 I was given the nickname “Sweet Pea” by one of our Bermudian officers, maybe “Boxhead” Foggo, who had just returned from a trip to the U,K, where he watched an episode of the then popular “Z Cars” TV show, and decided that I was the spitting image of young P.C. Ian Sweet (Terence Edmund) who was nicknamed “Sweet Pea” by his fellow police officers on the show. For anyone who was a Z Cars fan, he was the young P.C. who was drowned trying to rescue a young boy, a major shock to the viewing public at the time!

Bermudians can be given a nickname at birth; “Boxhead” is a typical example. Some are gained because of a habit or trait, such as “Jellybean” Wingood or “Happy” Duerden, and others  obviously earned their title after joining the Police Force; “Tango” Burgess, “Chief” Trott, or “D.O. (Detective Officer) Simons who was our first ever detective. Many are a variation of the persons name - “Custy” Crockwell, Howard “Mitch” Mitchell, or St. Clair, Brinksworth “Brinky” Tucker. Neville “Maverick” Darrell earned his nickname sharing the same traits as the star of the famous American TV Show by that name!

Those of us from overseas were fair game on arrival, with some being fairly obvious - Bob “Pudsey” Hay who hailed from Pudsey in Yorkshire, Clive “Fury” Donald who struck fear in his opponents on both the cricket and football pitches, but was never known to lose his temper, “Grim Jim” McNiven, Bob “Happiness” Massey who rarely smiled until after he was married, Alex “Punchy” Forbes who no doubt earned his nickname on the rugby field, and Les “Have Gun Will Travel” Waddell who was our resident “firearms expert” in the 1960’s. But others are a little more obtuse. Why “Spider” McKenzie, “Shakey” Johnson, “Dagwood” Rickards, “Casper” Beech, “Rigor” Morris, “Budgy” Lohan etc.

The purpose of this article is to compile a comprehensive list of all the nicknames we can remember collectively, and where possible, to explain the reasons for them. We would encourage you to add any to our list that you are aware of, and if possible, provide us with the reason/s if known for their origin, especially if you were the recipient!

At our last Expo Summer BBQ in August 2012 we held a brief quiz and asked a group from each table to compile a quick list of former officers and their nicknames. Carlton “Socky” Adams and his table were easy winners.

We look forward to greatly expanding the list with your assistance. You can add any entries either below or by email us at info@expobermuda.com

Roger “Sweet Pea” Sherratt
Editor
Editors note -   Just a couple of days after the death of our good friend Cyril "Sidge" Plant in May 2016,  his wife Pauline wrote to us to say that Cyril told her the reason why "Spider" McKenzie had his nickname was that someone said he looked just like a Spider Monkey!  As a follow-up, Davie Kerr wrote a comment under the Latest News article reporting Cyril's passing about his time in Prosecutions with "Big Mike" Parris, who alone is probably responsible for more outrageous nicknames than anyone who ever served in the Bermuda Police, to say that during one encounter between "Big Mike" and "Sidge" Plant, who was never at a loss for words,  Sidge called Mike, "Egg on Legs" and the "Yard of Lard", while Big Mike returning the complement with his own unique rejoinder to Cyril, "And in this cage ladies and gentlemen, we have the only animal in captivity that can eat an apple through a tennis racket"
 

Bermuda Police Nicknames 

Ackroyd

   

Ian

“Paddy”

   

Adams

   

Carlton

“Socky”  "Dipstick"

   

Alderson

   

Graham

"Big G"  "Gloves" "No Marks"

   
Amos     Alfred James "Jim"  "Hawkshaw"    

Anderson

   

Neil

"Andy" "Neely"

   

Allan

   

John

"Jumbo"

   

Allan

   

Robert (Bob)

"Fuzzy Wuz"

   

Andrews

   

Ian

"Maisie"

   

Arlott

   

John

" 'Ard Luck"

   

Barnett

   

John

“Flaps”

   
Bawden     Terry "The Nipper"    

Beach

   

Freddie

"Beachy"

   

Beech

   

Ron

“Casper”

   

Bean

   

Arthur Hedley

"Arthur Hedley Love Gladstone Wilberforce Chesterfield Bean"

   

Bean

   

Fred (Frederick)

“Penny”

   

Bean

   

Leon

“Black Prince” "Big Toe"

   

Bean

   

Sinclair

“Bunkers”

   

Bingley

   

Bruce

"Bingers"

   

Bissell

   

Alan

“Bex” (after the vacuum cleaners)

   

Boggan

   

Ronnie

"Senior Man"

   

Bourne

   

Kenneth

"Doc"

   

Bradford

   

John

"Crack"

   

Brown

   

Reg (Reginald)

“Buster” "Bubbles"

   

Brown

   

Alistair

“Angus”

   

Brown

   

Mick

"Smelly"

   

Burgess

   

Clinard

"Butch"

   

Burgess

   

Clyde

“Tango”

   

Burke

   

Mike (Michael)

“Mother”

   

Butler

   

Reginald

"Reggie"

   

Cabral

   

Terry

“Gofer” "Manuel" "Portagee"

   

Caines

   

Steven

"Bittie"

   

Cann

   

Herman Ransome

“Mike” (& “Spike”team)

   
Cart     Dave "Apple"  "Orson"  pre-Bermuda nicknames    

Cassidy

   

Keith

"Cass" "Butch Cassidy"

   

Caulkett

   

Mike

“Cool Cat”

   

Chew

   

Dave (Frank David)

“Chew chew”

   

Clark

   

L.M. (Leroy Maxwell)

“Nobby”

   

Cook

   

Dave

“Cookie”

   

Costello

   

Jim (James)

“The Wop”

   

Coyles

   

Ian Hunter

"Geordie"

   

Cox

   

Neil

“Secret Squirrel”

   

Cranage

   

Paul

“Cranker”

   

Crockwell

   

Custerfield

“Custy” “Crock”

   

Cutts

   

Howard

“Cutsy”

   

Dale

   

John

"JD"

   

Darrell

   

Neville

“Maverick”

   

Davies

   

Eddie (Edward)

“Fast Eddie”

   

Davis

   

Paul

"Dapper"

   

Deallie

   

Frank

"Hot Chocolate"

   

Deans

   

Paul

“Mutley”

   

DeSilva

   

Terry

"Big Bird"

   

Dill

   

Winslow

"Socks"

   

Donald

   

Clive

“Fury”

   

Duerden

   

Floyd Maxwell

“Happy”

   

Duncan

   

Alexander

"Sandy"

   

Durrant

   

Junior

"Meats"

   

Edwards

   

Lennett

"Lennie"

   

Esdaille

   

Winston

"Papa Doc"

   

Eve

   

John

“Coco”

   

Fielders

   

Dick (Richard)

"Granny"

   

Fletcher

   

Derek

“Fletch”

   

Flook

   

Brian

"Flooky"

   

Foggo

   

Eddie

“Boxhead”

   

Foggo

   

Frankie (Frank)

“Bill”

   

Forbes

   

Alex

“Punchy”

   

Fox

   

Alfred

"Perry" “Patch”

   
Fox     John "Elf"    

Fraser

   

David

“Bones”

   

Fryer

   

John

"Deep Fat"  "Fryer Tuck"

   

Fugler

   

Ted (Edward)

"Fugler the Bugler"

   

Galbraith

   

Norrie

"The Cat with the Yellow Shades"

   

Galloway

   

William

“Willy”

   

Hall

   

Gladwin

“Doc”

   

Hall

   

Malcolm

"Scoop"

   

Hall

   

Nick (Nicholas)

"Ridiculous Nicholas"

   

Hammond

   

Frank

“Gruff”

   

Hammond

   

George

"Ugh"

   

Hanlon

   

JCP

"Toupee"

   

Harvey

   

Gerry (Gerald)

"Dads"

   

Hay

   

Bob (Robert)

“Pudsey”

   

Hayward

   

John

"John Boy"

   

Hazel

   

Earl S.

“Spike”

   

Hebbard

   

Douglas

“Red”

   

Hind

   

Colin

“Dusty”

   

Hinds

   

Robert

“Jumpin’ Jack”

   

Holmes

   

Graham

"Bulkie"

   

Howard

   

Gordon

"Magpie"

   

Hull

   

Norrell

"Sniffles"

   

Ingemann

   

Eric

"Ingemann"

   

Ironmonger

   

Richard

“Rocky”

   

Irvine

   

Malcolm (Ted)

"Ted Loon"

   

Jackson

   

Lawry (Lawrence)

“Jacko”

   

Johnson

   

Alastair

“Shakey”

   

Johnson

   

A.S.

“Sweets”

   

Johnson

   

Aubrey Sinclair

“Tom Copper”

   
Johnson     David "Davie" "Mighty Mouse"    

Jones

   

Bryn

“Arboretum Ghost”

   

Kane

   

Ian

“Crash”

   

Kandziorka

   

John

"Candyman"

   

Kerr

   

Davie (David)

“Scruff” "Cookie Monster" “Animal” “The Mars Bar Kid”

   

Kittle

   

Ian

"Baretta"

   

Kirkham

   

Howard

“Stumpy”

   

Knights

   

Kevin

"Boogie"

   

Laing

   

Eric

“Wee Eckie”

   

Lambert

   

Stuart

“Preacher”

   
Lane     Alastair "Bronco"    

Laughton

   

Tony (Anthony"

"Bumper"

   

Leman

   

Harry

"Rocky"

   

Leng

   

Mike

"Chubbs" "Chubby"

   

Lindo

   

Ralph

"Jellybean"

   

Linton

   

Noel L.

“Ben”

   

Lohan

   

Mike (Michael)

“Budgy”

   

Long

   

Dave (David)

“The Admiral”

   

Lottimore

   

Winston

“Super”

   

Lumb

   

Mick

"Wally"

   

Lunn PC 442

   

Dave

"Lunny"

   

Marshall

   

Graham

"Pinky"

   

Massey

   

Bob (Robert)

“Happiness”“Chopper” “Uncle Bob”

   
MacKenzie     Bill (William) "Spider"    

McBride

   

Pat

"Odd Job"

   

McCracken

   

William

“Willy”

   

McDonagh

   

Bob

"Spare Parts"

   

McLean

   

Wilbur

"Bulldog" "Black Mac"

   

McNiven

   

Jim (James)

“Grim Jim”

   

McQuaid

   

John

"Squid"

   

Medford

   

Miguel

"Mediki"

   

Meehan

   

Denis

“Yuldous Caproid”

   
Merrouni     Hassan "Satan" "Gaoler"    

Millward

   

Brian

"Boo Boo"

   

Mitchell

   

Howard

“Mitch”

   

Mitchell

   

Ian

“Abey”

   
Molloy     Gerry "Backslide"    

Mooney

   

Charlie (Charles)

“Stick on”

   

Moniz

   

Ernie

"Little Hitler"

   

Moniz

   

Harold

"H"

   

Morris

   

John

“Rigor”

   
Morrison     Ian "Doormouse"    

Mouchette

   

Anthony (Tony)

"Micer"

   

Mullan

   

John

"Fagash"

   

Needham

   

Dave

“Big Joe”

   

Needham

   

Roger

"Shoes"

   
O'Meara     Dave "Pointed Stick" "Shotgun"    

Parker

   

Richard (Dick)

"Steaming Hot"

   

Palmer

   

Mike

"Sucheck"

   
Parris     Mike "Big Mike", "Yard of Lard"    

Parsons

   

Dave (David)

“Parse”

   

Paynter

   

Russell

"Boar" "Bull"

   

Pearson

   

John

"Charlie"

   
Pearson     Les "Evel Knievel"    

Pellow

   

Keith

"Crack"

   

Pett

   

Maurice

“Moby”

   

Pearce

   

Jann

"Spare Parts"

   

Pitt

   

June

"Poon Jitt"

   

Plant

   

Cyril

"Sidge" "Squirrel" "Snidge" "Dr. Teeth"

   

Proctor

   

Dudley

“Cuddly”

   

Pugh

   

Allan

“Bugsy”

   

Pybus

   

Stuart

"Monty"

   

Ramsay

   

Dennis

"Dan Dan" "Titan"

   

Rawlins

   

Lawrence

“Mincy”

   

Rae

   

Crawford

“Crow”

   

Ray

   

William

“Cheese”

   

Rickards

   

Mike (Michael)

“Dagwood”

   
Richardson     Derek "Tut Derek"    

Roberts

   

Anthony K.

“Sonny”

   

Robinson

   

Brian

"Porko" "Dirty Bird"

   

Rose

   

Arthur

“Whistling Assassin”

   

Rose

   

George

"Golden Boy"

   

Shakeshaft

   

David

“Shakey”

   

Sharp

   

John

“Big John”

   

Shaw (Allchin)

   

Juanita

"Momma One"

   

Shaw

   

Pete

“Shag”

   

Sheehy

   

John Joseph

“John Joe”

   

Shelly

   

Ron

"The Cadaverous One"

   

Sherratt

   

Roger

“Sweet Pea”

   

Sim

   

Stephen

“Smelley”

   

Simons

   

Charles Edward

“D.O.”

   

Simons

   

(Christopher) Jerome

"Lips" "JC"

   

Simons

   

Leonard

"Shinah"

   

Singh (Sirjusingh)

   

Paul

"Pakie"

   

Skinner

   

John

"John Henry"

   

Smith

   

Jonathan David

"Bowser"

   

Smith

   

Maurice

“Syke”

   

Smith

   

Malcolm

“Malcy”

   

Smith

   

Larry

“Kakie”

   
Smith     Phillip "Jigger"    

Sommerville

   

Alexander

“Sandy”

   

Sousa

   

Ray

"Cosmo" "RFP"

   

Spencer

   

Eddie

"Fast Eddie"

   

Stewart

   

Bob (Robert)

"Snatch"

   

Swan

   

Dudley

"Cuddly Dudley"

   

Swan

   

Hubert

"Swanny"

   

Swainson

   

Edward

“Bo”

   

Sykes

   

Frank

"Stumpy"

   
Tanner     Bob "The Animal"    

Taylor

   

Anthony

“Tinker”

   

Taylor

   

Phil (Phillip)

“Goat” “Draino”

   

Taylor

   

Steve

"The Sundance Kid" "Cyclops"

   

Tennant

   

Bryan

"Twilight"

   

Thomas

   

David

“Dai”

   

Tomlinson

   

Les

"Bloodnut"

   

Travis

   

John

"Boob"

   

Trott

   

Oliver

“Chief”

   

Tucker

   

St. Clair Brinksworth

“Brinky”

   

Tucker

   

Charles

“Bo”

   

Urquart

   

Don

"P.C. Loquat"

   

Van de Weg

   

John

“Vanders”

   

Waddell

   

Les (Leslie)

"Gunsmoke" “Have gun will travel”

   

Wakefield

   

John

“Tiny”

   

Walgate

   

Peter

“Killer”

   

Walker

   

Mike

"Pig-Ironside"

   

White

   

James

"Big Bird"

   

White

   

Malcolm

“Chalky”

   

Wiggins

   

Dereck

"Earthquake"

   

Wilcocks

   

Damian

“Willy”

   

Wilde

   

John

"Bandaid"

   

Wilkinson

   

Alan

"Corkie"

   

Willey

   

Merve (Mervin)

“The Swerve”

   

Williams

   

Charles

“Bongo”

   

Williams

   

Johnny (John)

"Sospan" "Stradey"

   

Wilson

   

Jack (John)

“Tug”

   

Wilson

   

Norman

"Scabs"

   

Wingood

   

Hilton

“Jellybean”

   

Woodcock

   

Dave (David)

"Woody"

   

Wood

   

Frank

"Woody"

   

Woods

   

M.S. Eugene

“Buck”

   

Woods

   

Mike

"Crazy Horse" 'Draino"

   

Woods

   

Willy

"WW9""Stallion Thighs"

   

Worrell

   

Zerphyl Nathanial

"Zip"

   

Young

   

Gary

"Guppy"

   

 

We are beginning to get a good response from colleagues about our List of Nicknames, some of which you will be able to read in the "comments" column below.  But here are a few addtions which we are adding as we receive them.

13th January 2013

Pete Counsell says we HAVE to include "Scruff"as one of Davie Kerr's titles which we have.

Ian Kittle wrote - One nickname that springs to mind from my era (1975 -1979) is  "John Boy". There was a Bermudian Officer on my platoon or watch at St. Georges called John Haywood. The TV show, The Waltons. John Boy was a character on the show, and John Haywood looked a lot like him. He was a great person with a witty sense of humour. I heard that John Haywood fought cancer during his life. Would you know if he stayed in the police?  And is he still with us?

Hassan Merrouni  -  On the subject of nicknames, they called me either 'Satan', that came about when I joined Task Force later renamed P.S.U . "Gaoler" was also used - probably because I was one of the few that smoked, often with Sgt.Ronnie Boggan in the Gaol area yard outside.  I was often called Sarge (Sgt.) by a my clients  on de block.  Happy Days!  Happy New Year to all and best of luck in 2013.
 

Peter Lee  -  Right off the top of my head I remember 'Shoes' Needam, Motorcycle Section, Junior Durrant 'Meats', 'Buster' Brown, Russell Paynter 'Boar', Motorcycle Section, 'Boxhead' Foggo, Motorcycle Section, Wilber McClean 'Bulldog', 'Coggy' Gibbons, Paul Singh (Pakie). Reginald Butler 'Reggie', Lawrence 'Mincy' Rawlins, Tony Machette 'Micer'. Robert Billy Fox 'Chalk Bird', George Pitcher 'Riker, Larry Smith 'Kackie', 'Wally' Lumb, Maurice Raynor 'Mouse', Anthony Richardson 'Mop', Roger Goodchild 'Rap', Trent Lightbourne 'Ox', Leonard Simons 'Shinah', Steven Caines 'Bittie'. I'll send some more when I remember them.  (BONUS POINTS FOR PETER! Great List.)

Vic Richmond just came up with some pearlers which he blames almost entirely on 'Big Mike' Paris.  These include Bob 'Spare Parts' McDonagh, Cyril "Sidge' or 'Squirrel' Plant, Rich (Dick) 'Steaming Hot' Parker, June 'Poon Jitt' Pitt, and John "Fagash" Mullan.  Vic claims to have avoided being given one by 'Big Mike'

Nick Bolton has also added two more to the list, Ian 'Spare Parts' Pierce (who worked in the Police Garage) and Les "Gunsmoke" Waddell (his wife's uncle through marriage).

Keith Cassidy was, of course called "Cass" but in a weak moment he admitted that when he and Steve Taylor first came to Bermuda and used to hang around together they were know as "Butch Cassidy" and the "Sundance Kid".  Now can anyone tell us the names of another duo called "Starsky and Hutch"?

Anthony "Tony" Mouchette reminded us of his nickname "Micer" which he was given when he was in school at Whitney Institute.  Tony says he was caught looking out the window at the girls during class when the teacher asked him a question.  " I never heard the question so I couldn’t give an answer!!!  That's what is commonly referred to as "micing"!

Vic Richmond has submitted a few more -  Kenneth "Doc" Bourne, Cinard "Butch" Burgess, Kevin "Boogie" Knights, and a little English guy "Scoop" Hall. Does anyone recall "Scoop" Hall's first name?

Editors Note:  Have checked records at Police HQ and found several Halls.  Could "Scoop" be Malcolm Donald James Hall who served from  1967 - 1969 mainly in Central?  He had been in the Parachute Regiment and came from The Wirrall.

20th January 2013

We have a few additions to our list following the get together for our annual reception at the Senior Officers Mess on 19th January 2013. Will post photos of the event in our Photo Gallery.

Additions included:- John “John Henry” Skinner, “Twilight” Tennant, “Boob” Travis, Graham “Pinky” Marshall, John “JD” Dale, Brian “Porko” or “Dirty Bird” Robinson (supplied by Brian himself!), Ralph “Jellybean” Lindo (we’re told he always kept a stock of jellybeans in his police motor cycle), Juanita (Allchin) “Momma One” Shaw, Norman “Scabs” Wilson, Mike “Sucheck” Palmer, Tony “Bumper” Laughton, Bill “Wilberforce” McKenzie when he wasn’t referred to as “Spider”, and the longest one so far Arthur Bean fondly known as “Arthur Hedley Love Gladstone Wilberforce Chesterfield Bean”.

As if that wasn’t enough for one day we also received an email that same evening from Mike Leng (1958 – 1966) who clearly has an excellent memory and provided a great list of nicknames from his time on the Force (see post on “Keeping in Touch 2013”)

One more to add to the list. Spoke with Dave Cart this morning and he says that as a young PC he was known as “Apple” Cart, and also “Orson” Cart as in ‘orse and cart”!