The name "Horsfield"

Horsfield wasn't the most delightful of surnames to bear at secondary school. Nicknames were many and not that varied. It's interesting to examine how play-writes and authors choose names for their characters. Dickens seemed to enjoy choosing really good, juicy names that by themselves spoke volumes about their owners. My favourite is Tigg Montague in Martin Chuzzlewit: here, have a read:

"He had a world of jet black shining upon his head, upon his cheeks, upon his chin, upon his upper lip. His clothes, symmetrically made, were of the newest fashion and the costliest kind...And yet, though changed his name and changed his outward surface, it was still Tigg... though no longer Montague Tigg, but Tigg Montague; still it was Tigg: the same Satanic, gallant, military Tigg."

Any-road-up: Horsfield. I am dismayed to report that I've only heard the name used once in drama / literature and that was in the dire comedy programme "Sorry" starring Ronnie Corbett as Timothy, whose catchphrase, in response to a harsh and upper-middle class sounding "Timothy", was a down-at-heel "sorry mother". "Mother" was asking him to spruce himself up and be on his best behaviour as the "Horsfields" were coming to tea. There was no need to describe them as a perfectly pleasant but awfully plain and middle-of-the-road couple; the surname Horsfield was there to say it all.

I've tried out one or two surnames since Horsfield and I'm fairly happy with the one I've landed myself with. Anyway, happy or not, I certainly plan to stick with it this time!