The fisherman's nickname
Photo of Horace 'Rachel' Leech
By Charles Coverdale
Horace 'Rachel' Leech
From the private collection of Charles Coverdale
Fishermen are very superstitious, they all have nicknames. It was unlucky to use their real names at sea. Horace Leech's brothers were called names like Smokey Joe, Toots and Goggles, but Horace, being the youngest, had a name taken from the Bible: Rachel!
The vicar of St Luke's told us this at his funeral, he asked if the family would prefer him to use his nickname at the Service. They agreed because everyone knew him as Rachel.
Fishermen have also superstitions about using the word 'rabbits' or seeing nuns, or whistling - these are all bad luck to them.
This page was added on 28/11/2008.