why is smith called 'smudger'?

Red_Molly

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
2,971
Location
Nr Bedford
Alan Smith at Arsenil was called Smudger too. In the services if your surname is Smith it is pretty inevitable you'll end up being called Smudger. Why is shrouded in mystery.
 

Red_Molly

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
2,971
Location
Nr Bedford
Harry3534 in the Newbies reckons it derives from the habit of smithies smudging their faces with furnace dust. Seems a likely explanation.
 

poppalarge

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
767
Location
Manchester
there's a whole lost of old public school nikcnames the only other one i can remember is that if your surname is White, your nickname is Wally