Origin of a Wild(e) word

Origin of a Wild(e) word

"Stickum."

This is a word that was coined by my lovely mum-in-law, Minnie, and will be used for as long as the people who remember her keep it alive by family usage.

I was extremely fond of my Mum-in-law; she was a wonderful lady, and we got on really well. When we first met, and she knew I was her son's intended bride, one of the first things she said to me, in her lovely Derbyshire accent, was:

"You can call me Mum - or Mother - if you would like to?"

"Yes, I would like to very much!" I told her.

I knew I was very lucky to have a mum-in-law who thought of me so kindly. Thinking of my own Mum, I know not every daughter-in-law is as fortunate as I was; my father's mother used to say - and she meant it - not even royalty was good enough for her children, so my Mum could never measure up.

Things were so different with Minnie, and it was also lovely that she took the rest of my family - especially my Grandma - to her heart as well.

Minnie got married a bit later in life than was usual in the 1920s, and because Bob was 16 years older than me, it meant Minnie was only three years younger than my Grandma. When Grandma and my Mum came over from Durban to England for Christmases and other holidays, the two older ladies got on famously. Mum was also only 10 years older than Bob, and they got on well, too.

Wendy and Grandma on Wendy's 4th Birthday
10 April 1977

My Grandma (Alice), my Mum, Wendy and Minnie
New Year's Day, 1978

At that time, Bob had been appointed as Naval Engineer Overseer at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead; we had a house in Prenton, and with Minnie living in the family's home town of Glossop, it was not a long drive to go over and bring her back to stay with us for holidays and special occasions.

I don't know how long Minnie had used the word stickum, but the first time I heard it was when she was with staying with us at home.

Minnie had a hairbrush - part of a dressing table set, I think - that had a pretty back to it; over the years, the back became loose and one day, fortunately when she was on holiday with us, it came away completely.

Nothing daunted, and sure it could be fixed, she came downstairs with it, and said,

"Robert, have you got any stickum?!"

Bob took the brush and the back that had come adrift, and had a quick look.

"Oh, yes," he assured her, "I can fix that for you."

And so it was that in a few minutes, the hairbrush was repaired, and as good as new.  Minnie was delighted, and that word, "stickum," has stuck in my mind forever, and remains in our vocabulary today.

I think it's a wonderful word - onomatopoeic, it describes exactly what it is and what it does - encompassing so much more than just "glue," Gloy, Loctite or any other branded type of "stickum."  Every time I use that word, I think of Minnie, and smile at the memory.