What's a Wyndham?

From my dad:

The name Wyndham is Anglo-Saxon, and derives from Benjamin’s great-great grandfather Wyndham Kent Wise, a businessman, contractor and world traveler born in the late nineteenth century. In the 1920s Wyndham was in Shanghai as a contractor, working on the building of the Bank of England, locally famous for its unique gold foil roof. His son, Wyndham Townend Wise, and Wyndham Townend’s mother, Louisa Townend, visited great-great grandfather Wyndham in Shanghai before returning to England with his mother on the newly completed Trans-Siberian railroad from Vladivostok to Moscow.

Wyndham Townend Wise, Benjamin Wyndham’s great-grandfather, was a mechanic on the ERA racing team of the then famous Raymond Mays, who domninated the Voiturette Circuit (Equivalent to today’s Formula 2 racing) in Europ before the Second World War, a fact that has undoubtedly contributed to his family’s weakness for speed, and the resulting high insurance costs of keeping the family on the road. Wyndham Townend signed on for WW2, and served in Kenya for two and a half years until the Italian and German campaigns there were completed, and later in what is now Bangladesh, stationed at Cheriga, just south of Chittagong, in a forward base that supplied munitions and logistical support to the campaign against the Japanese in Burma. Following the war he settled in Colchester, just outside London, England, and had two sons, Wyndham and Stephen, and a daughter, Rosemary.

In 1985, Benjamin’s father, then 5, spent a year in Bangladesh, where Stephen, Benjamin’s grandfather, taught at a missionary school, mere miles from where his father had served. Stephen is now a teacher in St. Thomas, Ontario. Benjamin’s great uncle Wyndham Paul Wise is the former editor of Take One magazine, for 13 years the foremost magazine of English language film in Canada.

From me:
I chose Wyndham as the middle name because I knew it was in the family, and I really like the sound of it. Our nurse said he could be an author with that name. I don’t know if that’s what he’ll be, but that’s funny because, as Laura Bolt pointed out, John Wyndham happens to be an outstanding author, and I don’t mind at all that our son shares his name.
For those unsure of the pronunciation, it’s Win-dum. And Benjamin Wyndham is resting happily in his grandma’s arms right now.

10 thoughts on “What's a Wyndham?

  1. ‘Benjamin Wyndham’s great-grandfather was on the racing team of the then famous Raymond Mays, the reigning Formula One race car champion, a fact which has undoubtedly contributed to his family’s weakness for speed, and the resulting high insurance costs of keeping the family on the road.’
    Explains a lot. Good luck when he’s old enough to drive! 🙂

  2. That is one of the best reasons behind a name that I have ever heard. It is a great name.
    And you thought your insurance was high now, wait until he gets his license…lol

  3. Not a comment about the name really…but can you please post more pictures of this sweet baby! Since we are so far away and can’t hold him!
    Send Nic all my best…recovery sometimes feels like a long road! 🙂

  4. I’ll do better, I’ll even post video. Maybe today or tomorrow… Benjamin has had a lot of people to meet, so we haven’t had much time, but we’re workin on it!

  5. Hi Nicole,
    I think I posted the comment in the wrong section…try the section with you and your belly.
    Take care,
    Bren

  6. Last day of the year to tell you both how beautiful Benjamin Wyndham is … very noble name.
    The video is awesome as well!
    Enjoy him (as I’m sure you are) and Nicole, I hope you’re managing to get lots of rest and liquids. Take it easy and I hope to see you sometime in the new year … let us know when you’re coming back for a visit. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *