'Bandy' (Jack Thompson)

Does anybody know the origin of Bandy's name by the way? The nicknames of the four orphans is explained & I presume that the name of "Bandy" must also just be a nickname perhaps?
Decent little film by the way (although the various anachronisms did at times leave me rather puzzled as to when it was set like several other comments on this board-I eventually plumped for late 60's/possibly 1970 when I heard that classic song "Spirit in the Sky")-A very pleasant way of spending 105 minutes!