“English is the only language in which names are ever pronounced differently from the way in which they are splet. The origin of the custom is unknown, but it probably arose in mediaeval times when everybody spelt as fancy or ignorance moved them – e.g.:

Spelt – Pronounced

ARUNDEL – Arrandel

BLOUNT – Blunt

GLAMIS – Glarms

GOWER – Gore

MAINWAIRING – Mannering

MARJORIBANKS – Marshbanks

MONTGOMERY – Mungum’ery

WEMYSS – Weems”

(From The Book of Etiquette by Lady Troubridge, 1887 – 1963)

John Lentell

3rd August, 1969