“ODDLY APPROPRIATE”

Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 6

“ODDLY APPROPRIATE”

FITTING WORK TO THE NAME For several weeks there appeared! in the London ‘Sunday, Times ’ " letters under the heading ‘ Oddly. Appropriate.’ It is surprising how surnames can be associated appropriately. Far different is it when names are in remarkable association actually. For instance, one of the ‘ Sunday Times 1 correspondents recalls that 40 years ago he had to introduce a Mr Dedman, a schoolmaster in a hamlet on the Wigtonshire moors, to a Mr Coffin, who, then a theological student at Edinburgh, is now a prominent clergyman in New York ; When a young man the writer knew a Shropshire ironmonger who was named Coffin. He mentioned the fact to a doctor friend when travelling with him in London. “Oh!” sepd he, “in. a Somerset town there were at one time in practice doctors named l Death, Coffin, Craves, and Ghost.” Many are the associations of names with occupations, as in the instance of the Death Brothers, removers. The ‘ Sunday Times ’ column included this selection from Esses :r Mr Flowers, nurseryman; Mr Sparks, chimney sweep; Mrs Cotton, draper; Mr Horsey, and Mrs Sheepwash; butchers; Mr Tomes, secondhand , bookseller ; Mr Waterall, dairy-, man; Mr Bullwmckle, fishmonger. In Yorkshire a few years ago, at a church at Goatland, on the Yorkshire moors, there was a service in which : there officiated three clerics—Mr Hare, the vicar, who read the prayers; MrRaven, who read the lessons; and Mr Hawke, who preached'. One of the sidesmen who collected was named Rooke, anti one of the congregation who contributed to the offertory was named Fowle. Another quotation from the ‘ Sunday Times ’ column was: “ When my father settled as one of the early pioneers in Western Canada, .among the names of, his immediate neighbours were Hunter, Catcher, Skinner, and Tanner. Somewhat later my wife grew up in. a community in Southern Manitoba, where three of the neighbours were called Foote, Stockin, and Boot.” Again: “ Thirty years ago the ships o.f the Eyne-Tees Steamship Company sailing out of Newcastle were commanded by a Raine* Storm, Winter, Snow, and Gale. Captain Gale still tussles with the elements of the sea.” Mention of the name Raine reminds one that a visitor to Johannesburg!!, noticing a house named Pluvia Villa, remarked to a friend who was with him: “ An odd name that,”' whereupon the friend replied: “Yes, and the strange thing is that the house is occupied by Mr Raine, who is secretary of the Water Board.” In the Midlands there is a firm of estate agents named Doolittle and Dailey, and another of lawyers named Messrs Goat and Bullock. _ The name Doolittle is known also in Canada, where, in Toronto, there were partners named Doolittle and Steel. Lord Balfour of Burleigh wrote in the ‘ Sunday Times ’ that in? Stirling, in Scotland, there is a much-respected legal firm known as . Messrs Welsh and Robb. Equally remarkable, is. the association of Messrs Robb and Wangle, solicitors. ■ Front; Canada' there comes another odd association of- • names; Danin, Goode, Appel, Pye, The first ; three are grocers, and the Pye is a tailor. Passing a church in Bristol, a Surrey man read the announcement that on the following Sunday Mr Veale would officiate in the morning and a Mr Ham in the evening. The association' of names prompted him to exclaim to a friend : “ There’s veal-and-hara pie-ty for you.” Many years ago the following announcement was to bo seen over the window of a shop in a town in Northern Ireland; J. E. Weller, Jeweller. Other'singular conjunctions of names and occupations are:— - ' Mr Tankard, an innkeeper, in Bradford, Yorkshire. / Maw, dentist. Goudge, dentist. Tantrum, inspector of taxes. Marjoram, gardener. ' . Popham, pawnbroker. ■ Chew, tobacconist. Spittle, tobacconist, Littleales, hotel manager. Restall, furnisher. White, blacksmith. Mutton, butcher. Lamb, butcher. Ashmore, cigar merchant. Black and Cole, slack and breeze merchants. Wagstaff, signalman at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes. Bodaly and his successor, Gravely, undertakers. Mayburry, doctor. Akins and Akins, dentists. D’Aeth and Coffin, doctors.: