In answer to the question posed by Linda Rhead (Letters, 20 November) as to what is the best form of Butchers (Butcher’s/Butchers’) Road, it is not the first option, as Butchers is a plural noun: lots of Butchers. As the word is followed by road, road is the noun and Butcher’s/Butchers’ describes the noun and is therefore an adjective. The adjective will contain the apostrophe to show who owns or belonged to the road.
One needs to know the number of butchers to use the apostrophe correctly. Was it one butcher or more than one butcher? Some research is required.
Linda Teague
Cowbridge, Glamorgan
• Unless Butchers Road is/was actually owned by one or more butcher, Linda Rhead may omit the apostrophe, assuming that the name is descriptive not possessive, as with, say, Badgers Lane.
Peter Leach
Nercwys, Flintshire
• In Colchester, where I used to live and still have a peripheral role in street names, they have a sensible policy of omitting apostrophes. That avoids misspelling.
Henry Spyvee
Guildford, Surrey
• Perhaps Linda Rhead could send three letters and wait, like Elvis Presley, for two to come back marked “return to sender, address unknown”. Then she would know.
Richard Harley
Alresford, Hampshire
• David G Clark’s letter (22 November) about the errant apostrophe’s power to attract Guardian readers throws a fresh light on a notice I once saw in a game dealer’s window one October morning: “Peasant’s coming soon”.
Martin Brayne
Chinley, Derbyshire
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