Barrelling ahead

SIR – While I have no personal family experience of the challenges of proliferating multi-barrelled surnames, Liz Edmunds (Letters, November 4) could do a lot worse than consult the descendants of Admiral the Hon Sir Reginald Plunkett-ernleerle-drax, who went from a single surname to a quadruple one in a single generation and by all accounts profited considerably from the experience.

Lt Cdr Philip Barber RN (retd) Havant, Hampshire

SIR – Friends of mine, a Mr Parkin and a Ms Carr, married some years ago.

Ever since, much to the disappointment of their many friends, they have simply referred to themselves as “Mr and Mrs Parkin”.

Robert Cruickshank

Hayling Island, Hampshire