"Obsolete," but still in use

[Michael Quinion]

> I remember working in my father's office with my brother and father
> where one native speaker (?) of British English would call my father
> "Mr. Barnhart" but my brother and I were called "Mr. Robert" and "Mr.
> David". But I suspect that's different.  Would it still be that way or
> is (was) that decidedly "old-fashioned"?

That was once common in family firms in Britain. I worked for Bulmers, the
cidermakers in Herford in the late 1970s and the members of the family
were still being referred to by older staff in that way. My boss was "Mr
Bertram", the senior member of the clan.


--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: wordseditor at worldwidewords.org
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org

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