Notes from a Small Island
Friday, February 29th, 2008
Bill Bryson in his book ‘Notes from a Small Island’ amusingly detailed a whole series of national eccentricities, including curious sounding football teams (Partick Thistle) and also place names. Both Bury St Edmunds and Six Mile Bottom are just outside my constituency, but might well qualify.
My father used to say that his home was his arcadia. House names I have seen like Blantyre, Rawalpindi and Isipingo suggest a colonial connection. In my own constituency, I always enjoy seeing shop names like Skin & Tonic (where you can get tanned) to En Thai Sing (for Thai food) or Tantastic (for the Peter Hain look).
My favourite house name is, however, Erzanmyne. I think it beats Dunroamin and Mon Repos by a mile. I think Bill Bryson would approve. I certainly do.