Undue ‘South’

DAVID M Steel’s response to Len Saunders on the memorial to the loss of lives in the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge was informative (Letters, 14 December).

However, as a resident of Queensferry, perhaps Mr Steel could explain when the adjective “South” came into common misusage to define his town. My great uncle, John Mason, after whom a street there is named, always referred to it as “Queensferry”. He was a local headmaster and curator of the museum.

And in 1964, Andrew Restall, one-time creative director of McCallum Advertising, who designed the commemorative stamps for the opening of the road bridge, was invited with John Mason to “Queensferry” to meet the Queen.

Douglas Bain

Oxgangs Drive

Edinburgh