Evening Press Reader

I doubt if I shall ever be required to refer to a lord as "noble" or address any MP who is not quite Right as "honourable" (Letters, December 2).

Still, tradition has its place. I have little respect for the British parliament, but anything which helps to keep the miscreants in order is best retained. So long as the Upper House remains part of the constitution, and lording it is a job, I am happy to call a lord a lord. Besides, as they are constantly being solicited by dubious charities to head short lists of socially-ambitious patrons, they deserve a crumb of comfort. Apart from that, it would be far better if unearned titles were reserved for the royal family. I should particularly appreciate an end to knight-dubbing. It is galling to be forced to be on familiar first-name terms with someone you would prefer to keep at a formal and safe distance.

Some knights now disregard their titles. These are among the most deserving. Let us hope their good example will be followed by those who won their spurs in more furtive and unchronicled acts of chivalry. Worst of all are courtesy titles.

Why do some people expect to be distinguished simply because they are related to someone who may, or may not, have done something worthy?

William Dixon Smith,

Welland Rise,

Acomb,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.