In one of the books, I think “Murder must Advertise” where Lord Peter uses that name extensively, he comments that most people who have been cursed with it by their parents rhyme it to “teeth”, but that he prefers the more recherché pronunciation of “death” as in the Grim Reaper and all.
Thanks, that’s one of the books I haven’t read yet. I was reading them in order until I got to Have His Carcase, then I got caught up in the Peter/Harriet story and skipped ahead to Gaudy Night.
And in real life, it appears to be normally pronounced de-ath, with two syllables, to avoid death’s sting, I suppose…
Affected, pretentious, foppish Peter naturally wouldn’t do this. :rolleyes:
His other middle name is Bredon, BTW. Peter Death Bredon Wimsey.
Found it - in chapter 14 of “Murder Must Advertise”
The Churchill example is a precise real-life parallel. Sir Winston’s paternal grandfather was Sir John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. His eldest son, George Charles, was honorary Marquess of Blandford until succeeding to the dukedom. Sir Winston’s father was Lord Randolph Churchill, the “Lord” being honorary and Lord Randolph being a prominent 19th Century politician in the House of Commons. Churchill himself was purely a commoner, though of aristocratic lineage (and for the first six years of his life third in line for the dukedom, after his Uncle George and father); his knighthood was bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II in honor of his services to the U.K. in, IIRC, 1953.
You’re not kidding! She should have stuck with “Baroness Marie-Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz”.
You’ve got to read it. It’s probably my favorite Sayers’ mystery. It’s a really fun look not just at the Bright Young Things, but also at the working schlubs at the advertising firm where Wimsey goes undercover. (IIRC, Sayers worked in advertising herself for a little while.)
I will. I also have an unread copy of The Nine Tailors, which is supposed to be excellent. I’m almost reluctant to read them, because then there will be no more to look forward to.
In this same vein, Trollope wrote a novel about a baby referred to as Lord Popenjoy (or just “Popenjoy”), because he was the heir to the Marquis of Brotherton, and that was the title that such heir always carried.