What’s in a name?

Well this recent Newsletter article evoked so much comment that we thought it appropriate to duplicate it here.
Apostrophe man has been to visit us. This is the mad pedant who insists on correct punctuation and who is now insisting that we should put an apostrophe in “toms.” We won’t and we can’t for two very good reaWhat’s in a name?
Apostrophe man has been to visit us. This is the mad pedant who insists on correct punctuation and who is now insisting that we should put an apostrophe in “toms.” We won’t and we can’t for two very good rWhat’s in a name?
Apostrophe man has been to visit us. This is the mad pedant who insists on correct punctuation and who is now insisting that we should put an apostrophe in “toms.” We won’t and we can’t for two very good reasons.
The first reason is that according to the Commonwealth Government Style Manual apostrophes are not to be used in capital letters and as you will have observed all our labels, letterheads and other material are in capitals. And who are we to argue with the Commonwealth Government.
But the second reason is the real one and the one that is our own dirty little secret. The sign on the bridge with the apostrophe in it is wrong! The correct geographical name for the waterhole is Toms without the apostrophe because the waterhole is named not after someone called Tom, but after a local family called Toms.
The Toms family were selectors in the district in the nineteenth century and the waterhole was named after them. When we set up the winery, almost fifteen years ago now, we named it after the waterhole, the nearest geographical feature. It’s a happy coincidence that GK’s grandfather was also called Tom.
So now you know. And why a waterhole and not a creek? Because although the creek runs for kilometres it runs mostly underground, breaking to the surface as waterholes here and there, most obviously where Longs Corner Road crosses it but also at several other places up and down stream. It’s actually very pretty, but it’s really Toms, not Tom’s.
easons.
The first reason is that according to the Commonwealth Government Style Manual apostrophes are not to be used in capital letters and as you will have observed all our labels, letterheads and other material are in capitals. And who are we to argue with the Commonwealth Government.
But the second reason is the real one and the one that is our own dirty little secret. The sign on the bridge with the apostrophe in it is wrong! The correct geographical name for the waterhole is Toms without the apostrophe because the waterhole is named not after someone called Tom, but after a local family called Toms.
The Toms family were selectors in the district in the nineteenth century and the waterhole was named after them. When we set up the winery, almost fifteen years ago now, we named it after the waterhole, the nearest geographical feature. It’s a happy coincidence that GK’s grandfather was also called Tom.
So now you know. And why a waterhole and not a creek? Because although the creek runs for kilometres it runs mostly underground, breaking to the surface as waterholes here and there, most obviously where Longs Corner Road crosses it but also at several other places up and down stream. It’s actually very pretty, but it’s really Toms, not Tom’s.
sons.
The first reason is that according to the Commonwealth Government Style Manual apostrophes are not to be used in capital letters and as you will have observed all our labels, letterheads and other material are in capitals. And who are we to argue with the Commonwealth Government.
But the second reason is the real one and the one that is our own dirty little secret. The sign on the bridge with the apostrophe in it is wrong! The correct geographical name for the waterhole is Toms without the apostrophe because the waterhole is named not after someone called Tom, but after a local family called Toms.
The Toms family were selectors in the district in the nineteenth century and the waterhole was named after them. When we set up the winery, almost fifteen years ago now, we named it after the waterhole, the nearest geographical feature. It’s a happy coincidence that GK’s grandfather was also called Tom.
So now you know. And why a waterhole and not a creek? Because although the creek runs for kilometres it runs mostly underground, breaking to the surface as waterholes here and there, most obviously where Longs Corner Road crosses it but also at several other places up and down stream. It’s actually very pretty, but it’s really Toms, not Tom’s.
Apostrophe man has been to visit us. This is the mad pedant who insists on correct punctuation and who is now insisting that we should put an apostrophe in “toms.” We won’t and we can’t for two very good reasons.
The first reason is that according to the Commonwealth Government Style Manual apostrophes are not to be used in capital letters and as you will have observed all our labels, letterheads and other material are in capitals. And who are we to argue with the Commonwealth Government.
But the second reason is the real one and the one that is our own dirty little secret. The sign on the bridge with the apostrophe in it is wrong! The correct geographical name for the waterhole is Toms without the apostrophe because the waterhole is named not after someone called Tom, but after a local family called Toms.
The Toms family were selectors in the district in the nineteenth century and the waterhole was named after them. When we set up the winery, almost fifteen years ago now, we named it after the waterhole, the nearest geographical feature. It’s a happy coincidence that GK’s grandfather was also called Tom.
So now you know. And why a waterhole and not a creek? Because although the creek runs for kilometres it runs mostly underground, breaking to the surface as waterholes here and there, most obviously where Longs Corner Road crosses it but also at several other places up and down stream. It’s actually very pretty, but it’s really Toms, not Tom’s.