Most interesting, Jan. Was 'South Britain', or 'S.B.' commonly used on correspondence? It's the terminology that people were adopting in their personal habits, like letter-writing, that I find of particular interest. And now really let me be the devil's advocate - was Wales every referred to as 'West Britain'? And pre-1922 Ireland? Of companies, ones that come to mind were the North British Railway Company (until 1923) and the North British Locomotive Company (1903-1962). Iain ----- Original Message ----- From: Jan McLeod To: Iain Hutchison ; DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY-L@rootsweb.com Sent: 04 November 2004 00:26 Subject: Re: [D-G LIST] NB Iain said, "I don't suppose England was ever referred to as South Britain?" According to my source, it was indeed. This topic was pursued in the Scots magazine Feb 2000 letter pages. One letter says, "...the description North Britain for Scotland was used as long ago as 1606, and England was indeed referred to as South Britain. To resolve differences over the bearing of flags by Scottish and English ships, James VI decreed that the crosses of St Andrew and St George would be combined as one flag, the Union flag, and that "in their fore-top our subjects of south Britian shall wear the red cross only, as they wont, and our subjects of north Britain in their fore-top, the whilte cross only as they were accustomed.'" There are other letters on the subject, but the term was in use in the 1900s, and was used on both sides of the border. It was in official use from 1707. There are evidently still 4 enterprises listed under the heading "North British" in the Edinburgh phone diresctory. So it evidently wasn't a wicked English plot! Janet

Iain's question about West Britain is interesting. A newspaper in Cornwall is known as the West Briton.