Like many aristocratic names that seem to be pronounced illogically, it stems
from said aristo's not knowing how to pronounce 'foreign' names in titles
often awarded to them after winning battles abroad (Beaulieu being a case in
point, as is Blenheim), and no one having the courage or temerity to tell them
otherwise. Interestingly in Beaulieu's case there is the original charter on
the wall in one of the rooms of the house, and it has 'Bewly' in brackets
after 'Beaulieu'. On the death of Diana, Princess of Wales her birthplace
Althorp was often mentioned and pronunciation varied between what you see and
'Althrup'. In the end it turned out that only her brother Earl Spencer used
'Althrup', everyone else used the more obvious. Although in that case it
seems that his pronunciation is historically more correct, it is the modern
spelling that is incorrect http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Althrop.
That is the cause of many differences in pronunciation and spelling in the UK.
More confusion stems from people from one part of the country writing down
names in another, where none of the locals could read or write and so tell him
how to spell it. While doing family history research I came across a female
ancestor in an original parish register with the name 'Cafern'. It took me a
while to realise it was almost certainly 'Catherine' but in a strong dialect
that the vicar from another part of the world didn't really understand so
could only write down phonetically.
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
... Finally, I asked where "Bo-
Lew" was "you know, where the Motor Museum is". The local laughed and
responded "oh, you're looking for "Bu-Lee"
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