23 MAY 1998, Page 29

Double bastardy

Sir: With reference to Damien McCrystal's article 'Hived off hyphens' (16 May), the feminist retention of the maiden name dates back much further than Hillary Rod- ham Clinton. What about Mary Woll- stonecraft Shelley or the American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox?

Another source of the double-barrelled name that I have noticed recently is chil- dren of unmarried parents sometimes using both surnames, though generally not hyphenated. Even this is not new. When the London steam bus pioneer Walter Han- cock sired a daughter by his housekeeper, Rebecca Wendon, in 1838, the child bore the surname Hancock Wendon 'by desire of the parents', so the family history relates. Nick Georgano

Glenbrook, Rue des Huriaux,

St Andrew's, Guernsey