THE death of journalist and author Keith Waterhouse, pictured, prompted a national newspaper to re-print the classic column he wrote more than 20 years ago launching the AAAA — the Association for the Abolition of the Aberrant Apostrophe.

This is a subject close to my heart and I have been known to point out wrong usage and omissions when I spot them on public notices of all kinds.

So much so that Mrs C told me once that if I did not stop going on about it she would deliberately miss off the apostrophe on Alan Calverts gravestone.

That was quite a threat and I have been somewhat less vocal since.

But the other day a friend and fellow pedant posted a copy of the Waterhouse article through my letterbox in an envelope carrying the message: “Thought you might like to start a Bolton branch!”

Everybody likes a challenge, but I think society has now declined to such an extent that membership would be very small indeed.

Still, I salute those discerning readers who still care and appreciate Mr Waterhouses’ contribution to this important debate.

Did you see what I did then?