In uk.d-i-y, OG wrote:

"Graeme" wrote in message
...

I'm a sub postmaster, and often see letters addressed to Mr Jone's, Mr
Smither's etc.

The 'correct language' pedants would say that's the correct usage.
"Jones" means "of John", so for the deep dyed pedants who complain about
getting rid of apostrophies in place names, "Jone's" should be the preferred
form.

Those 'correct language' pedants are misguided. "Jones" is the name and
the etymology is irrelevant. As far as "the preferred form" is
concerned, the owner of the name is the final authority, and if he
prefers to call himself Jones, Jones it is, and the opinions of others
count for nothing.

Similarly with place names, there is a naming authority, e.g. the local
council, and it's their ruling that matters. Place names are not
(internally) subject to any rules of grammar or irrevocably tied to
their derivation.

--
Mike Barnes