Dear Bernard, I enjoyed ‘Gallows Thief’ very much, and particularly the colourful and often bizarre vocabulary that your London characters used. I noticed (correct me if I’m wrong) that none of them referred to each other as ‘mate’, which contemporary Londoners seem to do all the time, taxi-drivers especially. Did that term of address not exist in Regency times? Sorry, this is not the most riveting of questions, but I am very much curious, and I wonder when did it ever creep into everyday use. Do you have any idea? Thank you. Paul Reid, County Cork.