Churches/clergy
1. Use caps for the Church of England, Roman Catholic Church, the United Reformed Church, the Methodist Church etc and the Church in context of the institution. For individual churches, write simply St Peter’s Church, Brighton, or All Saints’ Church, Hove, and thereafter the church (l/c).
2. The General Synod, which is the national assembly of the Church of England, is capped at first mention and is then the synod.
3. The Church Commissioners are capped at first mention, then the commissioners (l/c).
4. Use caps for the Bible (biblical is l/c), the Cross, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Gospels,, Mass, Communion, Eucharist, Blessed Sacrament etc.
5. Use l/c for baptism, confirmation, last rites.
6. The Pope should be given his full title at first mention eg Pope Benedict, thereafter the Pope.
7. Churchgoer is one word.
8. Vicar must not be used as a generic word for priest, parson etc Vicar means specifically the incumbent of a parish, not a church (it is the vicar of St Michael’s, not of St Michael’s Church). If in doubt, clergyman is usually a safer term.
9. The Anglican Diocese of Chichester almost exactly covers the counties of East and West Sussex and the city of Brighton and Hove. The bishop is the Rt Rev John Hind, who oversees the whole diocese. The Bishop of Horsham, the Rt Rev Lindsay Urwin, has responsibility for most of West Sussex and some of East Sussex. The Bishop of Lewes, the Rt Rev Richard Jackson, has responsibility for most of East Sussex. Chichester Cathedral is the seat of the diocese.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton covers Sussex and parts of Surrey outside the Greater London boroughs. Its bishop is the Rt Rev Kieran Conry and Arundel Cathedral is the seat of the diocese.
10. Senior clergy, Anglican. The names of bishops and archbishops always follow their title of office eg the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, then he becomes Dr Williams. Bishops (including ours in Sussex) become Bishop Smith after first mention if they do not have doctorates. Follow the same rule for senior Roman Catholics.
Other titles: The Archdeacon of Barchester, the Ven Paul Smith, thereafter Mr Smith or Canon Smith if he is one. The Dean of Barchester, the Very Rev Paul Smith, thereafter Dean Smith.
Junior clergy. It’s the Rev Paul Smith (include “the”), then Mr Smith (the Rev Joan Smith, then Mrs Smith). Some Anglican priests prefer to be called Father so it would be Father Paul Smith, then Fr Smith. Most Roman Catholic priests prefer Father so the same rule applies.
Church hierarchy is complicated so it’s always a good idea to ask the person in question exactly how you should refer to them.
Ranks
Spell out at first mention then abbreviate without full points. An exception is PC which is used from first reference.
Royal Navy
Admiral not abbreviated after first mention. Rear Admiral and Vice Admiral can be shortened to Admiral
Chief Petty Officer CPO
Commodore Cdre
Captain Capt
Commander Cdr
Leading seaman L Smn
Lieutenant Lt
Lieutenant Commander Lt Cdr
Sub Lieutenant Sub Lt
Army (always capped for our own)
Bombardier Bdr
Brigadier Brig
Captain Capt
Colonel Col
Company Sergeant Major CSM
Corporal Cpl
Field Marshal is not abbreviated
General Gen
Guardsman Gdsmn
Gunner Gnr
Lance Corporal L Cpl
Lieutenant Lt
Lieutenant Colonel Lt Col
Lieutenant General Lt Gen
Major Maj
Major General Maj Gen
Private Pte
Regimental Sergeant Major RSM
Rifleman Rfn
Second Lieutenant 2nd Lt
Sergeant Sgt
Warrant Officer WO
Royal Air Force
Air Commodore Air Cdre
Air Vice Marshal is not abbreviated
Corporal Cpl
Flight Lieutenant Flt Lt
Flight Sergeant Flt Sgt
Group Captain Gp Capt
Leading Aircraftman LAC
Senior Aircraftman SAC
Sergeant Sgt
Squadron Leader Sqn Ldr
Warrant Officer WO
Wing Commander Wg Cdr
Police
listed in order of seniority. After first mention, refer to superintendents and above as Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss.
Chief Constable is not abbreviated.
Deputy Chief Constable
Assistant Chief Constable
Chief Superintendent
Superintendent
Chief Inspector - Chief Insp
Inspector - Insp
Sergeant - Sgt
PC - don't use Police Constable
CID ranks
Detective Chief Superintendent - Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss
Detective Superintendent - Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss
Detective Chief Inspector - DCI
Detective Inspector - DI
Detective Sergeant - DS
Detective Constable - DC
Fire and Rescue
Below are the ranks for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Use the title in full at first mention then Mr (Mrs etc).
Chief Fire Officer (In East Sussex this person also has the title Chief Executive but we do not use this)
Deputy Chief Fire Officer
Assistant Chief Fire Officer
Area Manager (this used to be the senior divisional officer)
Group Manager (this used to be the divisional officer)
Station Manager (this used to be station officer)
Watch Manager (this used to be sub officer)
Crew Manager (this used to be leading firefighter)
Firefighter
Ranks for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, below, are slightly different. Same rules apply.
County Fire Officer
Deputy County Fire Officer
Director of Service Delivery
Director of Community Protection
Area Manager
Group Manager
Station Manager
Watch Manager
Crew Manager
Firefighter
Court reporting
1. If dealing with anybody aged 17 or under in relation to any court case, find out whether we are able to name them.
2. It is usually unnecessary to report the details of sex cases. “A serious sexual assault” or “a serious sex offence” will usually suffice.
3. We cap full titles of courts eg Brighton Magistrates’ Court (with apostrophe), Lewes Crown Court. It is then “the court” l/c. If talking about courts generically, use l/c.
4. People are remanded in custody or on bail until a certain date, not “to” a certain date.
5. Our style for lawyers is: “Paul Smith, defending, said...” or “Paul Smith, prosecuting, said...”. If a lawyer is a Queen’s Counsel he is Paul Smith QC. Use caps for the full title of a judge or recorder eg “Judge Paul Smith said...” and “he told Recorder Paul Smith that...” but then it’s “the judge said” and “the recorder sentenced him to...”.
6. The bench is always l/c.
7. People appeal against decisions, they do not appeal them.
8. Do not use “prosecuting” in civil cases. It is “Paul Smith, for the claimant, said...” or “Paul Smith, for the defendant, said...”. Note, in appeals it is a respondent, not a defendant.
9. Coroner’s courts There is a coroner for West Sussex, one for East Sussex and one for Brighton and Hove. Cap when using the full title eg “Brighton and Hove Coroner Paul Smith said...” but then l/c eg “He told the coroner...”. Our style is to include the verdict in the story, not as a one-liner at the end. Note, coroners record verdicts and juries return them. Inquests are held “into the death of Paul Smith” not “on Paul Smith”. Note, technically it should be a post-mortem examination but post-mortem is now acceptable.
Sussex
This list includes names and places which are often misspelt.
Josh Arghiros, of Karis, the developer behind the King Alfred project.
Jenny Barnard-Langston, former Hove mayor (husband is Mark Barnard).
Julien Boast, chief executive of the Theatre Royal Brighton.
Claire Byrd, of EDF and formerly news editor of The Argus.
Norman Cook, Fatboy Slim.
Ed Cruickshank-Robb, member of the Older People's Council and former Hove mayor.
Melanie Cutress, Lib Dem councillor for Kingston, Lewes.
District Council and chairwoman of Falmer Parish Council.
Ian Davey, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Hove and councillor for St Peter’s and North Laine, Brighton and Hove City Council.
Mark Dunn, cabinet member for children and young people's services, West Sussex County Council.
Joyce Edmond-Smith, former Brighton and Hove city councillor.
Lynn Evans, head of communications for East Sussex County Council.
Simon Fanshawe
Nigel Farage, UKIP MEP.
Delia Forester, former Brighton and Hove city councillor.
Phil Frier, the principal of City College Brighton and Hove.
Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.
Julie-Anne Gilburt, artist and owner of JAG Studio
Glynn Jones, chairman of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Pam Lelliott, communications manager at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust.
Ian Lowrie, joint chief executive of Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council.
Alan McCarthy, chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council.
Glenn Mishon of Mishon Mackay estate agency.
Elayne Merry, former Peacehaven mayor.
Laura Moffatt, Labour MP for Crawley.
Jim Parrott, FBU rep.
Garry Peltzer Dunn, Conservative councillor, Brighton and Hove City Council.
Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion.
Des Prichard, chief fire officer, East Sussex Fire and Rescue.
Brian Ralfe, Brighton theatrical character.
Lisa Rodrigues, chief executive, Sussex Partnership NHS Trust.
Jenny Rowlands, director of environment, Brighton and Hove City Council.
Paul Samrah, chairman, Falmer For All.
Peter Sanders, assistant principal, Portslade Community College.
Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Chris Thomson, the principal of BHASVIC.
Adam Trimingham, Argus columnist.
Sue Trimingham, South Downs Health NHS Trust.
Mike Weatherley, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Hove.
Sussex MPs by surname
Norman Baker, Lib Dem MP for Lewes
Greg Barker, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle
Celia Barlow, Labour MP for Hove
Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West
Michael Foster, Labour MP for Hastings and Rye
Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Charles Hendry, Conservative MP for Wealden
Nick Herbert, Conservative MP for Arundel and South Downs
David Lepper, Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion
Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham
Francis Maude, Conservative MP for Horsham
Laura Moffatt, Labour MP for Crawley
Nicholas Soames, Conservative MP for Mid Sussex
Des Turner, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown
Andrew Tyrie, Conservative MP for Chichester
Nigel Waterson, Conservative MP for Eastbourne
Sussex MPs by constituency
Arundel and South Downs Nick Herbert (C)
Bexhill and Battle Greg Barker (C)
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Nick Gibb (C)
Brighton Kemptown Des Turner (Lab)
Brighton Pavilion David Lepper (Lab/Co-op)
Chichester Andrew Tyrie (C)
Crawley Laura Moffatt (Lab)
East Worthing and Shoreham Tim Loughton (C)
Eastbourne Nigel Waterson (C)
Hastings and Rye Michael Foster (Lab)
Horsham Francis Maude (C)
Hove Celia Barlow (Lab)
Lewes Norman Baker (LD)
Mid Sussex Nicholas Soames (C)
Wealden Charles Hendry (C)
Worthing West Peter Bottomley (C)
Brighton and Hove City Council councillors
Brunswick & Adelaide Paul Elgood (LD)
David Watkins (LD)
Central Hove
Averil Older (C)
Jan Young (C)
East Brighton Gill Mitchell (L)
Warren Morgan (L)
Craig Turton (L)
Goldsmid Ayas Fallon-Khan (C)
Paul Lainchbury (C)
Melanie Davis (C)
Hangleton & Knoll Dawn Barnett (C)
Tony Janio (C)
David Smart (C)
Hanover & Elm Grove Bill Randall (G)
Vicky Wakefield-Jarrett (G)
Georgia Wrighton (G)
Hollingbury & Stanmer Pat Hawkes MBE (L)
Jeane Lepper (L)
Christine Simpson (L)
Moulsecoomb & Bevendean Maria Caulfield (C)
Mo Marsh (L)
Anne Meadows (L)
North Portslade Trevor Alford (C)
Bob Carden (L)
Patcham Brian Pidgeon (C)
Carol Theobald (C)
Geoffrey Theobald OBE
Preston Park Amy Kennedy (G)
Kevin Allen (L)
Juliet McCaffery (L)
Queen's Park Ben Duncan (G)
Rachel Fryer (G)
Paul Steedman (G)
Regency Jason Kitcat (G)
Sven Rufus (G)
Rottingdean Coastal Lynda Hyde (C)
Mary Mears (C)
David Smith (C)
South Portslade Steve Harmer-Strange (C)
Leslie Hamilton (L)
Stanford Vanessa Brown (C)
Jayne Bennett (I)
St Peter's & North Laine Ian Davey (G)
Keith Taylor (G)
Pete West (G)
Westbourne Denise Cobb (C)
Brian Oxley (C)
Wish Ted Kemble (C)
Garry Peltzer Dunn (C)
Withdean Pat Drake (C)
Ann Norman (C)
Ken Norman (C)
Woodingdean Dee Simson (C)
Geoffrey Wells (C)
Places
Note: In the case of small villages, hamlets etc always include the nearest large place eg Bramber, near Steyning. It does not necessarily have to be the nearest large town.
Brighton and Hove
Church Street (do not confuse with Church Road)
Davigdor Road
Fishersgate (is adequate as an address ie it does not need "near Portslade" or any such thing after it. However, part of it is in Southwick and part in Portslade and sometimes this may be relevant to the story, so check.)
Gardner Street
Goldsmid Road
Hangleton, Hove
Kemp Town (the constituency is Kemptown)
King’s Road
Moulsecoomb
Nevill Road
North Laine
Princes Avenue, Hove
Queen’s Road
St Ann’s Well Gardens
St James’s Street
St George’s Road
Sydney Street
The Lanes (cap T, cap L and they are not the South Lanes)
Old Steine (note Steyne Gardens and The Steyne, Worthing)
Westdene, Brighton
Woodingdean, Brighton (not near Brighton)
Other areas
Balcombe (which is north of Cuckfield)
Barcombe (which is north of Lewes)
Bognor (not Bognor Regis, except when talking about constituency)
Coombes, Lancing
Cuilfail Tunnel, Lewes
Devil’s Dyke
Durrington, Worthing
Goring (not Goring by Sea)
Glyndebourne
Herstmonceux
Horsted Keynes
Kingston by Sea
Kingston, near Lewes
Lindfield (do not confuse with Lingfield)
Maidenbower, Crawley
Mile Oak, Portslade (not Brighton)
Peacehaven (is a town, not a village)
Piddinghoe
Portslade
Pound Hill, Crawley
Queens Square, Crawley (no apostrophe)
Saddlescombe (which is near Devil’s Dyke)
Sedlescombe (which is north of Battle)
Scaynes Hill, near Haywards Heath
Seaside Road and Seaside, Eastbourne (two different places)
Shoreham (not Shoreham by Sea)
Susan’s Road, Eastbourne
St Leonards
Telscombe Cliffs (the modern bit, the village is just Telscombe)
Toads Hole Valley (no apostrophe)
Trinity Trees, Eastbourne
West Dean, near Chichester
Westdean, near Seaford
Hospitals Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton (then Royal Sussex)
Brighton General Hospital (then the General)
Mill View Hospital, Hove
Royal Alexandra Hospital For Children, Brighton (then the Royal Alex)
Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath (then the Princess Royal)
Eastbourne District General Hospital (then EDGH)
St Richard's Hospital, Chichester (then St Richard's)
Southlands Hospital, Shoreham
Worthing Hospital
Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead
Crawley Hospital
Conquest Hospital, St Leonards (then the Conquest)
Miscellaneous
Airbourne is the Eastbourne air show. Note Shoreham AirShow (not Air Show).
Brighton Dome then the Dome in subsequent mentions.
Brighton Festival then the festival (l/c).
Brighton Festival Fringe then the fringe (l/c).
Brighton Marina then the marina.
hotels Hilton Brighton Metropole, then the Metropole. The Grand - note caps for the hotel in Brighon. It's not the Grand Hotel. Jurys Inn, no apostrophe. Palace Pier not Brighton Pier.
Pride not Gay Pride.
Royal Pavilion, Brighton then the pavilion.
schools it is infant school, junior school without an s eg Stanford Infant School, Balfour Junior School. Schools with Roman Catholic or Church of England in the title are written thus: St Bernadette’s RC Primary School, St Andrew’s CE Primary School.
shops/companies etc (in no particular order) WHSmith, BHS, Boots, Woolworths, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco, Topshop, MacDonald’s, Waterstone’s, GlaxoSmithKline, Trifast, easyJet (except when first word of sentence), Lloyds TSB, Barclays, NatWest, eBay, Jurys Inn, JD Wetherspoon, Fox & Sons, Rolls-Royce, Harley-Davidson, Land Rover. Legal & General.