Another question for the Brits on the list

[Carol]

lizzie_snape wrote:
>
> Contrary to popular belief, 'Ms' isn't an invention of the 
> American 'Women's Lib' movement. In the 1950s it was used in business 
> correspondence when the marital status of the woman was unknown.  It 
> may have been earlier, but this is my personal experience.
> 
> I don't hear any difference in pronouncing it mz or miz.
> 
> Lizzie
>
Carol responds:
"Miz" has a vowel. "Mz" doesn't. Make an "m" sound and a "z" without
an "ih" (short i) sound and you'll hear the difference. "Mz" more or
less rhymes with "buzz."

Carol, noting that Fowler's mentioned the 1950s in the quotation I
cited though I may have snipped that part