Particulars

The first time I was asked for my particulars, I was a little affronted but needlessly, because actually your particulars are you details. An example of the use of 'particulars' is when I attempted to pick up our Formula 1 tickets from the post office yesterday (specifically, tickets to the Katy Perry concert - Tim is like, her biggest fan).  I turned up with all the paperwork including a form signed by Tim saying that I could collect them his behalf.  But the lady took one look at it all and said 'Where is Mr G particulars?' (grammar note: no possessive, no plural). In this case she meant: where is the photocopy of Mr G's passport or employment pass so that I can verify his details and therefore release the tickets to you?  But I knew what she meant.