Letters to the Editor

My concern is the danger of walking up and down to and from the tarn, people are taking a big risk because they have to walk on the road.

I would like to make a suggestion that a pavement is put down on the right hand side as you go up to the tarn before someone is injured or killed.

We get families, joggers and pensioners using the road more now that the wild life is growing.

H PLUNKETT,

Shann Avenue,

Keighley.

SIR - I am researching the crew of a Lancaster bomber of 576 Squadron at Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire, which was shot down on the night of the 15th January 1944.

The captain of this aircraft was Flight Lieutenant T W G Morren, and amongst the crew was Sergeant B Boothman, who came from Silsden. Sergeant Boothman survived the crash and was taken prisoner of war.

I believe he survived the war. I shall be grateful for any information about this crew and the loss of their aircraft from Sergeant Boothman or relatives/friends who may be able to help. The loan of a photograph of Sergeant Boothman would be appreciated, and this would be returned in a few days by recorded delivery.

I am undertaking this research on behalf of the families of Sergeant A E Unwin and Sergeant B E Clarke.

Both airmen sadly died in the crash, and neither family has ever been informed as to the circumstances of the loss of their loved ones.

Please write to me, at 96 Wharncliffe Drive, Eccleshill, Bradford, BD2 3SY.

David W Fell

SIR - I don't know if you can help, or if you can direct me to someone who can assist.

When my grandfather died I was given a lidded marmalade pot with Arms of The Borough of Keighley on the side. On the bottom of the pot is an eagle or falcon with the name W. H. Goss.

Are you able to tell me anything about the pot, please? Its age and the reason it was produced? My grandfather was Evan Rees Edwards, and he came from Ystradgynlais in Wales - not from your area, unfortunately. He came to NZ in the 1950s.

The marmalade pot sat in my china cabinet for about 12 or 15 years after he died, till I took it out recently and started wondering about the arms of the Borough of Keighley on the side, and the name W H Goss on the bottom.

My research shows Goss produced heraldic pottery items, which are now collectible.

William H Goss died in 1906 and his factory was the Falcon Works, Kirkham St, Stoke on Trent. (Hence the falcon above the Goss name on the bottom of the pot).

I am curious about when the pot would have been produced, and was it for a commemorative occasion? Could it have been when Keighley first became a borough? Or was it just a souvenir item sold in local shops?

If anyone has any information, I'd appreciate hearing from them.

Vivien Edwards

16 Perkins Drive,

Te Puna, R D 6,

Tauranga, NZ.

Email vived@clear.net.nz

SIR - Being an ex resident from Keighley, it's great to be able to keep up with what's happening from my home town, having lived in New Zealand since 1982.

I missed what was going on in Keighley and in the rest of Yorkshire. But your website now keeps me in touch.

I would like to say 'hi' to my relations and those friends who knew me back then, especially Lee Holmes and Michael Russell, who were old school friends of mine.

Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing all the good things that are happening in Keighley.

Andrea FrIth

glfrith@yahoo.co.nz

SIR - Some two and a half months ago I was elected chairman of the Keighley and District Association for the Blind, an appointment, I may say, that I accepted with some trepidation.

However, it has only taken this short period of time for me to discover not only the friendship and dedication that is found in the Association, but the immense amount of work and endeavour put in by the volunteers and staff.

The Association has set up over the years a number of social centres in Keighley, Silsden, Cross Hills, Bingley, Skipton and Barnoldswick, plus of course, the Social Centre and Vision Resource Centre in Scott Street, Keighley.

Meetings and social events are held at each on a regular basis, organised by a very dedicated band of volunteer workers, who excelled themselves in the two weeks before Christmas by organising parties at each of the centres, which I was privileged to attend.

We were also, as in other years, to have parties in Bingley and Keighley organised by Bingley Inner Wheel Club and Keighley Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs. All these events were hugely enjoyed and appreciated by the blind and partially sighted people attending.

The point of this letter is for me, on their behalf, to offer a very heartfelt thank you to all who helped in any way, to make not only these parties such a success, but all our volunteer workers who help to make our blind and partially sighted friends lives a little easier throughout the year. Please keep up the good work for all our sakes!

If any of the general public reading this letter feel they could be attracted to helping with the work of the Association, we would be only too pleased to hear from them. Please contact our Chief Executive, Kevin Baldwin, on Keighley 602354.

FRANK WELLS,

Chairman,

Keighley and District

Association for the Blind.

SIR - I have recently come into the possession of a King James Bible, purchased from one of the charity shops in the town.

On the front it has the inscription: By the will of Phillip, Lord Wharton, 1696.

Apparently this gentleman left money in his will for these Bibles to be freely distributed. The one I have was given to one Hubert Overend from Glusburn, dated May 26, 1907.

Could anyone tell me who this wonderful gentleman Phillip was, or who was Hubert Overend?

Also I would love to have at least one other of these Bibles if there is anyone who has one lying around they do not want. I could give it a very good home where it would be loved and cherished.

I would gladly refund any postage or other monies incurred if a King James Bible like the one described was sent to me at 86 Irvin Avenue, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Cleveland, TS12 1QP.

STEPHEN GREEN

Cleveland

SIR - David Samuels objects to being described as 'eccentric'.

Far better to be different or eccentric. Who wants to be one of the 'common herd', - Mr or Mrs Average? If we were all walking the same way we'd never meet anybody!

I enjoy telling people that my ambition is to be an eccentric millionaire. And when I add that I am half way there, their facial expressions are highly interesting and amusing. Their jaws often drop in amazement and it can be quite a while before they realise that I have continued saying: "Yes, I'm half way there - I'm eccentric"!

However, it would be nice to be a millionaire as well as being eccentric. And maybe David Samuels' writings will bring him the millions and he won't mind being called eccentric.

PETER A RUSHFORTH,

Sutton Drive, Cullingworth.

SIR - I refer to Mr Samuels' letter of last week. The thought of him looking up the word 'eccentric' in the dictionary tickled me.

Anyhow it's catching. I've just done the same and it's a good job he can't read what it says in mine otherwise he'd be thinking his 'axis etc wasn't placed centrally'? (Threw me too.)

To me an eccentric person is an interesting person, who you can't help but like, who you feel you want to know more about, and as in Mr Samuels' case 'cute' - (don't say he's running for the dictionary again).

On a more serious note, I agree whole heartedly that people with MS should not have to wait for the much needed costly drug Beta Interferon. I admire the work being done to combat this, and best of luck with sales of the book Ripple of a Chinese Feather.

Alzheimer's Disease is another example of injustice, whereby due to the cost of a drug only a chosen few are allowed the privilege to try it.

My question is simple, why are the drugs so expensive? Surely if the prices were reduced profits could still be met due to the sheer demand of people in need.

MAUREEN WILKIE,

Bromley Grove, Exley Head.

SIR - That politicians promote the idea that they care for other members of society is, in my experience, a lie.

At the present moment this country's national newspapers are rightly examining the allegations that a doctor has for the past 20 years murdered over 300 people.

Of course politicians, both left and right, are now seeking to put the blame on the inability of civil servants to detect this heinous occurrence.

The Teflon politicians will not admit that ultimately they are responsible for the health of the people. Medical people, such as a Health Authority, are empowered only by the will of government.

We, the public, are only too aware of the hypocrisy of politicians. For instance Government has set up a health quango, The National Institute for Clinical Excellence,

This Orwellian and grotesque arm of government has one purpose, and that is to prove certain medications are not financially cost effective for National Health patients.

Having fought the health departments of the two main political parties over the years and been defeated in my efforts to provide basic medical requirements of those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, I believe that today only mob power rules, as shown by the recent petrol blockades.

On June 22, in the House of commons, Hansard (column 462) reported that in a debate between House of Commons members, a number of leading neurologist had made it clear that the drug Beta Interferon is an effective drug in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.

The Keighley News, Opinion, summed up the refusal by government, via its quango NICE, of prescribing Interferon B as 'barbaric'. I much prefer my own adjective, 'murder'.

David Samuels

Chairman, MSSG