Lord Howe of Aberavon
David Elyan writes: You mentioned that Lord Howe’s capacity for hard work was partly based on his ability to make do with only three or four hours of sleep (obituary, Oct 11). I can confirm the accuracy of this statement.
When in opposition from 1974 onwards, Sir Geoffrey (as he then was) became a non-executive director of AGB Research and his office was next door to mine. One morning, shortly after joining AGB, the BBC 8am radio news reported comments by Sir Geoffrey when addressing Newcastle-upon-Tyne Chamber of Commerce the night before. Imagine my surprise then on getting to the office at 8.45am and finding Geoffrey already there and dictating to his secretary.
Sue Lloyd-Roberts
Judith Picton Phillipps (née Simpson) writes: My first job as a rather naive PE teacher was at Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Sue Lloyd-Roberts (obituary, Oct 15) was in one of the groups that I took weekly for gym. Sensing my inexperience, she managed to hide during each class, for a whole term, with a friend, inside the vaulting box (the wooden horse). Obviously honing her skills for later.
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Árpád Göncz
Sir John Birch writes: You were right to emphasise the humanitarian and conciliatory nature of President Árpád Göncz (obituary, Oct 14). At his secret trial in 1957 for his part in the Hungarian revolution, the state prosecutor described Göncz as “the sort of traitor who deserves to be hanged twice”. When he became president in 1990, Göncz opposed all retribution for the misdeeds of the communists and forgave the prosecutor who had demanded his execution.
On his first day in office, Göncz was faced with an immense pile of papers to read and sign. Exhausted and late on his way home, he asked his secretary what papers were in store for him next day. “Just a plea for clemency by a gypsy condemned to death for murder,” was the reply. Göncz immediately returned to his office and signed the reprieve, telling his secretary, “Having been in the condemned cell myself, I could not bear to let a man suffer a minute longer”.
The death penalty was abolished in Hungary shortly after.