James Whitbourn
Terence Crolley writes: I met James Whitbourn (obituary, March 21) on only one occasion but he left a great impression upon me. At the time he was director of music at Harris Manchester College, at the University of Oxford.
Although undergoing gruelling chemotherapy, he nevertheless summoned his physical resources, weakened as they were, to attend the College Chapel and introduce me as the organ recitalist for that day. We had a lot in common.
My opening work was a newly composed piece by a mutual friend, Sasha Johnson Manning. He was delighted as both of them had worked together at the BBC and had a longstanding professional relationship. He immediately took a copy of her work, Lament for Ukraine, and conveyed his greetings to her. We corresponded for a while, his final email telling me he was now on an experimental drug, all other options having failed.
James was in an incredible musician, as your fine obituary notes. But he was also a lovely human being who bore his illness with great dignity.
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Miles Broadbent
Brian Fairclough writes: I got to know Miles Broadbent (obituary, April 6) when I was at The Economist and his firm, Norman Broadbent, were tenants. He certainly never lacked confidence and I remember asking him how on earth he managed to persuade one chief executive to switch industries. “Quite simple, dear boy. I knew he had four or more children at private school and an expensive divorce looming. He needed the money.” And that bagged another client.
Martin Middlebrook
John Cawthorn writes: I read your obituary of Martin Middlebrook (March 1) with great regret. In 1975, I was confined to bed with illness, and a friend gave me Middlebrook’s The First Day on The Somme to read, as he knew I was interested in military history, particularly the Great War.
That was a Damascene moment for me, as it started a collection of books on that conflict — it now numbers in the thousands and is owned by a Scottish Charity, The 1926 Foundation, which I set up as a vehicle for the collection. The collection spent 12 years at the University of St Andrews for research purposes up to 2022.
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Charlie Allan
Andra Noble writes: Charlie Allan (obituary, February 22) at Little Ardo, Methlick, may not have been the most successful farmer in the northeast of Scotland, but he was very well liked. His weekly columns in the Aberdeen Press and Journal and the Glasgow Herald were required reading for all with an interest in the culture of that area; they were wide-ranging, stimulating, if occasionally acerbic.
Some years ago, an incomer to the northeast bought a house by the Howe O’Afforsk in Buchan, and promptly renamed it “Mulberry Manor”, very suitable for an English county, but not Aberdeenshire. Charlie’s justified sarcasm fell upon him, and for a few weeks after “Mulberry Manor” got a good “thrashin’ ” in his columns. Incomers to an area should first respect the natives and their culture.
Some Scottish farms are known the world over: Grassic Gibbon’s “Blawearie” and Scotland The What’s “Sharnydubs of Boghillock of Bourtreebrae (Mains)” come to mind. Little Ardo less so perhaps, but Charlie himself should not be forgotten.