For years there was a satirical column in the UK which used to feature the Bradford City Tramways and Fine Arts Committee, but that was at least supposed to be a joke ...

Mind you this, rather scurrilous piece suggests they should have looked among alumni to the likes of the scrupulous Denning or even priggish bores like Bridey to run the place (Bertie would have tried to dodge any appointment to responsibility anyway) www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v3...

Fair points. Denning prob suppressed his accent a bit in the 20s/30s. Some say he deliberately affected it later in life, though I’ve heard a recording from 1967 when he def has it (perhaps mildly softer than the later recordings). Suspect Bridey more bluntly snobbish than the more genial Bertie.

Bertie & Bridey were a similar social class so more natural colleagues, though Bridey doesn’t like alcohol so not really much in common (Sebastian & Bertie would have been a dangerous combination…) Denning more like Bridey as long as religion doesn’t come up …

Great memories Rumbles, the only sad thing being how many have left us, including some much too early. I still remember the shock of hearing about Bearders.

In 1926 the most famous example of it would have been Charlie Chaplin.

At least it's dead. My cat known as The Murderess for her prolific hunting skills once got annoyed with me ignoring her, so put a half-dead pigeon at my feet. No ignoring that ...

A relief when I first read this as, not being versed in C15 Canticles, I associate the phrase 'Nunc Dimittis' with a typically macabre Roald Dahl story ...

Michael Holding called him fearless, which is high praise indeed. Famously poured ITB back into his bottle when Botham was trying to throw his weight around.

Richard Briers later said he disliked Tom as he was completely selfish, obsessed with his own ideas/schemes/gimmicks, and never treated Barbara. I haven't watched it in years, though I did work with a Margot Leadbetter clone, which was as much fun as it sounds ...

Congratulations- I believe this elevates you to the rank of Master of Tsundoku 📕 📕-one of my own proud achievements 🙂