BBC Radio 4

[Mid A 15]

has a programme called Writing The Century which features readings from unpublished letters and dramatised extracts from the letters too.

The programme this evening was from 1933 and one of the correspondents featured was the editor of the Leeds Mercury, Linton Andrews.

I'm 99.99% sure that there was an Old Blue journalist called Linton Andrews as I remember reading a book written by somebody with that name at CH when I harboured a never to be fulfilled notion of becoming a sports journalist.

Andrews came across as a decent, compassionate man on the programme. There was an economic depression in the early thirties and the editor of the Yorkshire Post, very much the senior paper to the Leeds Mercury, suggested disciplining recalcitrant workers by docking their wages £1 a week! Linton firmly rejected this idea. He also visited a recently discovered Roman villa near Scarborough with his wife and commented on the timelessness of the surroundings. His wife commented that for a journalist he was an incurable romantic. Linton replied that a journalist must paint the picture, always paint the picture.

I've heard other episodes of this programme and it often makes for a fascinating 15 minutes of radio as did this episode. I assume it will be available via the listen again option on the Radio 4 website.

[JackD]

You are right. Sir (William) Linton Andrews attended CH after Hull Grammar and went straight into journalism from school.

See http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/h ... ndrews.pdf

[Mid A 15]

Thanks for confirming that for me Jack and for the link.

Should you or anybody else wish to listen there are 6 days remaining on the listen again option linked here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cdfsf

[Katharine]

I usually listen to this but somehow have missed both so far this week, I will try harder now I know the CH connection!

[Mid A 15]

I didn't realise this was broadcast in the mornings on Womans' Hour as well as at 7:45pm in the evenings which is when I listen.

I found myself on the road this morning and recognised the voices from previous episodes. It appears that the Leeds Mercury and Yorkshire Post were the first papers to break the story of King Edward V111's affair with Wallis Simpson which led to his eventual abdication later in 1936.

[Katharine]

This week my life has turned upside down and most evenings I have been on the phone to my Mum or my sister, I have also missed it in the mornings for various reasons. Normally I am glued to Radio 4.

[Mid A 15]

Once again Sir Linton Andrews is featured.

This time they covering the fifties. I only discovered it myself last night but all episodes this week should still be available on BBC i player for anybody interested.

[lonelymom]

This week my life has turned upside down and most evenings I have been on the phone to my Mum or my sister, I have also missed it in the mornings for various reasons. Normally I am glued to Radio 4.

Hope everything's okay, Katherine!

[Katharine]

Lonelymom that post was almost a year ago, can it really be that? My nephew had just committed suicide and life was pretty much h*ll then. Now we are all moving on.

I had wondered if this was the OB, I heard it last night and this morning, but missed Monday's episode. Today he seems to be a workaholic ignoring his wife.