OBITUARIES

[Stanley]

Lovely example of specialised knowledge. I had never heard of him until this morning..... Thanks David.

[Tripps]

The actor Timothy West has died aged ninety.

I don't think he did much better than Bradley Hardacre in "Brass".

RIP.

[Stanley]

I liked Timothy and my mind went immediately to Prunella Scales. She is still alive and was supported wonderfully by her husband who was her carer.
I think most of us watched the series of programmes they did together on canal cruises.

[Cathy]

Yes , they were my thoughts Stanley. They were 63yrs married. 3 children , so I’m sure Prunella will be well looked after.

[Stanley]

John Prescott has died aged 86. Not an old Etonian, he was a former ship's steward and was deeply rooted in the trade union movement. Many believe that he kept the peace for years between Blair and Brown.

[Tripps]

De mortuis nil nisi bonum and all that - but this is the first thing that comes to mind.

RIP.

Jiohn Prescott

I think this exchange between two Rotherham lads shows both at their best. . .
Did I imagine the look of mischief in Prescott's eye when he referred to Hague as Judy?

[Stanley]

Hague cited that exchange in an interview on R4 yesterday..... I should add, without a trace of malice.

[Stanley]

Terry Griffiths, master snooker player, has died......

[Tripps]

Jean Anderson author of the "Topsy and Tim" books has died aged 96.

Jean Anderson

They were my favourite bedtime story books. Topsy and Tim go Hill Walking was my personal best.
RIP.

My goodness Amazon want £40 for a copy but it is kindly read here by a nice lady. .

[Stanley]

I heard the report David and have never come across the lady. Perhaps she was after my time.....
She and her husband sold quite a few books!

[PanBiker]

Johnny Walker - DJ and broadcaster aged 79.

[Big Kev]

Johnny Walker - DJ and broadcaster aged 79.

A legend. Listened to his Sunday afternoon show, on Radio 2, up until the last one in October.

[Stanley]

Sorry, he passed me by!

[Stanley]

Denis Law has died aged 84.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC obituary for Marianne Faithfull who has died aged 78.

[Gloria]

See THIS BBC obituary for Marianne Faithfull who has died aged 78.

Apparently at one time in her life, after she was famous, she lived rough in Soho for two years.

[Stanley]

I don't think she had a very happy life Gloria......

[Tripps]

The Aga Khan - spiritual leader of the Ismaili Shia Muslims has died in Lisbon aged 88.

Never a stranger to immense wealth or a good time - he owned Shergar - and his racing colours were a very dignified green with red epaulettes.

RIP.

[Stanley]

Am I right in thinking that at one time he used to be weighed annually and his equivalent weight in gold given to charitable causes?

[Tripps]

weighed annually and his equivalent weight in gold given to charitable causes?

Some say gold - some say diamonds. . . . Check out the Peter Sellers film "Two way Stretch" which ends with a reference to the event.

PS - A back of the envelope shows that the cost in gold even at 17 stones, and today's high gold price, would be only a modest £8 million or so. Much less than I thought it would be.

[Stanley]

Yes, that surprises me as well! I trust you checked your working!.

[Stanley]

David I have to admit that that figure has been on my mind and I did the calculation myself. Apologies if this sounds as though I didn't trust you. It wasn't that, I had to see for myself and of course you were right. Using current gold prices it came to about £8.5Million.
If I had guessed it would have been much more!

[Tripps]

Apologies if this sounds as though I didn't trust you.

As president Reagan once wisely said "trust but verify".

I didn't really believe it, and checked again, but didn't post as I thought no one was interested.

17 stones is 17x16 = 272 lbs (avoirdupois)
1 Troy ounce = 1.097 oz . Thus 1lb is 16/1.097 = 14.585 Troy oz.
Gold price today is £2311.94 per troy oz

Thus total cost today would be
272 x 14.585 x 2311.94 = £9,171,743

Still doesn't sound a lot. . .

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

I have only just realised that this lady died in December....
Cherry Hill was possibly the finest model engineer this country has ever seen.... (LINK)