Reinstate our lovely postman

Over the years that he has looked after us, we have found him to be a very likeable and conscientious postman, and I believe this conscientiousness may have led to part of the problem he is landed with.

On a day when most would have "gone on the sick", Bob instead felt it was his duty to report for work. To punish him for what appears to be nothing more than an oversight whilst under a great deal of stress, would seem to my eyes to be draconian and pedantic in the extreme.

Surely questions should also be asked about the person who took this drastic decision? Whilst this management style would have been appropriate 50 years ago, in this day and age it seems quite ridiculous.

I would have thought that a more up to date approach would have included a certain amount of compassion and understanding?

S. Gledhill,

(proprietor of Dorothy Ward),

The Barn, Gargrave.

SIR - I do not wish to be labelled a killjoy, yet your report "Kids follow playtime tradition" on the long-standing practice of children flooding the Hoffmann Kiln at the Craven Lime Works (Craven Herald, November 22) does cause concern.

The fact that generations have been flooding the kiln to float rafts doesn't make the practice acceptable today.

First and foremost, the Hoffmann Kiln is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, a designation made by English Heritage in recognition of its national importance. Today, it is a criminal offence to damage such a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

We accept that there has been no visible damage caused to the kiln since the recent £350,000 project to preserve the site.

However, it should be pointed out that a great deal of money, as part of the project, was spent on measures to consolidate and strengthen the kiln and to keep water out where water, over the years, had caused a lot of damage to the kiln.

By flooding the kiln today, however innocent the motive, our efforts to preserve the remains are being undone and the potential for damage is very real; and in light of the kilns protected status parents and children alike need to be made aware of the consequences should damage occur.

However, I am sad to say there has been other damage at the site. A wooden step was recently removed and a pipe was blocked to flood the kiln. Two sections of dry stone wall have been pulled down and not repaired.

Further, a padlock has been broken off a gate that is used to block off a tunnel; an unstable tunnel that is potentially dangerous for anyone entering it.

We all want people of all ages, young and old, to enjoy the Craven Lime Works. We do not want to, nor will we, stop young people going to the site and having their adventures.

However, the days when flooding the kiln were acceptable have passed and hence my reason for writing. Not to mention the problems caused when other visitors want to enjoy the Hoffmann Kiln, only to find they have to wade through ankle deep water!

Jon Avison

Head of Park Management

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority,

Colvend, Grassington

SIR - I would like to agree with Mr Hitchen and his letter 'Pointless Ballot' (Craven Herald December 6).

We have three children and benefit from the education provided by all three Skipton secondary schools but would much prefer to have a multi-site comprehensive school in the town.

Had the ballot been offered whilst our three children were at primary school we would not have been given a vote. Why? Because the school concerned sends less than the required number to the grammar schools. It does however, always send children to Aireville. Don't these children count?

It seems to me that the ballot system is designed to preserve the status quo.

Jane Rogers, Skipton.

SIR - I could not let Mrs Price's letter in the Herald November 29 go unanswered. Her unwarranted attack on the Settle Millennium Garden is very unjustified.

She describes it as a "bare and barren place, unused by humans and birds alike." This is a newly planted public open space donated by a generous supermarket to the people of Settle.

It is a well known fact that birds will not colonise a newly built garden area until trees and shrubs are well established. This garden is barely a year old - give things a chance. As for people not using it? Visitors and locals alike do appreciate it as the only place in town to sit in the sun and eat their picnics. There is nowhere else except the car parks.

The walled garden Mrs Price refers to behind the Friends Meeting House is a dark, damp and shaded area full of mature trees and bordered by a railway embankment - an ideal place for birds to inhabit. One cannot compare these two sites reasonably. First attempts by birds to nest in the millennium garden were vandalised.

The Friends Meeting House site is not a suitably safe place for children to hang about it - I agree with her on that one - neither is the millennium garden, on a dangerous corner with constant traffic.

Children always make plenty of noise at play - somewhere on the edge of town would be ideal. Come on all you developers, spare a piece of land for the youngsters and gain some popularity in the town. Planners and councillors should put their heads together on this one.

Settle is a living, working market town and needs to evolve and grow and take on board any new ideas to survive. We need visitors and locals alike to use all our facilities and open spaces. We are not a museum, we need positive thinkers, not moaning minnies.

Alison Boswell

Bankwell Close

Giggleswick

SIR - I wholly agree with Sandra Price's letter in the Craven Herald November 19 reference the wheel park.

Why must Settle Council spoil another piece of grassland in order for it to be transformed into a wheel park? I agree that children do need somewhere to use their boards, skates etc but why in tranquil surroundings?

I am quite sure this walled garden has been beside the Friends Meeting House for a long time. It is nice to sit there to relax and admire the small haven.

I am not a Quaker, but if I was I would not be happy to be in a place of contentment and hear the unnecessary noise from a wheel park. One gets enough noise from the wagon trains thundering across the bridge and one can hear these whilst inside Victoria Hall listening to a concert or a play.

The Millennium "Garden" near Booths would be an ideal spot for the wheel park. There is no atmosphere in this place, it looks dreary and sitting there one gets a constant noise of traffic.

In my opinion Settle Council should reconsider their plans for this wheel park. A questionnaire would be a good idea asking what the residents think where this wheel park should be situated.

Stuart Fairbrother

Stackhouse Lane Giggleswick.

SIR - In response to Sandra Price's letter regarding the possibility of a wheel park besides the Friends Meeting House in Settle, I feel there are a few points she may have overlooked.

Not only is the "little haven" nothing more than a giant litter and dog bin, it is the last place most people would want to eat their lunch.

Why not next door to a place of prayer, He is watching us all wherever we are?

The performances at the Victoria Hall wouldn't be affected as it would take more than a few skaters to disturb the excited and laughing audiences.

It should be taken into consideration that the millennium garden is only 12 months old and yet to be fully established.

But most of all I think we should support the youth of our town who are enthusiastic and willing to work towards their target.

Settle has a grand new supermarket, school, garden and playground so let's give something back to these young people.

Lynda McGeoch

Mill Close, Settle

SIR - Having read the appeal for St John Ambulance volunteers in your Nov 29 issue, I would like to support it and Mrs Elizabeth Harrison (superintendent of the Settle/Skipton division).

Elizabeth and Brian, her husband, were two of my students when I was active in St John as a trainer. Age and ill health forced me to resign that position and Elizabeth and Brian took over the whole operation and have made a huge success of it.

When I retired from full time employment, I took a first aid course and, having no particular demands on my time, joined St John, an order of chivalry (the oldest in Britain) which still maintains its original aims.

It was the most rewarding thing I've ever done and an honour to be a part of such an historical body, going back to the 12th century and originating with the Knights Hospitallers who were allies of the Knights Templar. This last order was disbanded in the 14th century, but St John continued, all fighting in the Crusades.

The foundation of the order is now a peaceful(!) secular organisation and it's aims are to help and treat anybody regardless of race, colour and creed.

A number of your readers will perhaps remember me. My Christmas message to them is to send your children, grandchildren and yourselves! So pick up the nearest phone and call Elizabeth on 015242 51509. There are opportunities for achievement for all ages from six to 65, or 70.

Arthur Cookson,

Yealand Avenue, Giggleswick.

SIR - As one of the motorists having enjoyed a quiet picnic meal in the little garden mentioned by my namesake Sandra Price (Craven Herald Letters, November 29), I would add my protest at the idea of turning this small haven into a wheel park.

It is noteworthy that when youngsters on bikes, skateboards, skates etc make themselves a nuisance they are given somewhere to disport themselves yet motorcyclists, often responsible people aged from their late 20s to active pensioners, are banned from green lanes where they have long-established legal rights.

Margery Price,

Yeadon House, Sutton.

SIR - Your editorial in the Craven Herald of November 29 very laudably drew attention to the serious problem of affordable housing for local people in rural areas. The piece was spoiled, however, by descent into a vilification of Mrs Thatcher, more to be expected from a brainwashed adolescent and unworthy of the Voice of the Dales.

While her record as Prime Minister is no doubt mixed, the myth that every social problem can be ascribed to her stewardship does not stand up to scrutiny. A little more research on your part would have unearthed a couple of relevant facts.

Firstly, the origin of council house sales dates back to the 1930s, and though it was revived only in more recent times, Skipton was selling off its council houses almost a decade before Mrs T came to office.

Secondly, under the community charge system, which she ill-advisedly brought in, dwellings with no permanent residents were charged at twice the rate of a single resident. Highly contentious though that system may have been, it was hardly a boon to second home owners and arguably more punitive than what is now being proposed by the present government.

It is disappointing to see an otherwise excellent local newspaper, in support of a good cause, falling for the propaganda and displaying such blatant political bias.

Brian Raistrick,

Woodlands Close, Ilkley.

SIR - I found Dr James Fleming's comments on the NHS both ill-informed and offensive. He states that the workforce is largely composed of poorly motivated slackers, whose performance will only improve after a dose of privatisation.

Having worked in the NHS for 25 years, I have had experience of all levels of support staff and managerial positions, a breadth of knowledge clearly absent in Dr. Fleming.

Whilst I acknowledge that all large organisations, including the private sector, have the odd bad apple, I can say with certainty that the NHS support staff work extremely hard and with much responsibility for pay that is often somewhat less than the market norm, and achieve results by dedication and commitment.

The culture in the workforce of working as a team to achieve results, and the overall knowledge that the patient is our customer at the end of the day, still means something to most staff.

If there are any ills in the NHS, it is demonstrated by people like Dr. Fleming who exist in a blinkered world that refuses to understand and work with the problems and objectives of others.

Having worked in and dealt with the private sector all my working life, I can assure Dr Fleming that he is in for a shock if he thinks they will transform his little ivory tower.

Anthony Gibson,

Grange Road, Eldwick.

SIR - I guess Dr Fleming ruffled a few feathers with his column last week but will he have pricked any consciences? I think not.

For one thing, many people no longer regard the health service as a profession but more a job with decent pay at the taxpayer's expense.

I wholeheartedly endorse his comments on laziness and hope changes will root out the skivers but I think it is wishful thinking. They will argue they have rights but forget rights go hand in hand with responsibilities.

Laziness is not just in the NHS. It is a disease which has spread and is thought to have no cure. But honest work never killed anyone, only the thought of it, so the saying goes.

Edith Heaton,

Sharphaw View, Gargrave.

SIR - So, Burnsall thinks it has its own answer to Brunel - one John Varley, a structural engineer who re-structured the parish church in 1859. In the book, A Wharfedale Village, by Eric Lodge, he is an architect.

In a book prize presented from a board school to a family member of mine in 1878: The Story of Cyrus Field - the projector of the Atlantic Telegraph, John Varley is not mentioned.

But CF Varley was part of a distinguished government-appointed survey team to experiment sub-marine telegraphy under the leadership of Professor Wheatstone. CF Varley was one of the electricians in 1861. In 1863 the company aborted the work due to shortage of money so this second attempt failed. A new company was formed, Brunel's colossal ship Great Eastern and two men-of-war set sail with a new team led by Cyrus Field, the Times correspondent, Mr S Canning the engineer, Prof Thompson, Mr CF Varley and Mr W Smith the electricians, and the steam ships Sphinx and Terrible.

This, the third attempt, was a success jointly funded by British and American governments and shareholders who said it would join the two great governments each side of the Atlantic and would become a permanent pledge of peace of great nations who uphold the interests of constitutional freedom - still relevant today!

In July 1868, a banquet was held in London to honour Mr Field who spent his life fulfilling a dream, at one time losing his home and his personal fortune financing the venture. Mr Field paid tribute to the inventive skill of Mr Canning and Mr Varley.

The Duke of Argyll in proposing the toast to the health of Mr Field said it was his vision and dedicated fortitude who made the Atlantic Cable Telegraph a reality.

No doubt Mr CF Varley played a prominent part, but where does the John Varley in your report come in? If Skipton Varleys are unable to trace a John in the family tree, maybe they do have a CF.

Dorothy Holmes,

Wood Close, Bradley.

SIR - I was interested to see your reference to the architect and engineer, Jonathan Varley.

As you point out, he prepared the designs for the rebuilding of Burnsall Parish Church, completed in 1859.

Readers may like to know that he was also responsible for the restoration of Linton Parish Church in 1861 and the designs for Hebden school in 1873.

Commissions in Skipton included the Temperance Hall (1873) now the Plaza cinema; the Parish Church School (1874) in the same style as Hebden School and now the Otley Street youth centre; Waltonrays cemetery (1876) including the chapels and board room; Winterwell buildings (1889); The Drill Hall (1892) and Christ Church School (1893). Varley was also the engineer for the construction of Whinny Gill reservoir (1875).

All of these buildings survive in virtually their original form, except the Temperance Hall, which acquired its present ornate entrance in 1915 following its reopening as the Gem Picture Palace.

I hope that this is of interest.

Kenneth Jackson,

Park Wood Close, Skipton.