Dear Editor, No doubt you have received Canon Rob Morris’s email. He was kind enough to send me a copy so I would like to make one or two observations.
1. I am not angry!
2. The fact that the name ‘St Nicolas Place’ is to be applied to the whole site, previously known as ‘Historic Kings Norton’ and comprising St Nicolas Church, the Old Grammar School and the Saracen’s Head, is news to me and I have no objection to that.
3. The first I knew of the decision to rename the ‘Tudor Cafe’, so called since June this year, the ‘Saracen’s Head Cafe’ was on Thursday at the same time as my email was on its way to you. Are we seriously being asked to believe that it was always the intention to rename this cafe after only five months?
4. Rob’s contention that the whole building has been known as the Saracen’s Head only since 1930 is simply untrue, although he has chosen to debate somewhat pedantically what ‘whole building’ means and what constitutes a ‘pub’. The Kings Norton History Society has photographic proof that in 1900 it was in fact a hotel. The name for the whole building is also mentioned in a local newspaper report of 1887. Also, when the building was formally given to the parish in 1930, as reported by one of the local papers of the time, the then archdeacon was ‘delighted’ that the name was being kept for the whole building.
5. Rob admits that he has consulted only his own church congregation and members of Historic Kings Norton; this is the problem – there are a great many more people in the parish who have not been consulted at all.
6. It is untrue that not many members of the history society have been involved – members have been deeply involved with these buildings for many years. In the particular case of the recent restoration, offers of help were made but not always taken up.
7. Rob still has not answered the question: What now is the whole building going to be called?
Thanks to your interest we are making this issue much more public.
Claire Simpson
chairman, Kings Norton History Society
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Time to search out
the real soothsayers
Dear Editor, I note the ‘oh so useful’ observation by the CBI business group (page 8 Business Section- B Post 17.11.08) concerning the length and depth of the recession, but I am at a loss to understand why you feel it is newsworthy publishing such material.
If the CBI were at any time a voice in the wilderness warning of the impending situation earlier this year then perhaps it may be worth listening to them now. But I, for the life of me, cannot recall any such prophecy.
It is easy to be wise after the event but it takes real foresight to predict something positive in the current situation. Can I urge you to search out the real soothsayers!
Alan P Price
St Bernard’s Road, Solihull
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It was Gore who won the popular vote
Dear Editor, Ian Payne (Letters, Nov 11) “spits feathers at criticism of George W Bush” by blaming media bias or Democrat opposition.
Perhaps he never watches the pro-Bush Fox News or ignores Republican critics, including John McCain? To contend that the American electorate elected Bush Jnr is incorrect. Al Gore easily won the popular vote in the hotly disputed 2000 Presidential race and would have been elected were it not for blatant errors in Florida.
Post readers may recall how potential voters were obstructed in the registration process, were removed from voter lists by Republicans ranging from the brother of George Jnr (Governor Jebb Bush) or Florida elections supremo (Kathleen Harris) often on the basis that their surname was similar to that of a convicted minor felon.
Designing a confusing ballot paper for those districts with large black electorates gifted a big misplaced vote to right wing rabble-rouser Pat Buchanan rather than Gore or using unfit voting machines with their lack of punch marks – the famous “chads” fiasco denied the Democrats their victory.
Perhaps if Ian Payne has time for watching cinema releases I could recommend Recount which exposes George Bush Jnr and gang for who they really are?
Steve Kirkham
