Dear Editor, I am writing the biography of Reginald Donald Smith – or Reggie Smith – who has been described to me as “a true son of Birmingham.” I have been engaged in this for nearly three years, and recently spent a productive week in Birmingham researching the archives at King Edward’s School, Aston, at the University and the Central Library. I am now writing to you in the hope that your publication of this letter may persuade readers with knowledge of Reggie Smith, or in particular his family, to contact me.

Reggie was born in 1914 at 84 Wills Street, Lozells, the son of William George and Annie May Smith. His father had been a tool-maker, working in the factory of William Mills. Throughout Reggie’s childhood he suffered from tuberculosis and was an invalid. He died in approximately 1940. His mother, who was a “char-woman”, had two sisters, Aunt Budge and Aunt Trix. I believe that Trixie married a Mr Randle or Randall whose family still live in Birmingham. I would be pleased to hear about them.

Reggie and his brothers, Lester Roy and Raymond, were first educated in Lozells at Angelsey Street Infants and Westminster Road Juniors, about both of which I would like to learn more, before going on to King Edward’s, Aston.

At BirminghamUniversity, Reggie revived the Socialist Society, controversially edited the university magazine, The Mermaid, played cricket and rugby, and was a star actor and producer of many Dramatic Society shows and the annual Carnival Revue. He also acted with the Municipal Players.

In 1938 Reggie joined the British Council, taught in Bucharest and married the novelist Olivia Manning.

She later wrote of their wartime experiences in two trilogies, which the BBC televised as Fortunes of War. They spent these wartime years in Romania, Greece, Egyptand Palestine.

The two brothers were captured by the Japanese and forced to work on the Burma Railway. Ray died in the camp just before VJ Day, but Roy returned to England and became a teacher.

After the war, Reggie became a legendary producer for the BBC, where he worked with Louis MacNeice and Dylan Thomas, and where his Birmingham colleagues included Joe Burroughs and Dorothy Baker. Throughout a long BBC career Reggie retained a love for his native city. He returned many times to make radio programmes in Birminghamand about Birmingham.

Long-term Birmingham friends included the Knowles family and Professor Waterhouse, who later worked as a critic for The Birmingham Post. Reggie also took part in television programmes about the city. He died in May 1985.

I would be delighted if any of your readers have any memories of or points of interest about Reggie Smith. I will acknowledge all those who contact me.

Gerry Harrison,

Drumanure, Kilmaley Ennis, County Clare, Ireland.

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Overpaid Wogan is a hypocrite

Dear Editor, I find it very hypocritical of Terry Wogan that he has chosen this time at the end of his “career”, to criticise the BBC for its decline. Here is yet another outburst from a person who has been knighted and become a millionaire on the back of the corporation, that has paid him well with public funds for the simple and easy work he has been doing; embroidered with his very often quite childish and silly quips.

Of course he is right on what he has said and criticised; he mentioned that it was the workers that have lost faith in the BBC and feel they no longer work for the best; but he makes no mention of the licence payers and viewers and listeners who have to pay for the decline in programme standards, who lost faith in the BBC ten years ago.

I have often wondered who it is that is responsible for paying chat show hosts; sports presenters in numbers, very often reporting on highlights only and news readers many million of pounds, when money is not made available for plays etc... TV is saturated with easy to produce quiz shows and questions and answer programmes.

Who is this person that sanctions such exorbitant salaries and why is he or probably she still in the job after suffering so much criticism from the public and government sources?

It seems now that with Labour employment legislation, that despite incompetence, everybody’s jobs are protected to enable them to carry on their incompetence.

Douglas Wathen,

Oakfields, Alcester Road, Rushford, Nr Evesham.

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After tax, Northern Rock and pensions, who's left to turn to?

Dear Editor, Following Caroline Flint's visit to the site, The Housing Minister still seems set on developing the Eco Town, but now the emphasis is on affordable housing. The reason given: South Warwickshire needs more homes. Yet Stratford Council says this is not so and Warwick Council say the development is completely inappropriate.

The Government should consider that this housing crisis has mainly developed due to the massive influx of immigrants, in turn due to a total absence of any policy of control.

It does not surprise any Brit. who has tried to emigrate to the USA, Canada or Australia, among many others, that strict policies are in place and people can only enter on a points system; ie if they will be of considerable benefit, and the levels of acceptance are adjusted according to need; plus these are countries with bags of space. We don't consider they are racist, just applying good commonsense.

Contrast this country where the Government tell us that if we don't use the roads less, they will start charging us by the mile. This wouldn't be so necessary if there were less of us.

Population growth was small until the expansion of the EU.

If there is now a severe shortage of housing, then a points system should be introduced for allocation, and the government needs to ensure that the indigenous population are at the head of the queue, otherwise that's another swathe of the voting population alienated, along with the 10% tax banders, the 800,000 Northern Rock shareholders who had them confiscated, The private pension plan holders who had them tax raided, and those facing large tax bills if they need to move or buy a house.

Doesn't leave many, does it?

Incidentally, Northern Rock went down because new Government rules said that any company asking the nation for a loan, the request must be publicised. Since NR, many a big bank has been to the Bank of England for the same. They went en bloc. The point is, there was no need for NR to go down.

In balance, the credit crunch following the USA sub prime collapse, the price of oil and food, I would not lay these at the Government's door, the latter two are the shape of things to come.

Tony Judd,

Bidford.