From: John Kemp <kemp.history@gmail.com> To: yorksgen@rootsweb.com Subject: [YORKSGEN] Roys Call For a Republic > Roy > After your comments about a republic of Britain, I can imagine that > all the Daily Mail readers are dipping their pens in vitriol ready to > reply. > > It is all very well getting rid of the monarchy, but I think that > many will prefer Queen Elizabeth to the thought of President Boris Johnston or > even President Campbell. > > I think that you should forward the idea of the Republic of > Yorkshire > before attempting greater things. > > Yours tongue in cheek > kindest regards > John Kemp > Gloucester Uk> ..... I wasn't think of dear Boris or Alastair Campbell, nor President Blair, either! But there are some outstanding Yorkshiremen and women who would all make a damned fine President..... Roy Hattersley Alan Bennett Dame Judi Dench Baroness Betty Boothroyd (I've met her, lovely woman) Sir Bernard Ingham (old journalistic friend of mine from our Halifax days) Michael Palin Sir Patrick Stewart Sir Ben Kingsley Kiki Dee (singer) Lesley Garrett (wonderful soprano, met her, too, equally lovely) Kevin Keegan (England football manager and player) David Hockney Dame Diana Rigg Barbara Taylor Bradford (author) Brian Close (Yorkshire cricketing legend) Barry Cryer (scriptwriter) Alan Titchmarsh (TV gardener and author) John Craven (TV presenter) Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones author) Ray Illingworth (another Yorkshire cricketing legend) Gabby Logan (TV sports presenter) Jack Shepherd (TV cop Wycliffe) Tom Wilkinson (actor) Marco Pierre White (chef) Sean Bean Brian Blessed Peter Firth (Spooks actor) * I have added in explanations of who some of them are for the benefit of our colonial cousins to save them having to Google them! You will note that I have not proposed Geoffrey Boycott, Arthur Scargill or myself. I am much too busy with genealogy to take on the job of running the country but I reckon Janice Wood, Jackie Depelle and I would make a formidable Cabinet threesome to rival the Cameron/Clegg axis any time! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE

From: roy.stockdill@btinternet.com > > I wasn't think of dear Boris or Alastair Campbell, nor President > Blair, either! But there are some outstanding Yorkshiremen and women who would all make a damned > fine President.....> >Snip long list of names of famous Yorkshiremen and women..... < I considered adding to the list another marvellous actor, Peter O'Toole, but there seems to be some doubt about where he was born. He was certainly brought up in Leeds as a boy but he apparently has two birth certificates - one giving Leeds as his birthplace and another as Connemara, Co Galway, Ireland. Top of my list for president had he still been with us (but sadly he isn't) would have been my all-time favourite Yorkshire novelist and newspaper columnist Keith Waterhouse (1929-2009), born at Hunslet, who of course I knew vaguely in my Fleet Street days. If there has ever been a funnier book than "Billy Liar" (and a brilliant film) I challenge anyone to tell me about it. And my wife and I saw the above-mentioned Peter O'Toole starring in Waterhouse's play "Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell" and it was the most memorable night in the theatre we've ever had! For those unfamiliar with the play, it's all about a legendary columnist and drunk called Jeffrey Bernard who frequently failed to deliver his column to the magazine that was paying him, as a result of which the cryptic message often appeared "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell" (everyone knew why, of course) and Keith Waterhouse turned this into the funniest thing you've ever seen on stage. The whole play revolves around how Bernard gets locked in to his favourite Soho pub and has to spend the night there. If it is ever produced at a theatre near you, don't miss it! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE

A friend of mine is very interested in another O'TOOLE who won the VC. She was told that Peter O'Toole had hired a genealogist many years ago to trace his origins and perhaps link to the person with the VC. They did not find a link and I think there were some vague parts in his family history. Martin Briscoe Fort William martin@mbriscoe.me.uk -----Original Message----- From: yorksgen-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:yorksgen-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of roy.stockdill@btinternet.com Sent: 06 June 2012 18:21 To: yorksgen@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [YORKSGEN] Roys Call For a Republic From: roy.stockdill@btinternet.com > > I wasn't think of dear Boris or Alastair Campbell, nor President > Blair, either! But there are some outstanding Yorkshiremen and women > who would all make a damned fine President.....> >Snip long list of names of famous Yorkshiremen and women..... < I considered adding to the list another marvellous actor, Peter O'Toole, but there seems to be some doubt about where he was born. He was certainly brought up in Leeds as a boy but he apparently has two birth certificates - one giving Leeds as his birthplace and another as Connemara, Co Galway, Ireland.