Sir Anthony Kershaw

Alistair Cooke writes: Sir Anthony Kershaw (obituary, May 5) did not fight “the customary two unwinnable seats”: he fought the same seat, Gloucester, twice, in 1950 and 1951, standing as a National Liberal and Conservative and halving the Labour majority on the second occasion. He was thwarted in his first choice of unwinnable seat, Dartford in Kent, by one Margaret Roberts, who beat him for the nomination there in January 1949. Thirty-three years later, in April 1982, they were to find themselves in deep disagreement after the Argentine invasion of the Falklands. As she prepared to send a task force to recapture the islands, he argued strongly in favour of a short period of “joint administration before sovereignty is handed over”, as Alan Clark recorded in his diary after a key party meeting.

Humphrey Lyttelton

Terence Brady writes: As a jazz-struck 18-year-old working for the BBC's Young Generation series on the Third Programme my first interview was with Humph (obituary, April 28), my idol. I arrived at his house armed with a monstrous BBC tape recorder and a terminal case of nerves. Soon realising I didn’t even know how to work the wretched machine, Humph took over. He also realised all too soon that I was tongue-tied so very gently began suggesting what I might ask him. So useless was I he more or less interviewed himself and what a great interview he gave himself — so good I even got my back well slapped by the producer.

Twenty or so years on I invited him on Midweek when I was guest chairman. It was his birthday. I asked him if he had any special messages for anyone and he said yes — his son. Would he please come and remove his clutter from his father’s garage.

Fifteen years later I saw him again, leading his band at our local fête champêtre at Stourhead. From a distance I waved to him. He put down his horn, shouted my name and asked me up for a blow.

The Right Rev John Yates

Geoffrey Johnston writes: When John Yates (obituary, April 7) retired as Bishop of Gloucester in 1991 he delivered his episcopal charge in person rather than through his archdeacons. In addressing churchwardens in Gloucester Cathedral he reminded them that one of their traditional duties was to stop people walking about during divine service. Then he looked up from his script, the “witty and well-researched Treasure in Earthen Vessels” as the Times obituary called it, and said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye: “That was before they invented the Peace”, at which there was a subdued ripple of laughter. The remark did not appear in the published text.