British Heritage: May 1997 Letters

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British Heritage

BRUCE DNA EVIDENCE

The ‘Is That A Fact?’ department (December/January 1996/1997, page 70) states ‘There is no way to prove that theheart [found under the Melrose Abbey chapter house] belonged to Bruce.’ That is not a fact. DNA analysis coulddemonstrate with a very high degree of probability (the scientific version of ‘proof’) whether the Melrose heart camefrom the individual buried at Dunfermline Abbey, presumably the person whose skull has been knocking about themuseum in Edinburgh these many years (and, one assumes, the source of Mr. Hill’s cast). The archaeologists atHistoric Scotland know about this, and scientists at many British universities are quite capable of doing theprocedure. Whether Historic Scotland wants to try the experiment is another matter. An entertaining speculation:suppose DNA analysis showed the heart, the buried remains, and the skull came from three different individuals?Now that would let the fox in amongst the chicks!

Christian E. Hauer, Jr., Ph.D, FSA
Consulting Archaeologist
Huntsville, Alabama

MONDAY NIGHT AT EIGHT

The letter from John T. Butler (December/January 1996/1997, page 4) brought back memories of wartime England and especially of BBC Radio programmes. I recall Gillie Potter and his little lectures, though I don’t remember the subject of any of them. My age during those years was a single digit! If memory serves me, Gillie Potter was featured in a regular never-to-be-missed programme called ‘Monday Night at Eight.’ The introductory jingle went something like this:

It’s Monday night at eight o’clock.
Oh, can’t you hear the chimes?
They’re telling you to take an easy chair;
And settle by the fireside,
Get out your Radio Times–
‘Monday Night at Eight’ is on the air.

Several characters appeared regularly on the show. I seem to remember Harry S. Pepper’s ‘Puzzle Corner’ and a man with a rich north-country accent who would begin each monologue with, ‘The day war broke out, my wife said to me. . . .’ I’m sure that Mr. Butler has jogged better memories than mine, and I hope you’ve been hearing from many readers who can recall those radio characters who played what may appear to have been an overrated role in our lives in those days.

Molly Stockton, Tucson, Arizona

REMEMBERING GILLIE POTTER I am old enough to remember Gillie Potter from when I lived in England; however, I do not recall ever hearing ofthese lectures published in book form.

I would suggest that John Butler (December/January 1996/1997, page 4) writes to the BBC or asks Britishbookseller, such as Hatchards of Piccadilly, or W. H. Smith and Sons. Even more likely, ask Barnes & Noble (inAmerica) who seem to be very adept at routing out old British publications.

Cyril Lavender, Houston, Texas

Editor’s note: Hatchards can be reached at 0171 437 3924; W. H. Smith at 0171 730 1200, and BBC LondonRadio at 0171 224 6868.

EASTWOOD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

For many years I lived and worked in the Eastwood area and was a member of the Nottinghamshire Constabularly. I was shocked to learn from the heading of the article ‘D.H. Lawrence Country by Linda Hart (October/November 1996, page 48) that Eastwood in Nottinghamshire has moved to Derbyshire. While Derbyshire is the next county, the county border is at the bottom of the hill from Eastwood at Langley Mill (near the railway station).

The author failed to mention Law- rence’s book Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Locals will tell you that Lawrence apparently had a ‘bone to pick’ with Major Sir Phillip Barber, a decorated handicapped First World War veteran who was said to be the model for the husband of Lady Chatterley. The Barber family owned the local coal mines (prior to nationalization) and considerable lands in the area. My father worked for the Barbers and lived in a tied cottage on their estate.

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