17 MARCH 1984, Page 21

Sir: Gavin Stamp is a bit hard on Times obits.

Within the last year, readers have been told that Aleric Rich made his name in the penal world in 'the heady days of open borstals', that `Taufiq Wahby, the only Kurd to have been awarded the Iron Cross and appointed CBE', died leaving 'two sons, a dentist and a composer' and that Mr H. L. H. H. Green 'had a particular interest in the evolution of teeth. His major contribution in this field was the definitive monograph on the development of the teeth and jaws Of ORNITHORHYNCHUS, the duck- billed platypus...' And many of those fortunate enough to have known the Hon Mrs Violet Cripps were moved by the excellent tribute from which I quote:

...she bought and ran a hair-dressing shop, Robert Douglas, on the site of the present Westbury Hotel,, invented a chamois-leather or pigskin jerkin, the "Cripcoat", dealt in riding habits, sweaters, hair lotion and custom jewelry. The shop was bombed to bits, so she promptly moved the business to her South Audley Street house, where its decline continued ... Violet Cripps was combative by nature; she fought high fences, the commies of ram-occupied hair-dressing estaitilishmerns„ projector malfunctions, and a long senescence with the 'same dedication:

Chris' topher Douglas

29 Branktainly Siren, Load= NI