Individual influence
Sir: May I completely refute Peter Hall's contention "The man realises his insignificance. He also understands perhaps that he can change very little," Spectator March 8.
As a small boy in the southwest Manchester of many years ago, it was my delight to go to Platt Fields, in Rusholme. There I would play games on the wonderful fields, or row on one of the lakes. Something thousands and thousands of Manchester folk have done since. All due to one man . . . the late Alderman William Royal. He, learning that on the death of the owner of Platt Hall the whole estate was to be covered with small houses, decided to try and save this wonderful open space. He was successful. The City bought it to be an open space "for ever". A bronze statue testifies.
If Mr Hall ever visits Boscombe he may, if he wishes, visit Grovely Manor, Shelley's home; he will be debtor to a young Boscombe hotelier. This young man, learning that Groveley Manor, lately a girls' school, was to be sold for building, phoned Councillor Harry Brown, the then president of the Bournemouth Hoteliers' Association. This set in train events that resulted in Bournemouth Corporation buying the property, safeguarding it for generations to come.
Finally, just under sixty years ago a man, surely mad, was propagating the idea, that as a means of saving fuel in wartime the elocks should be put forward one hour in the summer. He called it Daylight Saving. Did he get his idea accepted? Well, what were we all doing on the night of March 15-16?
Leonard H. Pendlebury 24 Sidford House, Hercules Road, London SEI
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