Goodbye, Bill

He was my co-religionist and, like him, I live in York, but I am relatively new to both religion and city and he had deep roots in both. He was my publisher and my friend and I am happy to think of him in both capacities.

One might suppose that given the history of his family and his own achievements he would be supercilious or ostentatious.

Nothing could be further from the truth. He was a modest man with very little to be modest about, a Quaker who typified the religion at its best. He assisted me in a variety of ways which were of the greatest help in my research. He was always friendly and helpful.

He also had an enviable recollection of past events. I treasure the memory of Bill giving his personal account of the outbreak of war in 1939, the country at peace when a Quaker Sunday meeting began, at war at its end. I treasure the account of his family recollections of the ‘Great Historic [York] Pageant’ of 1909.

His death really does end an era. Goodbye, Bill, and thank you.

David Rubinstein, Portland Street, York.