I WONDER what word the writer (Letters, July 31) would use instead of “swamped” when referring to the many, many people who want to come to live in this country.

I just thank my lucky stars that I am fortunate enough to live here and I cannot imagine any other country that can offer as much to its inhabitants and make it so desirable.

I don’t think people realise how extremely lucky we all are and it is only natural that more and more people would rather live here than anywhere else on earth.

The British way of life is, in my opinion, to be valued by its inhabitants but it should not be taken for granted and there have to be some laws to prevent too many actually crossing the borders.

I don’t know what the answer is, but if we allow our small island to be over-run, it will only become one more over-crowded and over-peopled country.

What do other readers think?

Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick

 

JUST to clarify, the artist William Etty’s father was Matthew Etty, a miller who ran Mount Mill, and died in 1779 aged 74.

Unfortunately, it was not John Etty the architect as reported (The Press, July 29). He had died in 1709, over 30 years before William was born.

William’s grandfather was a John Etty, a wheelwright who lived in Holme on Spalding Moor, again not the architect, which is where the confusion has possibly arisen.

Both Etty families may have had a more distant connection but this has not yet been established despite them both residing in York around the same time.

I am in contact with a descendent of the Etty family as the artist’s godmother was one of the Waud family who ran Holgate Mill.

Anna Cook, Holgate Windmill Preservation Society archivist and historian

Editor’s note: This was our reporter’s misunderstanding.

 

TALKING to my friend Don the other day, he was telling me how he first started buying his house on the Highthorn estate in Huntington with his wife Joan in the winter of 1954 and moved in early 1955.

At that time, there were only about 26 on the entire estate.

The houses were in the middle of a field, surrounded by grass and filled with cows and livestock.

With nothing to shelter the houses from the bitter winds, the lino on the floors used flutter with wind.

At over 60 years in the house, is there anyone out there who has lived on Highthorn longer than Don?

DM Deamer, Penleys Grove Street, Monkgate, York

 

READING DM Deamer’s post about fishermen on the River Foss (Letters, August 1) led me to comment further about the rubbish discarded all along the pathways.

My garden goes down to the Foss and every day we see people throwing things into the river – empty cans, sandwich wrappers, grass cuttings, polythene bags etc.

Around the rubbish bin in Huntington Road were bottles, food wrappers and yet more polythene bags.

How lazy can people get? As we are supposed to be the superior species, I despair. There is more rubbish thrown down now than ever before, not from just children but from adults who should know better and lead by example.

Wendy Blanchard, Huntington Road, York

 

PAUL HEPWORTH forgets that previous councils have built themselves into chaos (Letters, July 30).

We only need to see the effects of the Clifton Green and Lendal Bridge fiascos to see what happens when traffic flow is restricted.

Traffic needs to be able to flow around towns and cities with good affordable public transport links into the centre.

The best way forward in York is to re-open railway stations at Haxby, Strensall, Copmanthorpe and Poppleton business park, along with full dualling and grade separated junctions on the A1237.

On top of this a new park and ride station on the line to Harrogate where the line passes under the A1(M) along with full doubling of the single line sections and electrification of the line would be of great benefit to many people, instead of wasting money on anti-car schemes as previous councils have done which only lead to more congestion and pollution.

Ian Foster, Hawthorne Avenue, Haxby

 

YOU published a photo of a three-masted sailing ship moored at Kings Staith (The Press, July 24), stating “Puzzle: How on earth did that get there?”

Well I am quite sure this question is easily answered. Skeldergate Bridge used to open to allow high ships/boats to pass under it.

From my memory, the arches of the bridge swung to one side and then the deck rose like a drawbridge on a castle, allowing safe passage.

I presume the deck of the bridge would have raised almost vertically to allow the three-masted sailing ship through.

Stuart Wilson, Vesper Drive, Acomb

 

REFERENCE “Glass floor for well off” (The Press, July 27). Surely we don’t need research into this.

It has always been thus and always will be. If you have money you can do lots of things the poor cannot.

What I would like to ask is this: does it make them happy knowing it was their parents and not themselves that got them near the top of the ladder? I very much doubt it.

Maureen Robinson, Broadway, York

 

WHY doesn’t anybody die any more?

TV presenters, newsreaders etc, seem afraid of the word and say “passed away”. They didn’t, they died.

I’ve told my family if they tell anyone I’ve “passed away”, I’ll come back and haunt them.

And while I’m at it, when was a handshake replace by a hug and a “mwa, mwa”, and don’t mention people who put an extra “r” in drawing and order etc.

Sorry about that, I’m just a grumpy old woman.

Mrs M Allis, Redcoat Way, Acomb, York

 

SO many innocent human lives have been destroyed by evil rapists and child murderers. So many decent people live in constant fear of drug cartels and violent street gangs.

Most of these cases are given only a cursory mention in the print media. But when one over-paid dentist kills a lion, the whole of the media (not least Facebook) goes utterly mad.

Don’t get me wrong, killing another sentient being for pleasure is a despicable act, but I do think we need to cast a somewhat more rational perspective on events today.

Aled Jones, Southcliffe Road, Bridlington