I HAVE done family history for a very long time and Phil Shepherdson’s letter “How can we afford to help Ireland?” (Letters, November 23) and his allegory of the tramp with gold in his pocket reminded me of an entry in a burial register: Belford Northumber-land – 1791 Eleanor Mills, 66 years.

This Eleanor Mills, always reputedly extremely poor, who went in rags and lay on straw, nevertheless died in possession of £19 in cash, 29 gowns, 35 aprons, 20 white handkerchiefs – several of them muslin, two bed ticks, 61 bed gowns – cotton, linen and woollen, several unmade up as if they came from “ye shoppe”.

During this time of huge job losses, prices going up and baby-faced men in power who will never have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, I hope Eleanor Mills will make you smile for a moment.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.