Why our MP needs to do more research on his subject

He might well have mentioned Henry Dunster, Church of England minister and teacher at Bury Parish Church and Grammar School respectively, who in the 17th century became the first President of Harvard University.

If he had examined the memorial in the Whitehead Gardens, he would have become aware that it was Robert Whitehead, a man world famous in naval circles, who invented the torpedo.

In fact there was a Royal Navy torpedo trials vessel by the name of Whitehead in recent times. In the Naval Museum in Groton, Connecticut, USA there is major exhibition hall named after Robert Whitehead

'Not only must justice be done, but also seen to be done,' words uttered by an old boy of Bury Grammar School, Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart PC, KC, Lord Chief Justice 1922-1940, whose father was a draper on the Rock. Before I am accused of political bias, he was elected as a Liberal MP for Leicester.

Similarly Sir John Charnley CBE, son of a chemist in Princess Street and another old boy of Bury Grammar School, was the surgeon who pioneered the hip replacement operation and to whom so many people are eternally grateful.

Lastly Reginald Hargreaves Harris OBE, born in Birtle, old boy of Bury Church School, won the World Amateur Cycle Sprint Champion in 1947, two Olympic silver medals and four World Professional Sprint Championships lastly in 1954. He was Sportsman of the Year in 1949.

In his day Reg Harris was as famous as Stanley Matthews and Stirling Moss.

There are others both dead and alive well worthy of mention such Clifford Schofield of Tetrosyl, John Wolstenholme of Walmsleys, Ron Wood of Birthdays and John Whittaker of Peel, who have contributed much to the development of the town, the region and beyond.

Mr Frith, you must dig much deeper with your researches if you are to avoid becoming merely "Mr Froth"

Derek Calrow

From Bury

Now Bromley Cross