RECENT correspondence from John Pallister and Roger Ingham regarding Skipton Parish Church choir triggered happy memories of the 14 years I was a member, “boy and man”.

I don’t remember the mischief making on Albert Street – I probably didn’t join in as I lived round the corner on Coach Street and would possibly have been recognised!

Neither John nor Roger mentioned the annual choirboys’ summer outing by train usually to Morecambe, supervised (with increasing frustration) by the choirmaster, Norman Mosley and one of the choir men Harold Gawith.

After causing chaos in Morecambe, we continued to do so on the return train journey when all 15-or-so of us seemed to have spent our pocket money on water pistols, no doubt to the annoyance of all other travellers in the carriage.

We may have looked angelic on Sundays in our cassocks and surplices, but there were many occasions of un-angelic giggles during the sermon, causing the Rector, Canon (later Archdeacon) Sephton to pause and give us the sort of steely glare that only he could do.

Good to see mention of Richard Jessop who, along with the late John Atha, had a wonderful treble voice much used in solos. Another member I remember well was Roger Cockburn, one of my two extant oldest friends since the age of four.

Julian Hide

Sutton-in-Craven