Letters - Saturday, October 24, 2020

Regarding the current pandemic, maybe we should follow the brave people of Eyam when the plague struck them in the 17th century.

For those unfamiliar with the true story, in the years 1665-1666, bubonic plague was sweeping the nation; in particular dirty, over-crowded (yes, even in those days!) London.

Sleepy little Derbyshire villages such as Eyam and Stoney Middleton had escaped fairly unscathed, until a trader in Eyam received a bundle of clothes from the capital. Unfortunately, that bundle of clothes contained ‘a few extras’ in the form of rat fleas and those fleas carried the disease-carrying bubonic plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis).

Soon, the fleas were hopping about the village starting to infect people with the bacteria as they devoured the residents’ blood.

And thus it was that the Boris Johnson of his time, the Rev Mompesson, decreed to his parishioners that they must isolate themselves so the disease would not be passed onto its near neighbours, such as Stoney Middleton.

However, in a manner fitting that of the likes of Dominic Cummings, the good Rev had sent his children away to Sheffield before the isolation came into effect.

He was going to send his wife Catherine away as well, but she refused.

Mompesson also arranged with the nearby village to set up a scheme whereby provisions may be purchased to sustain the Eyam villagers; payment being made by leaving coins in drilled out holes filled with vinegar (to sterilise the coins from the then as yet unknown agents of doom) on a boundary wall.

Other historians suggest the money was left under stones in a boundary stream.

While this arrangement did its job, alas, 260 Eyam residents died, including Catherine.

This does, however, show that isolation from a disease – whether of bacterial or viral cause – does work.

So I’m off with my drill to create holes in my boundary wall and fill them not with vinegar, but inject bleach into the holes as Trump has suggested!

Now, whether this bleaches my plastic pounds remains to be seen, but my shopping list is ready and waiting to go.

Neither my neighbour nor I have the disease ... yet, so no comment about a plague on both your houses, please!

Neil Swindlehurst

via email

Politics

Mayor of New York not Manchester

Andy Burnham is a classic case of a man who given a little power becomes convinced he is terribly important. Since he became Mayor, Andy wakes up every day thinking he is Mayor of New York not Manchester.

He has adopted the role of Robin Hood, the Good Samaritan and Mother Theresa, all rolled into one.

For weeks he has been spouting claims and allegations about poverty in Greater Manchester that are false or at best gross exaggerations.

He has deliberately failed to point out the huge amount of financial aid that the government has already provided in addition to the recent £60m.

His all too obvious politically motivated negotiating tactics were exposed when he suddenly agreed to change his claim that ‘£90m was essential’ to £65m.

The first figure was an example of Burnham’s known ability to fantasise.

If Andy read some history he would learn that hubris has a nasty habit of turning into nemesis.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

Economy

Savers need a fair deal too

The Prime Minister has promised low-deposit mortgages to help young people get onto the housing ladder but, yet again, no thought is given to savers, with the Bank of England base rate still fixed at 0.1 per cent.

With the interest paid on an investment of £1,000, you would be hard pressed to access a public loo – in other words, worthless!

Many young people now have relationships with both partners working full time.

Therefore, they are well placed to pay the same deposits as everyone else.

It is totally wrong for the taxpayer to subsidise homebuyers.

Boris Johnson urgently needs to get round the table with the governor of the Bank of England, and negotiate a fair deal for savers.

Mr A Shipman

via email

Roads

Learn more about cycling

One consequence of the first lockdown is that roads became empty and cycling increased by some 300 per cent.

Now, findings from the University of York show that road traffic is getting back to pre-lockdown levels. As a result, cyclists are going to suffer – in part from air pollution and in part because the majority of drivers haven’t a clue what riding a bicycle entails.

The reality is millions of drivers don’t know that wind, rain, and cycling up hills can leave cyclists exhausted, and therefore more vulnerable than when they cycle in sunshine.

And now that roads can be covered with autumn leaves, how many drivers, and indeed novice cyclists, know that the leaves might cover potentially lethal hazards such as potholes?

Given the boredom of lockdown and rising unemployment (with no money for cars etc), while cycling can be hugely beneficial, wouldn’t now be a good time to have as many cycling programmes as we have food programmes?

Allan Ramsay

address supplied