busker

T' Yorkshire Noël Coward

The joys of the 'Net: there I am trying to find any sort of home site for once-great London publishers (and former employer) Michael Joseph, and a red herring link leads me to childhood hero, Jake Thackray. RIP.

True to form, the fans he gathered are equally eccentric and it took me a while to check out the various sites and even to establish when exactly the great man died (Xmas Eve, 2002, I think). I still can't establish if he was 63 or 64.

• Jake Thackray project
• Beeb Obit
• "Jake Thackray will be recognised as one of the greatest writers of all time ... The magic of T.S. Eliot lives on for ever, and Jake's work is just as good. Maybe I am overdoing the praise, but I really mean it." - forgiveable over-the-top lauding by former recording producer, Norman Newell.