Letter: David Pocock

Eric Allison writes: In the early 1980s, I was on remand in Strangeways prison when I read a letter in the Vegetarian magazine from David Pocock (obituary, January 24)
Eric Allison writes: In the early 1980s, I was on remand in Strangeways prison when I read a letter in the Vegetarian magazine from David Pocock (obituary, January 24), asking vegetarians for their experiences in restaurants. I told him of the time I asked for a vegetarian meal at a four-star hotel. "No trouble at all, sir," said the waiter. My main course duly arrived - a plate of vegetables, nothing else. I told the waiter that he had been absolutely correct, preparing my meal had clearly been "no trouble at all".

So began a correspondence with David and Mass Observation that continued throughout that prison sentence and two that followed. I recall being hugely cheered at his response to my attack on capital punishment. After giving me his thoughts on the content, he ended by saying: "I don't say this to all the girls, but you can write."

When the Guardian appointed me prisons correspondent, in 2003, one of the first congratulatory letters I received came from David. Retired then, he kept a strong interest in prisoners' welfare.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 2/1/2008
 
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