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.
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.

Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.

Use the form below to email this article to your friends.

- Tony Rolt
- Al Mancini
- Kate Jones
- Jim Langley
- David Maybury-lewis
- Archbishop Christodoulos
- George Habash
- Major General Artyom Sergeyev
- The Rt Rev Graham Chadwick
- Charles Elwell
- Sargon Boulus
- Andrew Grima
- Bob Smith
- Charles Hyatt
- Peter Handford
- Bert Bolin
- Oscar Peterson
- Michael Concoran
- Eric Clay
- Obituary: Jerry Hadley



