The letter (8 May) responding to Zoe Williams’ article about scattering her mum’s ashes brought back fond memories of Dad. He was a farmer and always carried a red spotted handkerchief in his pocket. When he was muck-spreading, he would get out of the tractor cab, hold the handkerchief up to check which way the wind was blowing, and make sure he drove in a direction that protected the cab from being covered in muck.
It was a family joke that we should use the same method when spreading his and Mum’s ashes. We saved a red spotted handkerchief and did exactly that. It worked well and no one got covered in ash.
Maggie Rylance
Winchester
• Zoe Williams’ piece brought back memories of my dad, a lifelong Philhellene and campaigner for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. Visiting the Parthenon after he died, we knew the rules quite rightly forbid leaving anything behind – yet we still longed to tuck a teaspoon of him near the Erechtheion. We spent the day concocting Great Escape‑style plans involving trouser legs and discreet shuffling. No rules were broken, but the plotting alone felt like a fitting tribute.
Terry O’Hara
Maghull, Merseyside
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