The entertaining piece on the life and career of Gilbert O’Sullivan (‘I never lost the joy!’, 7 June) reminded me of the time I went to see a friend appearing in A Night of Gilbert and Sullivan at the Colston Hall (as it then was) in Bristol. As the interval arrived, a very agitated woman behind us turned to her friend and complained: “Isn’t it about time Gilbert O’Sullivan came on?”
David Hughes
Bath
• The obituary of Sir David Nicholas (6 June) refers to the rescue of the engineers on board the ITN yacht covering Francis Chichester’s solo round-the-world voyage in May 1967. It should also be recalled that the young sound technician, Richard Spriggs (my cousin), died in hospital the following day from the effects of severe sea sickness.
Andrew Rutherford
Bridport, Dorset
