Lady Mayoress asks favoured son of Armley to be patron. Alan Bennett kindly replies

"I like Armley it is a good old fashioned place".

Due to committments with 'The History Boys' Mr Bennett unable to assume full duties but is with us in spirit.......Copy of correspondance below... Should you wish to see framed book mark with Mr Bennett's famous black squiggly writting contact Mrs Jam Siren to access Armley Archives......

Dear Mr Bennett

I am the self appointed Lady Mayoress of Armley, and the de facto Chair of Armley Tourist Board.

On behalf of the citizens of St Ives Mount and St Ives Grove I would like to invite you to our next very enjoyable street party ‘Jam Up The Back passage: The Second Coming’ on August 26^th - so called because we turn the back street betwixt St Ives Mount and St Ives Grove into a celebration of living in Upper Armley.

As it may have been some time since you were in this neck of the woods, the streets of St Ives are located between Charley Cake Park (top of Armley Town Street) and the rec next to the Hallidays (Moorfield Road). (I understand you and your brother would cross the rec carrying the wireless battery to have it recharged in one of the Edinburgh’s – still full of children with very runny noses.)

I am certain you are probably invited to such gatherings all the time but we hope that you might be able to come share a sausage, sup some ale and throw yourself about in wild abandon to the live music generated by some of the most talented musicians Armley has to offer. The line up is confidential, but, seeing as it’s you, I can let slip that Jim who lives at number 9a, will be returning to open up proceedings once again to great acclaim by performing his faultless rendition of tunes by The Shadows under the guise of ‘The Greatest Lover in Armley’.

Of course we will not be affronted if you have to put commitments to promoting ‘The History Boys’ first, we would only expect such industriousness from one of our greatest Armleyites, in fact, should you wish to generate some further publicity we are happy to give ‘The History Boys’ a mention on the Armley Tourist Board website free of charge. We get at least 20 visitors a month.
Armley is in dire need of some positive promotion, it has recently been hitting the headlines with the news that Todd’s Pork and Beef Butchers on Town Street were responsible for 14 victims of e-coli. I imagine your father would be none too pleased at that. However, we are proud to live in Armley and want everyone to know what a great place it is to live.
I have attached some rather expensively produced literature about our event, and hope you are able to join us. If you are unable to come perhaps you might like to consider attending a 1940’s tea dance which is taking place on the 9th September on Armley Ridge Road, we can forward you details should you wish to come and enjoy a nice slice of Victoria Sponge.

Finally, Mr Bennett, if you could see fit to write us a few words of encouragement at this busy time we would be deeply humbled. If you would be prepared to go a step further and be our honorary patron of The Armley Tourist board then that would be magnificent. There are no duties associated with such a role, only perhaps your permission to state this as the case on our literature and website as appropriate, you would have our permission to state it in your publicity. We have no official remit yet, have no funds, or are not incorporated, but as time passes and our work is recognised who knows what the future may hold!

Yours appealingly.