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Editor Richard Ingrams Assistant editor Sonali Chapman

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Art editor Joe Buckley Commissioning editor Jeremy Lewis

Editorial assistant Claire Daly Advertising sales manager Lisa Martin Senior sales executive Azmi Elkholy

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At large Richard Beatty Our quiet American David Kowitz

Sir Alan John Brown

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I S S U E 2 7 3 • A U G U S T 2 0 1 1

Ed’s letter…

IS THERE NO end to this magazine’s exciting and innovative spin-offs?

You already have our monthly literary lunches, our one-day workshops for wouldbe journalists and illustrators, our gardening expeditions and cookery courses in various exotic

Continental locations.

Now The Oldie is proud to present details of a three-day literary festival in September featuring a host of famous names.

All the details are on page 51 and you should book now to avoid disappointment.

RICHARD INGRAMS

C O N T E N T S

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12 PEARLS OF WISDOM Melanie McFadyean met the affable Rabbi Blue

DANGEROUS MINDS Jane Bidder is writer-in-residence at a high-security prison 20

ABC Primary Figure: 38,540 Subscription rates for 12 issues: UK £37.50; Europe £42; USA £43; Rest of World £52.50

The Oldie is published by Oldie Publications Ltd, 65 Newman Street, London W1T 3EG ISSN 0965-2507. Printed in England by Wyndeham Group

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Cover illustration by: Bob Wilson

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43 THE STROKE WARD A rather worrying tale by George Perkin

WELCOME TO TOON TOWN! Nick Newman visits the British Cartoon Archive 46

31 BRIEF ENCOUNTERS The story of Sean by Nigel Fountain

45 THE MARATHON A dramatic and spectacular event: the second in Janie Hampton’s series on the Olympics

38 COR BLIMEY TROUSERS! Peter Corby on his family’s famous trouser press

Peter Corby on his family’s famous trouser press

42 STILL WITH US Edward Mirzoeff on the distinguished film and television director, Jack Gold

Come to our course on How to Write for

Magazines and Newspapers SEE PAGE 69

56 IN SEARCH OF IL DUCE Stanley Price on the grisly trail of Mussolini

Stanley Price on the grisly trail of Mussolini

Virginia Ironside on granny memories – page 18