What would he have thought? (Westmorland Gazette)

Letter published in the Westmorland Gazette, 29th August, 2024: Walking through the corridors of Westmorland General I was struck by the plaque commemorating the endowment of Kendal's "Hospital for the sick and poor" by James Cropper in 1869.

It set me wondering what this local philanthropist would have thought about the fact that the Burneside company which still bears his name now makes a component used in the manufacture of F35 war planes, including those used by Israel in its attacks on Gaza which have destroyed hundreds of health facilities including 31 hospitals and which have killed and injured tens of thousands of children?

We can, of course, only guess the answer while hoping that shareholders at the annual general meeting of James Cropper PLC in Burneside on Wednesday, September 4 will be persuaded to end contracts likely to result in components the company makes being used to build the three dozen new F35s which Israel has ordered but not yet received.