George Bell - a new development

I am delighted to see that The Times has today (Friday 6th November 2015) published a letter from several men, now in their 60s and 70s, who were choirboys at Chichester during the latter years of the Bishopric of the late George Bell. I cannot reproduce it in full because it is behind a paywall, but  a few quotations will suffice:

"All of us recall him as a loved, respected  and saintly figure., a bishop whom we perhaps knew better than choristers would today because back then we spent so many more weeks of the year singing services than cathedral boys do now..."

They say the revelation that compensation  has been paid and that the Church has accepted that George Bell was a paedophile is 'not only shocking, but incredible to us'.

 

'For the accused to speak in their own defence is fundamental justice. we are among the very few who actually remember him when alive.  George Bell was a shy person who stammered - an upright, entirely moral and devout figure who meant a great deal to us as children. We fear he has been smeared to suit a public relations need.' 

 

I urge you to obtain and read the whole thing, especially the long list of names at the end. Perhaps it is a sign that this issue is not as closed as some seem to want it to be.