Common Courtesy

[john ketteringham]

With regard to George's comment - I would like to say that in all my
dealings with bell historians I have found that most are only too pleased
to share their knowledge and expertise. I could never have compiled
Lincolnshire Bells and Bellfounders without the ready assistance of such
eminent persons as Chris Dalton, Chris Pickford, George Dawson and the late
Ranald Clouston.

I always make a point of acknowledging such assistance in print. Indeed in
the above book I think every contribution however small has been
individually acknowledged. When I was working regularly in the local
archives and local studies library I was always careful to thank the staff
for any assistance they gave me and, as a result, if, during their daily
work, they found anything which they thought would interest me they would
contact me. Such courtesy should be a matter of course but unfortunately
it is not always so and there are a few who will take but never give.

Sorry to go on a bit but I feel rather strongly about the unhelpful attitude
of some so called historians. I am at the moment gathering together
material for a second edition of Lincolnshire bells and it seems probable
that additional work may have to be done when it is known that others have
already carried this out but are unwilling for reasons of their own to share
it.

>From : John Ketteringham MBE, PhD of Lovely Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.ketteringham/