Fresh Air, Shadwell

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Mon 13 Dec, 2010 3:16 pm

Fresh Air, Shadwell, has been mentioned once or twice in the Local Characters and YEP threads, but it seems to me he was 50 years ahead of his time and deserves a special place in the history of Leeds. I remember well how in the 1950s and 60s you seldom read a Yorkshire Post letters section that didn't have one from him in it. He must be dancing in his grave now that all that he campaigned for as a lonely figure viewed by many (including me as a smoker in those days) as a crank has come to pass. Surely today's anti-smoking campaigners should find his grave and build a memorial to him there? Maybe it could be designed so smokers can sit on it and have a nice al fresco fag!

farbank · Post by **farbank** » Mon 13 Dec, 2010 8:02 pm

As he may well have been a non-smoker,(?), why refer to him as deceased. I recall, that I was a 50 a day man, back in the 1950's/60's. And also remember his cryptic comments quite well. They had nothing to do with me packing up the ciggies, mid 60's though.! It was Harold Wilson's 10d. on a packet of 20 that convinced me. Tried rolling my own, ( even licquorice papers & tips), even smoking a pipe. Very nasty that. Wanted to spit all the time. Ugh.! Finally had to go cold turkey. But well worth it, financially I mean. ( But I did enjoy a good cig after certain ' social' occasions.)Are you out there somewhere ' Fresh Air'.?

jim · Post by **jim** » Mon 13 Dec, 2010 8:38 pm

I seem to dimly remember a piece in the YEP telling of his passing and talking of his long term crusade against the deadly weed. Only a vague memory that could be mistaken.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 13 Dec, 2010 8:53 pm

An even vaguer memory (and probably wrong) I seem to recall there was one person who was pro-smoking and used to occasionally have letters printed in response to the letters from 'Fresh Air, Shadwell'. If I am right then he/she had a pseudonym, but I can't recall that. Does anyone else recall this or am I totally mistaken?

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Tue 14 Dec, 2010 9:22 pm

I too thought I vaguely recalled hearing of his demise a long time ago, which is why I assumed he'd be celebrating victory beyond the grave. I just Googled him and got no strikes other than this and the other two Secret Leeds threads mentioned above. I find that amazing; he was such a household name in his day you would think some references to him would have found their way onto the internet. Lets hope his surviving relatives/friends see this thread and take the opportunity to tell the world all about the man behind the tag.