One of Armley’s most famous sons, Alan Bennett, has paid tribute to Armley Library staff following a recent visit.
The 82-year-old playwright, actor and author sent library staff a ‘thank you’ postcard – of the Ribblehead viaduct – after he popped in for a cup of tea and to carry out some research on a future project.
Mr Bennett apparently enjoyed looking at the 1900 plans for the library and maps of Town Street during his visit and was keen to thank staff for their help.
Postcard to #armley @leedslibraries from Alan Bennett @ALMillar @ClareJolley @ArmleyGoodStuff @WLDispatch pic.twitter.com/78PrwTDRXo
— Matthew H Stoppard (@MHStoppard) 21 May 2016
On his postcard, he wrote:
“The librarian, staff, Armley Library,
“Thank you all for being so kind and helpful last Friday. It was a pleasure to see the library again and also the maps and documents you got out for our benefit.
“The other readers were very patient too, and the children.
“I hope you’ll like the result when it eventually comes out (October or November, I think)
“Meanwhile all best wishes and if I’m ever in Armley I’ll pop in again.”
Mr Bennett’s dad was a butcher in Armley and he attended Upper Armley Church of England Primary School. It’s said novelist Barbara Taylor-Bradford was apparently in the same class as him, but they don’t remember one another.
