A recent incident involving a banned 'demonic' jumper at Westminster Abbey has sparked memories of similar clothing controversies at the historic London landmark, with readers sharing their own experiences of being asked to remove items of clothing.
Personal Encounters with Abbey Officials
One reader, Narmada de Silva from Chichester, recalls a particularly memorable encounter from 1977 when she was just a child. Despite being well wrapped up against the cold and following her upbringing to wear a hat in church, a verger at Westminster Abbey demanded she remove her woolly hat. The official was reportedly 'most put out' to discover she was a girl who had been taught this religious practice, creating a lasting memory of the Abbey's strict approach to visitor attire.
Broader Context of Clothing Controversies
This personal account emerges alongside the recent news that Westminster Abbey officials banned a visitor wearing a 'Demonic' Wind in the Willows jumper on November 14th. The incident highlights what appears to be a long history of the Abbey's officials making what some visitors consider inappropriate requests regarding clothing removal. The institution's dress code enforcement has consistently generated discussion among those visiting the historic religious site.
Additional Reader Correspondence
Other readers used the opportunity to respond to different Guardian articles. Judi Lambeth from Welwyn, Hertfordshire, shared her appreciation for a piece about unusual names, recalling her childhood medical professionals Dr Dagger and Mr Mallet from her time in Newcastle.
In a humorous note, Geoffrey E Hinton of Gosport, Hampshire, felt compelled to clarify that he knows 'nothing about Nobel prizes or artificial intelligence', despite sharing a name with the prominent AI researcher.
Meanwhile, Jan Jeffries from Brewood, Staffordshire, reflected on learning life skills at school in the late 1950s. When she and her classmates at a girls' grammar school questioned the purpose of doing pull-ups on parallel bars, their gym teacher provided a surprisingly practical justification: it would strengthen their wrists for 'taking the tops off pickle and jam jars'.
Finally, Alex Dickie from Edinburgh observed the self-referential nature of Guardian letter writers discussing other Guardian letters, noting 'How very Guardian' and suggesting it warranted a wall chart moment.
