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Minister’s Message – Sunday April 11th, 2021

“Rumpole of the Bailey”, created by John Mortimer, is to me one of the great characters of legal fiction, although perhaps slightly out of fashion these days. Calling himself an “Old Bailey hack”, constantly browbeaten by his wife Hilda whom he calls “she who must be obeyed”, addicted to fried breakfasts, small cigars and cheap red wine, and generally looking dishevelled in a crumpled old suit, he nevertheless has a sharp mind and loves nothing more than pricking the pomposity of High Court judges. He prides himself on his extensive knowledge of bloodstains and typewriters and excels at cross-examining his witnesses.