Commander Bill Boakes brightened the electoral landscape

Michael White’s mention of Commander Bill Boakes (Comedy candidates, 15 January) will have awakened happy memories for older Londoners of a war hero who was one of the most persistent and colourful candidates ever to have brightened the British electoral landscape. I had the privilege of lodging in his house as a student between 1959 and 1961, when he was the leader, and perhaps only member, of the brilliantly named Admiral (Association of Democratic Monarchists Independently Representing All Ladies). There is a wonderful photograph of him sporting a bowler hat, briefcase, rolled umbrella and roller skates, in the commemorative book of the Daily Mail London to Paris Race, in which he skated from Marble Arch to Westminster Pier to publicise his campaign for city-centre helicopter landing sites. They don’t make candidates like that any more.
Cyril Aydon
Banbury