I am so shocked by Michele Hanson’s death, far too early (Tributes to ‘exquisite’ writer Michele Hanson, 5 March). She had the ability to amuse, inform and infuriate me, all in the same article. I was often inclined to write to her to complain about what I saw as her pessimism, the last time for her article on care homes (If it’s a care home for me, bring on the pole dancers, 26 February). “They are not all awful”, I would have said, though admitting that the good ones tend to be the most expensive. But I never did, because by the time I got to the end I was laughing. Thanks for thinking to tell us about the plans for her dogs, it was one of my first thoughts. Silly, but we know how much they meant to her.
Ros Taylor
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• I was devastated to read of the sudden death of Michele Hanson. She was my favourite columnist – warm, witty and cultured. She will be very difficult to replace, as there are not many women in my age group (70s) still given a voice in the media today. I have followed her from right back when she was writing in a comic way, about caring for her mum, and have enjoyed the way she wrote about her friends, her beloved dogs and her cello playing. She always stood up for teachers’ rights and constantly bemoaned government interference. Who will make me smile in the mornings now?
Christine O’Connell
Burgess Hill, West Sussex
• I was shocked when John Clayden phoned me with the dreadful news about Michele. She was my first serious girlfriend and we were chums for over 50 years. She was a comic force of nature and our relationship was lots of laughs and no tears. We bonded over mutual love of the peerless SJ Perelman.
Even back then she was an accomplished musician on harpsichord and cello. Baroque was her music of choice and apart from a blind spot on jazz, her taste was impeccable. I remember how pissed off she was when the first song with her name as title was the dreary, generic Beatles dirge.
The appreciation mentioned her political engagement, which was always on the side of the angels. We fell out over politics as she had no time for my communism and would firmly shut down my penchant for quoting Marx at the drop of a diphthong. However, over last few years we came closer as the Labour party moved towards a progressive left social-democratic position under Corbyn.
My great political debt to her is that she was the first person to open my eyes to the reality of Israel. Like many back then, I had fallen for propaganda about it being “socialist”. She had been there in the early 1960s and found it a horrible project with a racist population. She was proud of her great Jewish heritage, and a strong supporter of Jews for Justice in Palestine.
I stayed with her only two weeks before and she was in great form, which makes what has just happened even more shocking. I also learnt that her mum, Claris, was at the Battle of Cable Street. It put a different perspective on another extraordinary woman, who used to chase me out of the house as, quite rightly, she wanted the best for her daughter.
The last time I saw her was for a walk with her and dogs on the Heath. I am not a doggy person, but her calmness was an education in handling rescue dogs. My thoughts go out to all her friends and family, especially Amy, of whom, as you said, she was rightly proud.
Peter Tobin
Norwich
• Tuesdays will never be quite so special again now that we have lost this unique voice. I have sometimes saved particular favourite pieces and now look forward to the Guardian hopefully producing a big volume of such. What a very great loss.
Pamela Attwood
New Malden, Surrey
• Although I’m glad that Michele Hanson has escaped the dreaded care home, with or without the pole dancers, I was devastated to read of her death. Of all the recent Guardian columnists she best reflected the views of my generation. Like her, my friends are all in various states of crumble and I always located an Old Labour supporter in her columns. What will her friends (and us) do for a spot of cheering up now?
Margaret Squires
St Andrews, Fife
• Thank you Michele, for so many years of amusing, interesting and thought-provoking articles. We will miss sharing a part of your life and your thoughts on the good and bad issues in our society.
Dawn Penman
Kempsford, Gloucestershire
• The world is a sadder place today. Although I never met Michele, I felt she was a friend and we have faced the vicissitudes of life together. Her sense of humour was used to great effect when making a point whether political or otherwise. I shared the journey of her mother’s demise, which happened about the same time as my mother died. I too had a teenage daughter and took comfort from her hilarious observations. Huge condolences to Fielding and Treasure and all those who knew her well. It has been a huge privilege to be one of her faithful readers.
Kath Lane
Carnforth, Lancashire
• The highlight of my Guardian reading week was Michele Hanson day, when her wit, warmth, perspicacity, atred of injustice, and love of people and dogs shone out of her column. Alas no more.
Angela Flowers
Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
• While I was reading your commemorative article online, an advert for Andrex toilet paper popped up in the middle of the text. I thought I heard Michele laugh.
Pam Roud
Somersham, Cambridgeshire
• Thank you for the heartfelt tributes to Michele Hanson. She didn’t mince her words and she regularly hit the spot vis-à-vis hypocrisy and greed. Thanks especially to Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett for highlighting yet one more needless Americanisation of our language (Appreciation, 5 March). I’m sure Michele Hanson would have enjoyed the remarks, and given a small (but resounding) cheer for the “anti-weasel-words” campaign.
Ann Gordon
Romford, Essex
• We are deeply saddened to read that Michele Hanson has died. She made constructive grumpiness into a political art form. We’ll miss a voice that somehow managed to be utterly distinctive and entirely representative at the same time.
Jane Caplan
Oxford
• Saddened and shocked to hear that Michele Hanson has died. I always saw aspects of my life reflected in her column – we were the same age, I had teenage kids, a dog, an elderly mother. Her take on life, her wisdom about life and education and her wit uplifted my day. Whenever I read her column I felt enriched. It always brought a smile to my face.
Sylvia Henry
Bridport, Dorset
• Like so many Guardian readers, I was so sorry to hear of Michele Hanson’s sudden death. Had I one tenth of her skill, I would be describing my feelings in far less commonplace phrases than I am doing. I hope she did know just how well she wrote, what pleasure she gave and what insight she demonstrated. I will miss her unique take on the world; her place in journalism’s pantheon of talented, unshowy and perceptive women is secure. What a treat she always was.
Sara Shaw
Glossop, Derbyshire
• Learning of the death of Michele Hanson brought hot tears of sadness and a feeling of losing a friend. I have read her column for years and enjoyed her books immensely. We are both women of a certain age and her observations of the vagaries of life and it’s many predicaments rang so true. Growing up I shared her embarrassment of all things intimate and still snort with laughter over her writing about “front bottoms” and of her experiences in the antenatal class. She wrote with humour and insight on the many absurdities of the human condition and with a withering contempt of our political masters. Her writing about the approaching frailties of old age were well observed and tinged with her usual wit. I can’t believe I won’t be able to dip into her world anymore or read her opinions that rang so true. I will miss her so much. Perhaps Fielding could be persuaded to take up his pen ...
Marilyn Steptoe
Billericay, Essex
• So sad to hear about the sudden death of Michele Hanson. I have read her column in the Guardian for many years, growing older with her. She was so insightful and witty. I shall miss her immensely, as every week I looked for her column to read before the rest of the paper because she cheered me up. She will be sadly missed and I feel I have lost a friend.
Joy Allsop
Felixstowe, Suffolk
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