John Gibson: Am I too hard on their heels?

By JOHN GIBSON
Published on Wednesday 1 February 2012 12:08

I’ve stood next to Tom Cruise. Well, in his shadow. And height-wise Tom, when you get up close and relatively personal, is a wee bit soul. A comparative smout.

And he had his platforms on. These shoes, built an inch higher than normal for what might be considered the abnormal, are enjoying a comeback. Shoes that remind me of a Hollywood hunk from way back, gunslinger for Westerns Alan Ladd. Poor Alan, he had a problem getting on a horse. He had to stand on a box to get his leg over.

Debenhams report a sales boom in this type of footwear. Ask Simon Cowell, pushed to walk tall. Present-day movie star Danny DeVito hasn’t resorted to “lifts” and I have to say it pains me to mention him and Cowell in the same breath. Deepest apologies, Danny.

One Kind deed

Ever the caring kind when it’s to do with animals, the Dowager Duchess of Hamilton (to me, Kay Hamilton) hosted a fundraising Burns Supper at the Apex International for the Edinburgh-based animal welfare charity One Kind. The hundred guests raised £3000.

A cause close to Kay’s heart. It was her paternal grandmother’s creation a century ago for the prevention of vivisection and the money will go towards educating children on ending animal cruelty.

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Mrs Biggleswade

Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:19 PM

But then Miss Robertson was mainly in it to make money and left once she had some swag - cash and a title. I can assure you that the Duke and now the Dowager Duchess of Hamilton's 25 years together were very marked by a selfless pursuit of wrongs particularly against harm to animals. Campaigns are best done publicly - that is how you bring an issue in front of people to consider. Even democrats think that.

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Rpat

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 09:00 PM

Stumbled across this thread with interest. Think you need to rethink your own comments Humphrey - if nothing else, your timescales are a little out. Angus was married to a friend of mine, Jill Robertson, 25 years ago and living in Australia. I don't remember him being that keen on animals at all. This is a message board that invites opinion - we live in a democracy and people can say what they like without considering themselves to be the great or the good. I prefer a bit of an unsung hero myself - this woman does seem to like getting herself in the press.

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Sir Humphrey

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:56 PM

I am sure John Gibson will be the first to correct his typing error: Duchess Nina, who started the anti-vivisection campaigns was the grandmother of Angus, Duke of Hamilton, to which he devoted huge efforts, with his wife Kay over the last 25 years. Their campaigns together on Staffie Rescue and foie gras have been high profile but based on the issues not personalities. As one who was present at the very excellent Burns Supper to celebrate OneKind's Centenary I can assure you that Kay Hamilton made no claims for herself but merely appealed that Duchess Nina's work should be continued as it is needed more than ever today. Mr Decency is exactly not what he says - he does not know what he is talking about and is clearly embarked on a malign campaign which the Evening News should not be publishing. Kay Hamilton has raised over £1.5 million for Alzheimer's nurses - what has Mr Decency done that is useful?

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Mr Decency

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 06:17 PM

If John Gibson is so familiar with Kay Hamilton, it's a wonder that he doesn't know that it was, in fact, her late husband's paternal grandmother who created The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Vivisection in 1912. Perhaps he also doesn't realise that her involvement is just yet another attempt at shameless self promotion rather than a true compassion for animals. Anyone who actually knows her, knows this to be the case. A sorry state of affairs when people like this are held as 'good' examples. Give us some real news please.

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