Alan Bennett (Part I)

The Gnome has a habit of reading several books at once. This is not an attempt to portray himself as an intellectual, merely a function of a chaotic life. He may for instance find himself about to embark on a transatlantic flight and decide the remaining chapters of his current read insufficient to cover the journey. In the bookshop he may read an opening chapter so compelling the book must be completed before all others. He may just reprioritise his list of potential reads having purchased something new.

For whatever reason, he recently found himself languishing in the bath perusing the initial chapters of Alan Bennett's 'Untold Stories', rather than finishing David Nicholl's 'The Understudy'. Apologies to you Mr Nicholl... your work with 'Cold Feet' and 'Starter for 10' is admired, but even you would probably agree (albeit grudgingly) Mr Bennett can pull rank in literary terms.

An unusual possibility became apparent after a few pages. Mr Bennett discussed (as is his wont) family life and mentioned a grandfather called Peel, a successful mill owner outside of Halifax in the late 19th century. Now as chance would have it, Mrs Gnome's father lives outside Halifax, next door to several old mills, in a dwelling called 'Peel House Lodge'.

Could there be a connection...