BARONET AND WIFE

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 10, 4 August 1930, Page 4

BARONET AND WIFE

REMARKABLE DISAGREEMENT. A LOYAL YORKSHIREMAN. Remarkable expressions of disagreement between a well-known Yorkshire baronet and his wife were the sequel to a holiday tour in China and Japan from which Lady Gunter, wife of Sir Ronald Gunter, Bart., recently returned. Lady Gunter, who, as Miss Daisy Simrnonds, of Kentish Town, was married to Sir Ronald, the racing motorist, in 1925, lives at Park Hill, Wetherby, Yorkshire, the family seat. An interview with her appeared in the the Yorkshire edition of the Daily Express a few weeks ago, and the disparaging comments Lady Gunter then made on that county in general—and Leeds in particular—aroused a storm of indignation. "Leeds," said Lady Gunter, "is nothing better than a cheap imitation of London. If I want to see anything smart in Yorkshire I go to Harrogate. That is the only place where you can find smartness—and that is because the residents are mostly not Yorkshire people. I leave Yorkshire for London with a feeling of relief. Every face I meet here is miserable and depressing, and everyone I speak to is rude." Lady Gunter added: "The very tramcar conductors insult- one. They offer no help or directions; they are gratuitously offensive, and if they had the chance would all but push one off the tramcar. I suppose it is your vaunted Yorkshire independence." A great number of letters reached the Daily Express following the publication of the interview, among them being the following one from Sir Ronald Gunter: "I read with more disgust than surprise the interview with Lady Gunter on her opinion of Yorkshire and Yorkshire people. While it is hardly necessary to mention that I am a Yorkshireman and proud of it, I think I may here say that I do not share her views. The majority of people in Leeds and Wetherby will, without doubt, look upon this outburst of publicity as not in the best taste. For myself, I am particularly grieved that this uncalled-for criticism should have come from my wife." "I wish you to publish my letter, so that it will be made clear that I have no sympathy with Lady Gunter's views on Yorkshire," said Sir Ronald to an interviewer. "I want it to be known that not only do I not associate myself with her statements, but that I disapprove of them strongly and disagree with what she says. ■ "I can well imagine that Lady Gunter's statements must have caused considerable offence, and to make my own position clear, most particularly to the people in Wetherby, who have known and respected my family for so long. I should like to say what I think of Yorkshire. Like all decent Englishmen, I think my county is the best in the world, and I say that there is no county better than Yorkshire in all England.

"I have lived in Yorkshire since the age of two, and I have always found the people most efficient at business, hardworking and loyal. I speak from my experience of those who have worked for myself and my family. There are no people on earth who are more goodnatured or warm-hearted." In the meantime, however, so much resentment was caused by her remarks that Lady Gunter herself had taken steps to modify them. In a further interview she said: "I am extremely distressed by the impressions created among Yorkshire people. They think I have snubbed Yorkshire. That is absolutely wrong. I like Yorkshire, and the last thing I want to do is to offend the Yorkshire people, among whom I have come to live. I will defend Yorkshire is 26 years of age. Lady Gunter was formerly on the stage. Sir Ronald, the third baronet, folk against everyone."