The 'king of letter-writers' and friend of tramps. Rev. JP Bacon-Phillips, formerly rector of Crowhurst. Sussex, died at Burgess Hill recently at the age of 81.

Mr. Bacon-Phillips started writing letters to the press in 1879, and since then between eight and nine thousand of his communications. on all manner of topics, have been published.

Mr Bacon-Phillips was well known to tramps using the London road between Cuckfield and Brighton, and could call most of t|em by name.

He used to issue way tickets to them, so that, by presenting checks at shops in the district, they could obtain food and coffee. He settled up with the shopkeepers at the end of the week.

He declared that hundreds of tramps were worthy citizens, and that to make their Sundays a little brighter was a necessary and Christ-like work.

Examiner (Launceston, Tasmania), 26 Aug 1938, P10

Illustration: Tramp smoking cigar with cane over arm, by Adam Cuerden. Wikimedia public domain image.

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.