Eric Gordon, founding editor of the Camden New Journal

• HAVING lived in south Camden for over three decades I soon began to realise the existence of the CNJ as a critical life support!

Camden is such an artificial grouping of disparate former boroughs, forming an amorphous lump, without any real sense of loyalty or identity.

So to have an independent local voice reflecting our concerns is crucial, especially for residents south of the Euston Road.

Sadly the once fabulous collection of eccentric characters are long gone. Not posh folk on the whole, but genuine Londoners with a love of their city and prepared to fight the excesses of corporate development, sometimes aided and abetted by the council.

We were fortunate in having Frank Dobson as our MP, who actually lived on the patch and was prepared to stand up for us.

And I was very proud to stand on the same platform with Eric Gordon to celebrate the life of Brian Woodrow, a great friend and distinguished local councillor.

TONY TUGNUTT, WC1