The Garys of this world are becoming extinct

This was brought home to me recently after I spoke at an event at The Ashton Memorial.

I was there as Chair of The Dukes to welcome guests to this year’s “Play in the Park”, Oliver Twist.

Dressing that morning I’d been conscious to put on something that would be suitable for a visit to see a client on a farm and then for The Dukes event, so chose what I now see was an eclectic mix of striped shirt and tweed jacket, along with a clashing tie.

A local estate agent and surveyor (who shall not be named but whose ancestors exercised a right of piscary) commented later I looked like someone from the Parisian Left Bank.

Well he should know about river banks.

His comments were endorsed by my other half, who said she has never liked my striped shirts.

It was therefore a relief to read in the Press that, fashion wise, the odds have been stacked against me from pretty much the word go, which for in my case was 1972.

For it seems the name Gary peaked in popularity in the UK in 1964 when it was the 16th most popular for babies born that year and has been in decline and going out of fashion ever since.

Gary is now on the verge of extinction and in 2013 only 28 British Babies were called Gary out 700,000 births.

Though as lawyer I have to see all angles of a case and I suspect out of those 700,000 only roughly half were ever in with a chance of being a Gary.

Ironically, Oliver was the most popular name for boy born in 2013, so Mr Bumble the Beadle was on to something when he named Master Twist.

Just like its namesake, The Dukes’ outdoor theatre in Williamson Park is also going from strength to strength, with The Sunday Times describing it as “the most remarkable production of the summer”.

So get your tickets before they sell out. And if you want a striped shirt size 16.5 collar pop into Dr Barnardos charity shop in Kendal, where some freshly washed and ironed ones have been dropped off.