Just as we were assembling this issue, news arrived of the death of Dr Francis Jackson. Everyone seems to have stories to tell of Dr Jackson; most of them amusing – all of them confirming that in addition to being one of the Church’s finest musicians, Francis was also one of our most kindly and gentlemanly figures. It has been a privilege for me, as guest editor, to invite Robert Gower, Geoffrey Coffin, Dr John Bertalot, Dr James Lancelot and Richard Popple MBE to write about their experiences with Francis, to which Paul Hale has added his own. We hope that our readers will consider them a worthy tribute.