[Gordon Booth]

When you think about it all written history is based on what people remember or going back further on what other people have written whether on stone tablets, parchment, vellum or paper. Later historians have only had this to work on. Some may have plagiarized it, some use it fairly.
Without those written records the worlds history would go back no further than our memories or perhaps, becoming more and more inaccurate, on those of our parents.
If all those people had said 'It's my research, my work, I'm not sharing it and when I go it goes' that's all we'd have- the last 50 to 100 years of human history.
I see all accurate and responsible research into history as being something that should be shared with future generations for their benefit.
Obviously others think differently.
As for the ale row, Less posted what he did based on a brief report he read in a very poor paper. Others followed him using the same poor reporting which said more about your MP and his ancestor than it did about the project.
A full, calm clarification of the actual position was all that was needed.
Those involved in the project deserve credit. I think they would have got it in full measure.