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As always, David Crawford’s comments strike a chord in my ageing brain. Under the old rules (ah the wonders of the Supreme Court Practice, as the White Book was once known), if you couldn’t agree an extension of time with the other side, you would issue a Time Summons; it was perfectly normal, proper, and everyday practice. How many of us aged souls I wonder remember cutting our advocacy teeth in the cut and thrust of QB Masters’ Appointments for hearings of time summonses, Order 14 Summonses (summary judgement in old money), and the like in the RCJ. You also learned how to take control of the application; “Good morning Master, this is my summons . . .” being the usual opening line, accompanied by the handing over of a neatly prepared bundle of papers with the summons on the top. And woe betide you if you didn’t know you case backwards; I remember very well seeing one young innocent retire hurt after Master Bickford-Smith threw Volume 1 of the White Book at him, with startling accuracy. Happy days.