to ask why several prominent members seem to have vanished?!?

several prominent members
Interesting description.

That's right situpstraight, I had an email crisis and had to come back again but I did choose a similar name; several other names were rejected as being already taken although I have never seen posters who used my would-be names.

It is made clear in that discussion that at least one well respected poster of long standing named above has left (hopefully temporarily) because of the insults and acrimony.

You can’t keep your original name if you leave and then come back. So it isn’t by choice that GNrs have different names.

I was missing for a couple of months last year and am very gratified that someone missed me eventually

This has been the Easter holiday week. A lot of people are doing more interesting things than posting on GN.

imho coming back under a different name is bordering on fraudulent
I think that some posters worry that they have revealed too much of themselves and could be recognisable to friends, family - particularly now they realise threads are linked on FB and Twitter.

Several members seem to have despaired of ever having a proper, objective discussion on this thread.
Surely no poster would disappear because they thought there could not be a 'proper, objective discussion' on any particular thread. If so, just avoid that particular thread surely?
I don't believe that for a minute, particularly the posters jura mentioned in the OP - they are more robust than that!

Perhaps they are on holiday/taking a break/looking after GC, there could be many reasons.

There was a spat on one of the oft repeated News and Politics threads last week. Several members seem to have despaired of ever having a proper, objective discussion on this thread.

Fraudulent jura? It's only a forum for grandparents to chew the fat on, not court of law! I know that one long time poster changed name because of the leaks on the DM and they were concerned at being outed. Certainly nothing as sinister as fraud!

Some people change their names as they fear being (or have been) recognised.

imho coming back under a different name is bordering on fraudulent- unless it is very obvious (as in granjura, juragran and jura2, lol- not fooling anyone). Style and content usually quickly points you out anyhow.

Yes, there have been quite a few posters who have disappeared - I'm sure that some do come back under another name but I never realise unless they give very big hints.

Ana and Anya disappeared a while ago now and some of our older members such as PRINTMISS and Bijou.

I wish that Anna and Anya would come back. Miss them very much and hope they're ok.

Name changes?

Lots of posters seem to be doing it

Hmmmmm assuming WW is whitewave I have seen posts in the last few days, as for the others
.............??

I've noticed a few missing names lately. But GracesgranMK2 and Durhamjen have posted very recently, and I'm pretty sure I've seen Whitewave in the last few days too. I'm assuming you're referring to these three? If so, they definitely haven't vanished!

Having recently watched a number of movies with a similar theme - I think its a conspiracy Jura2 or potentially alien abduction?

Or...... they got fed up or name changed.... but my theory is more interesting