…On arrival [at Blackpool North railway station], we were proceeding along the platform when an SMS came (09:37):
Hi John, It’s Ian. I’m at Blackpool North now. Is your train running on time?
But there was no point in replying; we only had to show our faces.… Ian took us to his house, where in the front room were two dark-haired woman with dark-framed spectacles — Natalie Cooper (known) and Janine’s sister Rachel (introduced) — at first sight confusing to my eyes as to which was which! Two boys appeared, Bradley, whom I knew but who gave no sign of recognising me, and George, a boy whom I’ve seen on a “family photo” posted on
Facebook by Jade. He’s the son of Rachel. Ste also appeared, and Jade. Janine had put their small dog in the back room. I chose tea when offered tea or coffee. Tony and Basia arrived. “Dzień dobry!” I said to her. Tony’s cup of tea had what Mum would have referred to as “brown sugar” in it, namely whisky. When I was offered the same I opted for it without the tea! Steve and Berenice completed our pre-funeral gathering. Tony or Ian — can’t remember which — mentioned their idea for them and Steve and me to carry the coffin in and out. So when the hearse and following car arrived it was put to the funeral directors. In the car following the hearse were: Tony, Janet and I in the rear seat; Steve and Berenice in the seat in front of that; and Ian next to the driver. The rain continued, evoking the comment from Berenice, “I don’t envy him his job!”, concerning the man who walked ahead of the hearse for a distance. At the church I deposited my coat on a shelf in the foyer before going back out to take part in the bearing of the coffin. The funeral directors assisted with sliding the coffin out and supporting it till we
shouldered the almost too ponderous weight of it. I was at the rear right corner, Steve was at the front right, and I didn’t notice who of Ian and Tony was front and rear on the other side. Michael Smith led the procession, proclaiming, “I am the Resurrection and the Life…” I was too absorbed with not letting go, as we proceeded to the end of the aisle, to observe who was in the congregation.
Janet and I sat on the front row. It was in the block of seats to the left of the aisle;
14½ years ago it had been to the right. Then I’d had a
MiniDisc recorder with a microphone plugged in, which, in the absence of anywhere else to put it, I’d laid on the carpet; this time, I had a
Tascam recorder with built-in microphones recording onto a MicroSD card, which I also laid on the carpet. I made sure I stood astride it without kicking it when we had to stand.
YouTube playlist (click on the image)
Friday 26 April 2019
“A service of Celebration for the Life of Marjorie Cooper…”
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:00:34
Welcome and Opening Prayer, Chris Kelsall
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:00:56
Welcome and Opening Prayer, Chris Kelsall
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:01:06
“Marjorie Cooper 1922–2019”
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:01:06 (detail)
“Marjorie Cooper 1922–2019”
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:01:40
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:08:24
Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:08:32
Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:11:56
Tribute, Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:12:52
Tribute, Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:27:46
Address, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:34:50
Scripture Reading, Chris Kelsall
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:35:12
Scripture Reading, Chris Kelsall
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:36:46
Prayers, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:36:56
Prayers, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 12:39:56
Blessing, Michael B. Smith
Again, I was too preoccupied afterwards with the coffin to notice who was there, though when I returned briefly to pick up my coat I saw and greeted Kay Dowsing. The man walked ahead of the hearse again till we’d rounded the corner into Lofthouse Way. The aspect of the crematorium facing the entrance was covered with scaffolding and sheeting, and there was a diversion for funeral vehicles leading to the rear. At the crematorium there was some delay before the coffin was hoisted onto our shoulders again. My left shoulder felt a bit sore from supporting the not inconsiderable weight. With there being a cremation, though, this was the third and last time of bearing it.
Friday 26 April 2019
Arrival at the Crematorium
Photo: Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019
Scrabble tiles decorating the coffin
Photo, Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019
Scrabble tiles decorating the coffin
Photo, Tony Cooper
(detail)
Friday 26 April 2019
Scrabble tiles decorating the coffin
Photo, Tony Cooper
(inverted)
Friday 26 April 2019
Scrabble tiles decorating the coffin
Photo, Tony Cooper
(inverted, re-edited)
Friday 26 April 2019 — 13:23:44
Committal, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 13:24:00
Committal, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 13:31:20
Committal, Michael B. Smith
Friday 26 April 2019 — 13:36:12
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Friday 26 April 2019
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Photo: Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Photo: Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019 — 13:36:20
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Friday 26 April 2019
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Photo: Tony Cooper
Friday 26 April 2019
“Floral Tributes in Memory of the late Marjorie Elizabeth Cooper”
Photo: Tony Cooper
Finally, the car conveyed the six of us to the Castle Gardens, where they then laid out a buffet in the space to the rear of the pub. I bought myself a pint of
Estrella Damm. There was free tea and coffee laid on — which lessened considerably my bar expenses! When Mike and Brenda arrived, I sat them at the table Steve, Berenice, Janet and I had been occupying. Brenda had tea or coffee, and I went to the bar to buy Mike “a pint of something real”,
viz. Black Sheep Best Bitter. Seeing Tony there I bought him a pint of another real ale, a blonde bitter. Later he reciprocated by buying me the same. I enjoyed catching up with Mike and Brenda. When they left, I joined Margaret, Debbie and John at their table. Before the gathering broke up, someone mentioned taking photos.
Friday 26 April 2019 — 15:04:04
Refreshments at the Castle Gardens:
Janet, Margaret
Friday 26 April 2019 — 15:04:28
Refreshments at the Castle Gardens:
Steve, Debbie, Berenice
Friday 26 April 2019 — 15:05:30
Refreshments at the Castle Gardens:
George, Bradley, Jade, Neen, Ste, Natalie, Ian, Rachel
Don’t know where Tony and Basia were when I was taking them.… From there, Ian and Janine took us back to their house, where there was just time to sip a cup of very hot tea before it was time to leave. As we were making our final farewells, Basia said to me, “Do widzenia!”
“Do widzenia!” I replied: “I was going to say that, but you beat me to it!”
Ian gave us a lift, for us to get our train back to Cleethorpes; but it was decided that we go to Poulton-le-Fylde station, to ensure that we arrived in good time for the train.…
