We have been to a funeral today.
Bill was 86 & a quiet pillar of the farming community where we used to live.
There must have been three hundred people there which is a lot at the age of 86!
A good man & one that lived his life round his family, farm & church.
His sons did him great justice & spoke movingly of his life.
Bill loved driving & used to drive around from the age of ten.
At 13 his father bought a car in Wigan. They bought the car which his dad drove home with Bill donning his dad's hat sitting on a cushion drove the car they had gone in all that way home to Whitechapel.
When he was 17 he drove to Preston. Round the corner from the test centre he put on the L plates. Took his test which he failed then waited until the driving test man had left, took the L plates off & drove home!
We laughed so much!
The quickest burial in the graveyard I have ever been to as it was snowing & blowing a gale!
I must say Harry was very disapproving of me taking a photo here but I stood against the wall so no one would notice & to be honest I'm sure Bill wouldn't have minded!
Three good things:
1. Community.
2. Delicious buffets.
3. Friends to share sad times with.
Such interesting information about Bill's life and how amazing that he drove home on his own aged 13. Steve used to drive his car at the age of 13 but that was around the fields and farmyard across the road rather than on the open road! I loved the bit about him taking the L plates off his car and driving home after failing his test. Silly people to have failed him really because he was obviously a competent driver but perhaps he didn't answer all the highway code questions right! LOL
I think that's a lovely photo to capture the occasion, especially with all the brollies and the dusting of snow on the ground. It's good to celebrate someone's life when they've reached that age. He sounds as if he was a great character.
He sounds quite a character.. I know wonder they didn't dilly dally .. it does look miserable.. I think photos are ok as long as they have been taken sensitively..
I doesn't look like anyone noticed you anyway but well done on being committed to your project, lol! My Uncle Jack drove everywhere and never passed his test, it wasn't the crime then that it would be now though.
A fitting image and it shows how bleak the weather was. Sounds as if your friend would have had a chuckle about everyone having to stand in the cold! Quite a character I would say.
I can see the snow settling on the ground! Good that there were so many people prepared to put up with the weather! Be great for the sons who shared part of Bill's life with all. The delicious buffets sound like the after match function as we call it!
A lovely capture of life (and death ) He sounded a real character and it was lovely to be reminded of his character in the eulogy . It looks very cold and wet there -- I am sure all enjoyed the buffet which followed while reminiscing about Bob !
@rosiekind byes Farmers lads do drive early I think but not always with good habits! Harry drove at a very early age on tractors etc but it took him three goes to pass his test!
@julzmaioro It was lethal on the paths Julz, I was worried all the time about getting home in my rear wheel drive car. Lots of floods on the way back too. Brian had Harry's 4wheel drive which we would normally have gone out in but in the end it was fine.
@jesperani No indeeed the roads are completely different these days, Bill had his licence taken off him after a stroke so he drove everywhere along the country lanes in his invalid car, he went miles!
@maggiemae Said a lot for the family that so many turned out Maggie, lots of oldies too of course. It was a wonder no one slipped & broke any legs! A very enjoyable funeral though, I would hope our kids would say as nice things at ours!
A fabulous tribute to your friend and I am sure Bill wouldn't have minded you taking the photo. He sounded quite a character. Brrr, it does look cold. Pretty early for snow isn't it.
Today is our wedding anniversary and the snow reminded me of the first year we were married. We were posted to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and it snowed from November to April, more or less none stop.
@onewing a very happy wedding anniversary to you both Babs! I can imagine how chilly & damp it would be in Lincolnshire in November! You moved to better climes by far! It chilly here & gale force winds forecast tomorrow! Brrrrrr!
@allie912 I liked the tilt of the brollies & surprised really how balanced the photo came out considering it was a very quick shot as you can imagine! @jgpittenger@essiesue
Today is our wedding anniversary and the snow reminded me of the first year we were married. We were posted to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and it snowed from November to April, more or less none stop.