Don't worry...a full explanation of our stump-legged effigy at St. Helen's (see final paragraph of the posting below) will be revealed on this board sometime between Thursday evening and Friday morning, as per our usual end of the week update...unless my computer blows up, of course. For now, however, as the title of this posting suggests, by way of a mid-week extra, I've been given a copy this afternoon (courtesy of Mr. Higginson and Mr. Bloomer of the Fylde Country Life Museum) of two obituaries from the Garstang Courier (both published last week) dedicated to my old friend Neil Thompson. The newspaper clippings speak for themselves really, so all that it remains for me to say is, if you're having difficulty reading them at the current size, just click on the thumbnails and all will, hopefully, become clear:
2 comments:
I was surprised and saddened to read Neil´s obituaries as on seeing the photograph, I realised he was the person who gave me a spontaneous tour of the Celto Roman imprints on Bourne Hill last summer, when I had dared to join Wyre archaeology on a dig for the first time. It was very enjoyable to meet someone else like me who reacted with passion to "old bits of rock and stone"- well, one small shard actually, if I remember rightly. Had a great morning though and was fortunate enough to meet Brian and Michelle amongst others too.
Curiously, I was in Churchtown on the day of his funeral, having lunch at one of the pubs, without knowing, of course, whose funeral it was. My first reaction on reading it was his was to think it a coincidence, but it wasn´t of course. I was there because I love visiting St. Helen´s, something I must also have shared with Neil I guess. RIP
Sue,
You're absolutely right, of course. Neil had a great fondness for St. Helen's, especially its history and Pagan roots...much as he had for the rest of the Wyre really. He was married at St. Helen's and, apparently...although I didn't find this out until his funeral...was also one of the chief campenologists there.
His illness and death has come as shock to all of us; one of those events that none of us could have predicted. We are slowly pulling Wyre Archaeology back together, but it's a huge gulf that needs filling and it's taking a lot of work.
We were down at the Fylde Country Life Museum today, and it feels odd and empty without him. Life can certainly bowl us googlies from time to time.
It's a pity you didn't realise whose funeral it was when you were in the pub. It would have been good to meet you again (and I could have done with a pint). Don't forget to pay us a visit next time you're in the area. We've still got lots to do and I know that Neil wanted Wyre Archaeology to continue...so we're trying our best to make sure it does.
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