OBITUARIES

[Cathy]

I only know Peter Bowles from ‘To The Manor Born’.

[Stanley]

Same here Cathy and I think David us right, he just stepped in front of the camera and was himself. I always liked 'To the Manor Born'. Penelope Keith was just right for the role.

[PanBiker]

June Brown - Actress - 95

[Tizer]

`Harry Billinge: Cornwall D-Day veteran dies aged 96' LINK
`D-Day veteran Horace "Harry" Billinge has died aged 96 following a short illness, his family has confirmed. Mr Billinge, from St Austell, Cornwall, was 18 when he was a sapper attached to the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos ahead of the Normandy landings. He was one of only four of his unit to survive the storming of Gold Beach on 6 June 1944. The veteran spent more than 60 years collecting for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.'...

[Tripps]

Indulge me here - It's all a bit sad and it has upset me posting it, so skip it if you wish. . . .

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the passing of my lovely neighbour "the Poet". Whenever we met, she always asked "how's Stanley" and I think that she would approve of a mention here.

This was written last year by her friend Ursel (whose first language isn't English) It's sad but touching.

Sometimes you talk
In unfinished sentences
Nodding to my questions
Showing interest
But as if from afar
No longer with concern
Devoid of urgency


Sometimes there is a
Flow of words
Unconnected
Before dwindling
Into quiet mumblings
No sign of recognition
When I leave


Sometimes you gaze at me
For a long time
Without turning
Your eyes away
Looking at something
I cannot see


While nature is
Heralding Spring outside
New life
Yours is ebbing away
In slow exhalation
As you lie in this room
That you will not leave again
And yet you’re doing so
Already
Coming and going


Still hours spent
Sitting near you
Missing you


You will always be
Coming over the hill on the rec
Waving enthusiastically
With both arms
Your dog ahead of you
Greeting mine by the gate
Before we set off
Along the paths
That you know
Like no other.

Ursel North


I prefer to remember her in happier times - Clare Crossman (McPhee)

[Wendyf]

What a touching poem.

[Cathy]

Loved the poem Tripps

[Stanley]

Nothing wrong with sad David and thanks for sharing that lovely poem. If you can, let the lady know that Stanley Thought it was perfect.....

[Tripps]

Dennis Waterman has died aged 74 in Spain. Been an actor for more than 60 years, since he was 13 years old.

That's a shame. I guess I've watched him in something on TV almost every day for years. Minder, New Tricks, etc. Likeable chap.

[Stanley]

I agree, his casting opposite George Cole in Minder was inspired.....

[Wendyf]

Kay Mellor, Yorkshire born actress and screenwriter, has died at just 71.

[Big Kev]

Ray Liotta of Goodfellas fame.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/26/ray-liot ... -16718775/

[Tripps]

Not sure what to make of the fact that I've never ever heard of him, and I thought Goodfellas was a brand of pizza.

[Stanley]

Apologies to Mr Liotta but I too had never heard of him.....

[Gloria]

Lester Piggott has passed away in Switzerland.

[Wendyf]

Lester Piggott has passed away in Switzerland.

86 years old, he did well!

[Tripps]

Here's a print I have on my kitchen wall - and it's signed too.

Not everyone's friend but surely the best.

Lester.jpeg

PS
Many anecdotes about him - and perhaps he was a role model on financial matters for Boris Becker - some apocryphal I'm sure, but I like these.

When the trainer Ben Leigh, who averaged fewer than 10 winners a season, was unhappy with a ride Piggott had given his horse in a selling race at Sandown he loudly told the jockey: 'You'll never ride for me again.'
'Well I'd better pack it in then, hadn't I?' Piggott responded.

At the age 54, Piggott wrote possibly the most remarkable chapter of his life by returning to the saddle and winning the Breeders' Cup Mile on Vincent O'Brien's Royal Academy 12 days after his release from prison, in front of 100,000 spectators at Belmont Park in New York.
An American reporter asked him when he knew he was going to win - "last week" said Lester.

Another memorable incident came in the 1979 Grand Prix de Deauville when Piggott, having dropped his whip riding runner-up African Hope, grabbed the stick of leading French jockey Alain Lequeux as his mount needed extra encouragement.
'I thought he was beat,' claimed Piggott, whose explanation that Lequeux had handed the whip over voluntarily were dashed by his French colleague's lack of English. His mount was demoted by the stewards.[

[Stanley]

A wasting diet didn't seem to harm him.....
He certainly understood his horses......

[Big Kev]

I mentioned around 5 months ago, in the Covid thread, that an elderly aunt was receiving palliative care and contracted Covid. She finally passed away peacefully in her sleep yesterday, not bad considering the hospital gave her a few days to live 5 months ago.

[Tripps]

Sorry to hear that. Condolences..

Now here's a 'turn up for the book' In an idle moment I found Lester

I paid a fiver on Gumtree, and they persuaded me to buy another similar one, but starring Willie Carson. Told me they had a hotel in Africa somewhere (maybe Kenya) and the pair used to be on their wall there. I doubt it's worth what's being asked, but it's more than a fiver.

PS. The plot thickens Just looked, and neither has the artist's signature, but they both have the same limited edition number which says 2/12 (300). That's a bit odd - a real mystery object.

PPS - now I find that the artist has died and just a little over a month ago. So the intrusion of my print isn't on the wrong thread after all.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Neil Cawthorne SEA after a long illness.
Neil was one of the founding fathers of the SEA – The Society of Equestrian Artists of Great Britain and a talented equestrian artist, who painted well into his seventies in his studios in Newmarket and Leicestershire. Equestrian Art International’s association with Neil goes back some sixteen years, during which time EAI has represented Neil here in the UK and in the US. Because of illness, Neil has been unable to paint new works in recent years and all remaining stock paintings have been returned to his family as part of his legacy.

[Stanley]

" peacefully in her sleep yesterday"
That's what I want them to say about me Kev. You have my sympathy.....

[Cathy]

Sorry to hear your Auntie has died Kev.
She went gently.

[Sue]

I mentioned around 5 months ago, in the Covid thread, that an elderly aunt was receiving palliative care and contracted Covid. She finally passed away peacefully in her sleep yesterday, not bad considering the hospital gave her a few days to live 5 months ago.

Sorry to hear that Kev .

[Big Kev]

Thank you everyone.

[PanBiker]

I missed your original post Kev, sorry to hear about your Aunt.