I have had
some compassionate leave from work at the enquiry unit and my course, so that I
could spend the precious last days with my ‘Uncle P.’ You will probably
remember him as the often muddy, soul music loving, junk shop rummaging,
Cornish farmer and treasured uncle of mine who would pop up quite frequently in
my blogs. We were together last Sunday as he quietly slipped away in his sleep,
he was so serene and brave...
I stayed on in Cornwall to help my mum with all the arrangements for his
memorial service at the beginning of this week. As I delivered his eulogy, it
was so heartening to look out at the packed congregation in the chapel and
realise that so many people loved and appreciated him just like I did.
Uncle
P’s Eulogy
Paul
was born just after his father returned from military service the Second World
War. In his childhood, he loved animals. Paul and his sister had pet chickens
Chuck-Chuck 1 and Chuck-Chuck 2, named because they both liked the name
‘Chuck-Chuck.’ He would tell everyone that he wanted to be a farmer when he
grew up. Paul rode and cared for his
horse Tommy every day after school, but probably the most memorable occasion
was when Paul (aged 4), decided to round up all the neighbourhood cats and lock
them in his mother’s kitchen. She came in to find the door locked and several
protesting pussycats within. When asked why he had locked the door, he replied
‘I was worried that they would reach up with their paws and turn the handle!’
As Paul’s father Geoff worked in the motor trade, Paul had lots of
opportunities to become interested in Engineering. His youngest sister remembers
that aged around 11; Paul constructed an electric powered go-cart using an old
starter motor and a recycled car battery, which he used to drive him and his
older sister to Sunday School.
It was no surprise that Paul decided to study for a diploma in Engineering
after school. Paul was very successful academically. In his early 20’s, Paul initially had happy
times working as a research assistant for STL, but when the organisation began
to work on nuclear weapons development, he felt as a pacifist and committed
Christian he could no longer work there.
In 1977 Paul decided to take a big step to fulfil his lifelong dream of working
on a farm, he moved to Cornwall to join his sister and her family who already
lived in there. Paul began work at a farm near Mullion, where he was to live
and work for the next 35 years.
Paul’s home on the farm was ‘Daisy Bank,’ down a little grassy lane lined with
willow trees. Paul enjoyed the tranquillity of this lovely spot, which allowed
him the peace to contemplate the spiritual side of his life.
Paul worked both on the farm with the animals, and in the caravan park. He made
a great deal of friends who would return for holidays each year, many of whom
have come along to pay their respects today. This week we have been reminiscing
and his friends from the camp tell me that he would always be a popular figure at the summer barbecues,
bringing along stacks of records to provide the soundtrack to the evening with
anything from the ‘Beatles’ and the ‘Supremes’ to 90’s rave music. Paul was
always ready to help if anyone was in trouble, and is remembered for his exceptional
combination of kindness, compassion and practical help.
As we already know, Paul had a wonderful way with animals, he shared his home
with ‘Precious’ the cat. I’ll never forget seeing his face on the day his first
ever incubated chick hatched. As the two of us watched the tiny beak break
through the shell, he was as delighted as an expectant father! Happy memories
in recent times include taking his great-niece around the farm to feed the
chickens and visit the cows. Paul loved to regale everyone with stories about
life on the farm and two of the funniest included Paul, Bruce and the long
suffering vet being chased around the pen by a bullock who had a gate stuck to
his horns, and how he had managed to ride a horse home, bareback, from the
livestock market, even though he hadn’t ridden in about 40 years.
In recent times, Paul gained much comfort from his strong
Christian faith and attended Chapel each week. He also devoted time to looking
after the gardens of Mullion Chapel, and it is lovely to see all the spring
flowers that he planted blooming outside today.
He will be remembered as the most wonderful, kind, strong yet unassuming,
compassionate and spiritual man.
After a
beautiful memorial service, we took Uncle P to his resting place in the church
yard nearby and an amazing thing happened... As my cousin ‘M,’ Uncle P’s two
best friends and I carried him through the churchyard, there were suddenly a
flock of chickens on the path in front of us. It brought a smile to all of our
faces, and we could imagine Uncle P smiling from somewhere too.
J’s record
of the week:
‘Stop in the
name
of love!’
by
The Supremes
The Supremes
were undoubtedly Uncle P’s favourite band. It was very hard to choose a track,
but as he was rather a traditionalist... It was always best not to mention the
later prominence of Diana Ross, as it was (one of the very few) incendiary
topics for Uncle P. Consequently, I have opted for something from the earlier
days of The Supremes, 1965 to be exact. Also I have great memories of us
listening to this song on a fabulous day out to Tintagel in my grandmother’s
(sneakily borrowed) car. Jerushah X
Last week ‘Mini S’ had a short break away
