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Bob's Memorial Service

There were so many days that I was given. But whether of this spring or that?  They merge As travelling clouds across my permanent heaven. My life was rich;  I took a swarm of bees And found a crumpled snake-skin on the road, All in one day, and was increased by these. I have not understood humanity. But those plain things, that gospel of each year, Made me the scholar of simplicity. Vita Sackville-West, "The Land". 1926

Bob Copper's memorial service was held at St. Margaret's Parish Church, Rottingdean, on Saturday 17th April 2004.  The funeral was private, but the memorial was open to all, and many came.  Bob's ashes were conveyed by farm wagon, followed by a long procession, from the seafront, up Rottingdean High Street, around the village pond and thence to the church.  The wagon, drawn by two glossy black horses, was brightly decked with daffodils and primroses, and Bob's ashes, in a red velvet bag, rested on an upturned flower-pot in the middle. The memorial service was necessarily a long one, as there was so much to say about Bob and his life, and the church was filled with laughter and song.  Piers Bishop acted as Master of Ceremonies, and the order of service was as follows:

• Welcome Address by Father Martin Morgan
• "An Audio Sketchbook" by Angela Hird (selected recordings of Bob talking about old times)
• Reminiscences by Shirley Collins
• A recorded message by Martin Muncaster
• "Shepherd of the Downs" sung by the Copper Family
• Reminscences by Patrick Garland
• Medley: "Foul Weather Call", "Come Write Me Down", "Dame Durden" and "Bonny Dundee" played by Will Duke and Dan Quinn
• Reminiscences by Michael Smith of the Kipling Society
• A recording of "Death Letter Blues" by Son House
• Reminiscences by Dr Graham Clough of the Hilaire Belloc Society
• A reading of Belloc's "Duncton Hill" by Piers Bishop
• John Copper expressed the family's gratitude for the sympathy received, and read out letters from Billy Bragg and H.R.H. Prince Charles
• "The Bold Fisherman" sung by the younger generation of the Copper Family
• Reminiscences by Phyllis Barnes of the Folk Alliance of North America
• Reminiscences, and the playing of "Blackbird", by Jeff Davis
• The Eulogy by Dave Arthur
• The Blessing of the Ashes by Father Martin
• (Bob's ashes were then carried out of the church, so that he left us rather than us leaving him)
• "What Wond'rous Love is This" sung by Michael and Sharon Wildermuth
• Reminiscences by Ian Anderson of fRoots Magazine
• A recording of Bob singing "Going Down to Brownsville"
• "Where the Sun Don't Never Go Down" sung by Jeff Davis and Gerret Warner
• Reminiscences by Malcolm Taylor, Librarian of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (the chosen charity for In Memoriam donations)
• A recording of Bob singing "Thousands or More"
• "Thousands or More" sung by the Copper Family

Folk archivist Doc Rowe took a large number of photographs, a selection of which appear here.
Other photographs can be found at Tim Kent's web site.

And another generation.  Bob with great-granddaughter Ruby Daisy. Bob Copper MBE:  Born 6th January 1915, died 29th March 2004.

This page last updated on 12 May, 2006