David Hall
spoke with a family who had booked to use the Leyland Beaver in Rugby and found
out that the Deceased had enjoyed many evenings playing a piano in local Public
Houses, enthralling his fellow drinkers with his rendition of Queen’s ‘We are
the Champions’. The Deceased could not read music and he had no classical
training, but he was skilled at listening to tunes and then playing them by
ear. So much did playing the piano feature in the Deceased’s life that his
family chose a Colourful Coffin adorned with a piano graphic which looked
stunning.
The Deceased
had also been a Newcastle United Fan and part of the family’s request was that
a Newcastle United scarf should be included in the display which would also
feature the Floral Tributes, ‘DAD’ and ‘GRANDAD’. David’s prime objective is to
personalise a final journey and many people think that David efforts are way
beyond that of any other Carriage Master. David requested a Head & Shoulders
photograph of the Deceased which David’s wife skilfully cropped and it was
enlarged and laminated by Vintage Lorry Funerals Support Partner in Trowbridge.
David made a sketch of his design concept which involved fixing the A3 picture
of the Deceased to the Headboard. Placing the Newcastle United scarf around the
back of the picture of the Deceased would then create a scene depicting the
Deceased holding his scarf at a game. As the final journey would be from Rugby
to Coventry,
along the A45 Dual Carriageway, it was a cardinal condition that the scarf was
securely fastened. David planned that the ends of the scarf should be fixed to
the ends of the ‘DAD’ Floral Tribute, which would be placed above the ‘GRANDAD’
Floral Tribute.
As the scarf
was being brought down from Newcastle
the day before the funeral, David asked that the scarf be measured and sadly he
found that the scarf was shorter than he had envisaged. The ‘DAD’ Floral
Tribute would need to be raised so that the bottom of the ‘DAD’ would be the
same height as the ends of the scarf. This then created a hole between the
‘DAD’ and the ‘GRANDAD’ and whilst he was contemplating his options of what to
do next, he checked his email and found a picture of the Colourful Coffin.
David thought a Piano Theme would be the ideal solution.
David’s role
in funerals is to exceed the expectations of a family and this was the prime
consideration for creating the Piano Theme, however, Geoff, Vintage Lorry
Funerals Support Worker, reckoned it was mainly for several pieces of 30 inch
long timber to have a ride out to Rugby. When
David designs a theme he always seeks to use existing lengths of timber that
are already stained in Antique Pine and have been previously used in a funeral.
This strategy saves the cost of buying new timber, however, there is always a
time factor involved for David to find the right piece of wood!
Notable
contributors that had previously been used included:-
- Two lengths of 3 inch by 3 inch, used as keyboard ends, were previously featured under a Flat Bed Lorry Theme in Stranraer.
- Two lengths of 6.5 inch by 2 inch, used as the sides of the Piano, had their first appearance as part of a ‘Skittles Theme’ in Semington.
- The two box sections, used as Piano legs were originally designed as part of a 100 Floral Tribute Display for a Care Home Worker in Walton-on-the-Naze in East Anglia.
- A Number of lengths of 5 inch by 2 inch timbers were also used as part of the Piano legs and these have featured many times in the past 16 years, notably in a Traveller’s Funeral in Liss.
- Also as Geoff has indicated lengths of 30 inches by 6 inch timber were used as part of the lid and these had made a number of appearance in the past including the ‘Del Boy Falling Through the Bar Theme’ in Malvern.
David
previously had been given a length of Skirting Board which had been undercoated
in white paint and this was tailor-made for the keyboard. David spoke with the
Chief Mourner and she was delighted with the developments and agreed that the
Piano Theme should be built. However, David did not disclose that the Piano lid
would be held open during the journey to Coventry,
and it would be closed in Canley Crematorium in order to signify that the
Deceased’s piano playing days were now at an end.
David decided
to use the Fosse Way
to travel to Rugby and although this is the
shortest way, the road has no Services and the only toilet facilities are at
Tesco, Stow-on-the-Wold which are not open before 0600 hours. David spoke with
Ainscough Crane Hire, a company which has a depot at Princethorpe, just south
of Rugby and their management agreed that he
could call in en route if a comfort stop was required. The Leyland Beaver left
Bradford-on-Avon at 0500 hours and travelled the 93 miles to Rugby
in 3.5 hours. Everyone at the Funeral Directors came out to see what David had
created and they were amazed at the quality of his work and his attention to
detail.
At Canley Crematorium the Funeral Director who was
conducting the funeral gathered the family around the Leyland Beaver as David
bowed towards the coffin, closed the lid and once again bowed towards the
coffin before he assisted the Bearers to transfer the coffin off the vintage
lorry. The Chief Mourner came to thank David after the service saying that he
had created a most fitting final journey for her Father.
