The Queen sent her condolences to the Albin-Dyer family today as hundreds of people lined the streets to mourn the passing of “the best funeral director in the world.”
Barry Albin-Dyer’s sons, Jon and Simon, gave moving eulogies at the service at The Most Holy Trinity Church in Dockhead today as they laid their father to rest.
Simon said they had both been “devastated by the loss of the greatest man they had every known and loved”.
“He was the greatest and most wonderful dad and we will miss him so much,” he said to the hundreds of mourners inside the church and hundreds more who watched on the large screens outside.
“He was a true gentleman. He was my best friend and he was always there for me and Jon,” he added.
“The world is such a different place without him,” said Jon, who emphasised what a kind and compassionate man Barry was. “If everyone could take something from him what a better world it would be,” he added.
The boys proudly read out a letter from the Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen, which expressed Her Majesty’s condolences to the family saying how sorry she was to hear of their father’s passing.
Margaret Thatcher’s son, Mark Thatcher also gave a reading at the beginning of the service.
Mourners came from as far afield as Texas and Cyprus to pack out the church while hundreds lined the streets of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe to applaud the late, great funeral director as his funeral cortege marked a route of the milestones of his life.
A large crowd gathered at the Blue in Southwark Park Road, where Barry’s reading of the poem Bermondsey my Bermondsey was played and doves were released.
“Bermondsey and Rotherhithe you have done him so proud today,” said Jon in his heartfelt eulogy.
The incredible floral displays on the funeral cars read “Bermondsey Boy”, “Thank you Dad” and “You’ll never walk alone,” which was the song playing at the end of the service.
Many mourners who turned out today were those who Barry had helped through their own time of grief, like Maurice Stuart, of Bermondsey, who was so grateful for the way his mum’s funeral had been managed three years ago. “”What that man done, he gave my mum the best send off you could ever hope for. I’m heartbroken. I loved him – may he rest in peace, Mr Bermondsey.
John Hosier, 72, who had known Barry for 50 years and said “the man was 110 percent brilliant. He was a very caring man and he tried to help everybody.”
Daisy Edwards is grateful for the memorial garden Barry established . “Barry did the funeral for my son, and then for my husband who died from a broken heart soon after,” she said. “The memorial garden is marvellous. Me and my friends sit there every now and then, it is so peaceful.”
Lynn Baker summed up the reason so many people came out to pay their respects today – “Barry was everyone’s friend,” she said.
To read Barry’s life-story click here
To read about how Barry saved the Southwark News click here
To read moving tributes paid to Barry click here
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