Forces veterans in war with vicar over service
Published at 13:10, Tuesday, 30 November 2010
A ROW has broken out over a remembrance service.
At 11am on Remembrance Sunday, the Reverend Malcolm Cowan, vicar of St Cuthbert’s Church in Kirkby, held a two-minute silence inside the church and not at the village’s war memorial.
Residents have branded thedecision disrespectful.
They are also upset that Mr Cowan carried on his Sunday morning service before arriving at the war memorial with parishioners for about 11.40am.
But Mr Cowan says the service was the furthest thing possible from disrespectful.
One of the forces veterans at the war memorial for 11am was Freddie Harris, who spent 12 years in the RAF. He says he felt like a ‘spare part’ stood at the memorial, waiting for the service at 10.55am.
He said: “On Remembrance Sunday we were quite upset, and so were a few other people. As far as I’m concerned, we have the two minutes’ silence at the memorial at 11 o’clock.
“They can get thousands of people all over the country to a cenotaph for 11 o’clock, including Her Majesty the Queen, so I’m sure we can get two dozen from Kirkby to a war memorial. The handful of us that were stood there were getting more and more agitated the further it got past 11 o’clock.”
His wife, Maggie Harris, was also present at the cenotaph.
She said: “I think it’s disrespectful.
“I don’t understand the idea behind it, and I don’t think it’s what the people of Kirkby wanted.
“Everybody was bemused.”
Mr Harris wrote a letter to the parochial council to voice his disapproval.
And in response, Mr Cowan said: “Disrespectful?
“What we did in Kirkby this year? Certainly not.
“On Armistice Day at 11am, I and others from the village joined with many staff of Burlington Slate Quarry for an act of remembrance at the war memorial in the quarry grounds.
“Two minutes’ silence was kept at 11am. On Remembrance Sunday at 11am all in the church joined with those in the nation who were observing the silence at this time.
“After the two minutes’ silence the Eucharist service continued.
“The act of remembrance began in the church at the end of the Eucharist, as it was the custom here, and then we moved to the war memorial, in the churchyard, for the final act of remembrance.
“In many places throughout the county the service of remembrance is held on Sunday afternoon, in my experience: Penrith, Cockermouth, Keswick, Workington, Askam and Carlisle, where I have taken part.
“No less of a remembrance for that.”
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
More Kirkby news
- Work begins at Kirkby school to cut disruption to lessons
- Cumbria County Council election
- Beautiful historic Kirkby home has plenty of character
- Wall repairs reduce A595 in Cumbria to one lane
- Wall repairs reduce A595 in Cumbria to one lane
- Energy firm ponders plans to replace turbines at Lakes windfarm
- Locals infuriated by Cumbria A595 roadworks (9 comments)
- Kirkby villager to appeal ‘nonsense’ home decision
- Paraglider crash in Cumbria's Lake District
- Public invited to view progress at £22.5m new Barrow school building
- Little girl shows big heart for Barrow foodbank (2 comments)
- Car in A595 accident in South Cumbria
- Neighbours help flood-hit OAP
- Kirkby runner raises charity cash running 80 miles barefoot
- 70 years of community efforts to be honoured
- Firearm fine for convicted Kirkby arsonist
- Kirkby man banned from teaching
- Cumbria firm wins deal to roof Australia Prime Minister's home
- Places with turbines ‘should be rewarded’
- Cumbria police release CCTV: Do you recognise this man?
- Society’s 133rd show has great day in bad weather
- Confusing closure signs on A595 (3 comments)
- Kirkby mother and daughter in Olympic first aid mission
- Lives at risk over A595 closure
- Millom man in train horror at Kirkby (1 comment)
Evening Mail homepage
ENERGY FOR LIFE 5.1k WALNEY FAMILY FUN RUN
Did you enjoy the Energy For Life 5.1k Walney Family Fun Run?
• Click here to pledge to take part in next year's event on September 2, 2012
Vote
Follow
us on Facebook
- No title
- Donald duck?
- Housing development plan sparks concern in village
- Vintage films show era of country craft skills
- Police launch probe into house fire
- No title
- Nine motorbikes stolen in £35,000 shop break-in (2 comments)
- Regulars closer to saving Grizebeck pub
- Traders fury at Barrow town centre 'maze' (7 comments)
- Dad dies clearing snow
- No title
- Donald duck?
- Housing development plan sparks concern in village
- Vintage films show era of country craft skills
- Police launch probe into house fire
- No title
- Nine motorbikes stolen in £35,000 shop break-in (2 comments)
- Regulars closer to saving Grizebeck pub
- Traders fury at Barrow town centre 'maze' (7 comments)
- Dad dies clearing snow
 | ||||||||||||
|
 | ||||||||
|
