Umpire great Dickie Bird OBE – who died last month aged 92 – was laid to rest in his hometown of Barnsley with a poignant tribute from England legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Cricket icons turned out to pay tribute to legend Dickie Bird as he was laid to rest today. The umpiring great’s funeral cortege made its way through the streets of his hometown of Barnsley, Yorkshire, and poignantly paused for a moment at the statue erected in his name.
Sir Geoffrey Boycott, 84, and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan, 50, were among mourners who braved the weather to pay their respects after his death on September 22 at the age of 92. His coffin was carried into St Mary’s Church accompanied by Elgar’s Nimrod – a composition played at state funerals and occasions of remembrance.
And former England and Yorkshire cricketer Sir Geoffrey, 84, paid tribute with a eulogy for his friend of almost 70 years. He told the congregation: “I first met Dickie Bird when I was 15, at the time I was playing cricket for Hemsworth Grammar School. He called me Gerald for years.”
Sir Geoffrey added: “He was invited to my daughter’s 16th birthday party. He said to my daughter Emma, if I had a daughter I would want her to be like you, and quick as, she said ‘you can adopt me if you like’.
“Surprisingly with all the nerves he had as a batsman, he became a great umpire because he could channel all that nervous energy into good decisions. Dickie was refreshingly different. Eccentric but fair. It would be hard to find anyone who didn’t like him.”
A poem written by Barnsley poet Ian McMillan was read to the crowd before Frank Sinatra’s My Way was played as Dickie’s coffin left the church. Other names from the sporting world amongst the mourners included Martyn Moxon, ex-Yorkshire director of cricket, Colin Graves, non-executive chair of Yorkshire, and sports commentator John Helm.
There were also representatives from politics, including the former Labour sports minister Richard Caborn, who was MP for Sheffield Central, and the current Barnsley South MP, Stephanie Peacock. Dickie’s life is being celebrated with a private wake at Barnsley Town Hall. He was cremated in a ceremony at Barnsley Crematorium.
Dickie was born in Barnsley in 1933 and began his playing career at Yorkshire before moving to Leicestershire, though he is best known for his legendary umpiring career. He did not marry or have children, and is survived by his sister, Marjorie Wyatt – who remembers washing his cricket whites and famous flat cap for him. Another sister, Sylvia, died in middle age.
The organist for the service, Major David Matthews, played the Elgar composition Land of Hope and Glory. He said: “Dickie would love that.” Meanwhile Rev Phil Maries, who led the service, revealed much of the planning for his funeral was already done by Dickie himself.
“The points that he wanted to bring was that he was very proud that he was the son of a coal miner from Barnsley and that he’s been able to take Barnsley out across the world,” Mr Maries told the BBC.
“I think there’ll be a feeling of loss, because of his presence in the town centre,” he added. “He used to come into St Mary’s in an afternoon and say ‘now, lad, I’ve just come in for some peace and quiet. I’ve been stopped four or five times for selfies, but what can you say?’ I think that’s how people will remember him – always there [with] a smile to speak to them, no matter what.”
Chris Edmondson, chaplain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said Dickie used to joke that the Freedom of Barnsley gave him the right to drive his sheep through Barnsley town centre, but not free parking. And Colin Graves, chair of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, says: “He had a reputation for not being the first at the bar, but he was a very generous mad indeed.”
Almost 1,000 children had been recipients of grants from him, Mr Graves said. Among them was Ilkley-born Harry Brook, 26, who is now an England international.
