Big turnout as funeral takes place in Harrogate of 'one of the brightest of all Northern stars'
The funeral of a man described as “the brightest of all Northern stars” has taken place at St Wilfrid's Church in Harrogate on a day of warm memories, big hearts and some tears.
Family members, indie musicians, renowned authors, arts promoters and former pupils packed Harrogate’s only Grade 1 listed building today to pay tribute to Bill Byford who, improbably but impressively, in his 69 impactful years on earth combined the usually different worlds of education, music, journalism, football and Beatnik poetry in a life lived less ordinary.
A man of character and substance, his coffin, which was adorned with a Leeds Utd scarf, arrived at the magnificent church on Duchy Road to the lushly moving On Days Like These by Matt Munro.
The more eccentric but moving I’m Going In A Field by Ivor Cutler was heard at the close of a service which was conducted by Fr Gary Waddington.
Born in Normanton, near Wakefield, in May 1955, Bill had a warmth of spirit and had wider a vision of life and the world.
Known as Bill Byford in his days as an “inspirational” and highly successful headteacher, Billy Smith when he was a music journalist for the Melody Maker and Heath Common in his later years when he had retired to focus his creativity on poetry and music, making appearances at The Cat Club in Pontefract with the likes of famous names like PP Arnold, and Louder Than Words Festival, the UK's biggest music literature festival, the eulogies delivered under the church’s towering apex paid rich testament to his memorable character and many achievements.
His widow Honor spoke of how they met as young would-be teachers at training college, a meeting which would lead to their wedding on August 29, 1977 St Robert’s Church in Harrogate.
Firmly honest but utterly positive to his core, he acted as an encouraging force in a large number of people’s lives, whether as a teacher, musician or writer.
This was something emphasised by daughter Ella Wild, whose tribute told of a man who always gave “a million per cent” to everything he did.
Moving and intelligent eulogies by his sister Jill Adam and brother Mark Byford talked of his early years, when a love of music and literature took hold, and those final days when he spent ten months in Harrogate District Hospital fighting cancer with typical robust humour visited by family and friends who loved him dearly.
Bill Byford was “the brightest of all Northern stars”, something born out by Alan Woodward and Angus Mitchell, two of the many students Bill taught at schools round Manchester, Halifax and Barnsley, who spoke of how his influence had changed their lives all those decades ago, after making the journey to Harrogate for the occasion.
The service was followed by food and drink at The Cairn Hotel.
Much mingling and reminiscing was followed by a musical set by legendary Hacienda DJ Dave Haslam, just one of the notable names who counted Bill as a friend as much as a colleague.