Photos from Donald Watson’s funeral (Nov. 2005) by Patricia Tricker, Vegan Society Trustee.

Photos of Donald Watson’s funeral, posted by permission of Patricia Tricker for VeganMeans.com (kindly do not copy without permission, but respectful linking to this site and page is encouraged).

The casket was adorned with sunflowers -- symbol of vegan products and the vegan movement. Patricia took these photos in Keswick on Monday 28 November, 11.30 am at Crossthwaite Church, which is dedicated to Saint Kentigern.

The services were requested by Donald’s daughter. Donald self-identified as agnostic, but hoped that clergy would join the vegan movement; as Donald once said, “if any priest of any denomination wants to distinguish himself - or, nowadays I must add ‘herself’ - the opportunity is open for them to join the vegan movement and really express the core element of what they are professing to stand for.”

The meal after the service took place at the Lyzzick Hall Hotel.

Patricia returned to the churchyard in November (World Vegan Month) 2011. As Patricia’s guest, I visited the site which is actually the final resting place of both Donald and Dorothy together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The site is not marked with a headstone, but Patricia, with the assistance of a church representative, was able to find it. The church is near Castlerigg Stone Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patricia and (border collie) Fern showed me the Stone Circle during one of the brief walks we took en route to the church. A group of sheep grazed near the circle. They stayed near the visitors for the most part but did move a few yards away upon seeing Fern. These are Swaledale sheep, used for the production of mutton (adult lamb flesh) and wool, and to maintain the landscape so attractive to tourists. Notes from tourists about the “happy sheep” of Keswick are frequently written and easy to find online. But Donald Watson wryly spoke of the sheep who "gave" wool until they were killed as maintaining them alive no longer served the purposes of their human owners.

These sheep, like the Herdswick sheep bred by Lake District resident Beatrix Potter, are bred to withstand the harshest wind, rains and hail, and for their propensity to stay mainly in one place (a habit they teach the lambs).

The fog adds its own truly natural beauty to Keswick. By mid-morning, the landscape appeared out of the rain in striking green; by midday, the fog and rain returned.

 

 

 

Patricia said we’d have walked more had we set out earlier in the day! We did need to have a brief visit with the manager and cook at the Bridge Inn. Patricia was planning a group dinner there for the holiday season. The cook, clearly not a vegan, came out and greeted Patricia with a hearty “So, are you the awkward one?” But Patricia took it in stride and they both decided on a vegan risotto as the main dish.

 

We were fortunate to see the Crosthwaite Church as it normally closes by mid-afternoon – or so the sign says.

 

 

 

 

The church is situated near the River Greta and overlooks the beautiful Lake District mountains and the Newlands Valley.

 

 

 

The name of the nearby fells Cat Bells may have come from "Cat Bields" – shelter of wildcats. Here are some photos of the place where the bodies of Donald and Dorothy have been laid to rest, and surrounding Keswick.

 

 

 

A church has stood on this site since the sixth century A.D., and the present church architecture dates from 1523. The stained glass in the windows is mostly from the 19th century although some fragments of ancient glass remain.

 

 

 

 

The town square is tucked between the Skiddaw, one of Britain’s highest mountains, and the smaller Latrigg. The spot is popular for cyclists, walkers and climbers.

 

 

 

 

We stopped in a restaurant Patricia had visited some years ago, called The Lakeland Peddlar. The staff members treated us well and didn’t seem to think we were awkward! The apple and parsnip soup, served with fresh bread, was a full meal in itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We even received 10% discount as we’re both members of the Vegan Society. I was happy to have brought my card along on the trip.