Hundreds pack to Jimmy Reid's funeral service

Andrew Gibson • Published 19 Aug 2010 17:02

HUNDREDS gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of trade union stalwart Jimmy Reid today (Wednesday).

Amongst the 800 mourners packed into Govan Old Church were an array of famous faces, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Billy Connolly - both of whom spoke fondly of their memories of Jimmy.

His coffin arrived at the church led by a piper, with the funeral cortege from Rothesay, where Jimmy spent his final years.

The service was relayed through loudspeakers to those standing in the glorious sunshine outside the church who had turned out to pay their respects to a working class hero whose legacy will forever be entwined with Clydebank, Govan and shipbuilding.

Also paying tribute at the moving ceremony, described as a celebration of his life, was close friend David Scott, Upper Clyde Shipbuilders comrade Jimmy Cloughly, of Clydebank, and former friend and colleague at the Scottish Left Review magazine, Bob Thomson.

Comedian Billy Connolly had the crowds in fits of laughter with anecdotes about times spent with Jimmy, but the heart-on-his-sleeve funnyman was at times close to tears as he spoke fondly of his friend.

He said: "I don't know what to say about Jimmy - I loved Jimmy and he loved me back and he told me so.

"I'm going to miss him terribly. He put things beautifully simply.

"He said look at these high rise flats - behind those windows is someone who might be a Formula 1 champion or a champion show jumper, but he'll never get that chance because he'll never sit in an F1 car.

"His observations were breathtaking - as was his sense of fairness."

For full coverage of the funeral pick up the next edition of the Clydebank Post.

Tweet

Follow @clydebankpost

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.