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Ian Watson (Scar Tam) RIP - 2007/05/07 10:59
The members of this list who knew him will be sad to hear that Ian Watson has died after a long illness.
As Director of South West Arts, Ian booked Jake into venues around the West Country in the seventies and early eighties. He and Jake, both Yorkshiremen, shared a passion for France and all things French, and it was inevitable that they would become friends. When Jake dropped out of sight, they lost contact for a while, but by the time this group had launched its efforts to get Jake’s songs re-released, Ian was working with him on what became the Sister Josephine project – a musical play based on Jake’s songs and characters.
After Jake’s death, Ian carried the project forward alone. It was a rough ride: the original writer became ill and had to stand down at the last minute; funding was hard to find; it took all his salesmanship skills to persuade venues to take the show. He contributed countless hours of unpaid work to the project, and made up the funding shortfall out of his own pocket – and the show’s 2005 tour of Yorkshire venues was a huge success. That wasn’t enough for Ian; he started work immediately on a revamped show and a national tour, and when Ian McMillan withdrew from the production he invited the distinguished writer Alan Plater to take over the reins. Alan agreed, and Sister Josephine entered a new era, retitled ‘The Thackray Arms’. Ian will never see the ultimate result of his tireless work for the project, but the show will go on, dedicated to the memories of both Jake and Ian.
Ian was a gruff, irascible old Yorkshireman who loved cricket and didn’t suffer fools gladly. He was also a kind, loyal, faithful friend and a proud family man. He leaves a wife, Linda, three daughters and a clutch of grandchildren, and he will be very much missed. Details of his funeral, circulated by his daughter Emma, follow:
Ian's funeral is at Scarborough Crematorium, Woodlands Drive (off Scalby Road) on Friday May 11 at 2.40pm. It will be a celebration of his life, so no black please - as bright as you can make it - and there will be a wake at a pub afterwards (details to follow). Linda sends her thanks for the kind words - Jane (daughter number one) will be collecting memories on Friday to put into a book so if you have any you want to share, write them up and bring them or write them when you are here.
No flowers please - the crematorium will have a collection box for St Catherine's Hospice where he spent his last two weeks, or you can send a cheque c/o Linda.’
If anyone would like to send a cheque to Linda, please contact Sarah Willans via the contact page at www.thethackrayarms.co.uk for the postal address.
I got boogie, boogie, in my socks |
