Together and at peace – family ashes are buried at Wick in reunion spanning 77 years
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Ashes from two generations of an English family were buried together in a poignant ceremony at Wick yesterday – bringing a sense of closure to a story that began in the final year of World War II.
Linda Pirie travelled from her home in Leeds with the ashes of her parents, Cedric and Joyce Bibby, and those of her twin brother, Martyn, to be placed in the same plot as the Bibbys' first son Paul, who died at the age of six months while Cedric was stationed in Wick with the RAF.
It was a reunion spanning a period of 77 years and Linda said she found it “very emotional”.
Linda (59) and her husband Alan (70) set off at the end of last week on a road trip to the north of Scotland, arriving in Wick on Wednesday ahead of the interment yesterday morning.
“I spoke to my daughter Hayley today so I've been tearful with her," Linda said.
“But even though it's emotional, there are tears of real happiness that I can reunite my mum and my dad with their first son. It must have been so tragic to lose him at six months of age.
“Obviously my twin brother Martyn is going to be here, reunited with mum and dad, but also the brother that we never knew.
“It's so good that they're all going to be together now, and at peace.”
Cedric Bibby was born in Liverpool in 1923 and joined the air force during the war, working in photographic reconnaissance.
He and Joyce (born in Birkenhead in 1925) met at a dance hall and they married in 1943.
During the couple's time in Wick, their son Paul was born in 1944. He died of bronchopneumonia in February 1945 and was buried in the old part of Wick cemetery.
Cedric came out of the RAF in 1947 and the couple settled in Wallasey, Cheshire. He worked as a photogravure colour retoucher and was also an accomplished figure-skater, winning many trophies.
Joyce, who worked as a telephone switchboard operator during the war, went on to become a long-serving and award-winning Avon representative.
Joyce died in 1995, aged 70. Cedric passed away in 2008 at the age of 85.
Linda's twin brother Martyn died in 2003, aged 40. The ashes of all three family members had been in Linda's care since their passing and it was her wish to have them brought together at rest in Wick.
She and Alan brought a plaque to the cemetery, engraved with the names of Cedric, Joyce, Martyn and Paul and the words: "Finally, altogether at peace at last."
Linda worked as a product executive with a tour operator before retiring. She has qualifications as a fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Her older sister Lisa Bennett (63) was unable to make the journey from Wallasey.
Linda said she and Lisa were keen to thank Valerie Amin, archive assistant at the Nucleus archive centre in Wick, and Eileen Baillie from Highland Council.
"I am very grateful to Valerie and Eileen who both went out of their way to help ensure that this trip could take place," Linda said.
Valerie explained: "Linda got in touch last year as she wanted to find out where her brother was buried. I found the record and went to see if I could find the plot in the cemetery.
"I had no joy, then realised he had been buried there but didn’t have a headstone. I put her on to Eileen Baillie at the council, who deals with all the burial plots, and she helped her arrange for the interment of the rest of the family's ashes.
"I’m delighted she has been able to come up at last to lay them to rest."
