WITH the grand old building bathed in glorious late autumn sunshine, Mike Grundy paid his last visit to Worcester Cathedral, a place he knew so well.

 

His funeral cortege arrived at the Friends Door near the South African War Memorial,  while inside was a congregation who had come to say goodbye to the most accomplished journalist and cataloguer of its history the Faithful City has ever known.

 

In a written tribute, former Mayor of Worcester and county and diocesan archivist Adrian Gregson called him “a great influence on the life of the city”, while delivering the eulogy, long-time friend and fellow journalist Alec Mackie said Mike Grundy was Worcester’s own Samuel Pepys.

 

A local lad, he had joined the staff of what was then Worcester Evening News and Times in 1953 at the age of 15 and began a career that was to span more than 60 years, during which he was acclaimed Midland’s Journalist of the Year, was runner=up in the provincial journalist of the year category of the British Press Awards, wrote a weekly by-lined political column for 40 years, published books on Sir Edward Elgar and Worcester’s WW1 hero Woodbine Willie (aka the Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy) and compiled no less than 14 volumes of a best selling series covering the city’s past called Memory Lane, a re-run of his regular weekend column and a go-to Christmas present for many.

 

In 1988 Mike was awarded the Mayor of Worcester’s commendation for Outstanding Services to the City of Worcester in the field of journalism and together with his wife Edith, he was presented to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at a reception in Worcester Guildhall. He died at home earlier this month aged 86.

 

Mr Gregson added: “Mike meant a lot to me in work, council and personally. He was a fixture when I started on the City Council and of course as I became more established, we had more to do with each other in terms of reports, comments and insights. He was always understated and modest and I remember he was somewhat embarrassed when we threw a small reception for him in the Randall Room at the Guild Hall when he retired from the paper.”

 

Mr Mackie told the assembly he and Mike had been friends most of their lives: “Throughout the 60’s and 70’s we were close neighbours in Laugherne Road where his sons Mark, Simon and Paul played cricket with my two boys and daughter on our back lawn. Thankfully our French windows survived, but the greenhouse did not! We shared the ‘press table’ when reporting the monthly meetings of both the City and County Council. During the 20 years I was press officer at County Hall we were in almost daily contact.

“Michael’s dedication to his work was unique. There will never be another with his qualities, which were recognised nationally. After he retired,  he acted as a member of the welcoming team at the Cathedral where his knowledge was an invaluable help to the visitors. Our last time together was watching Worcestershire at New Road in August, which was probably Michael’s last visit to the cricket ground he loved so much.

“Although he retired some years ago, Worcester people and beyond will always remember the name ‘Michael Grundy’, He was our own Samuel Pepys, documenting the lives and times of the City, the Cathedral and citizens which he served so faithfully for more than sixty years.”

The funeral service was led by the Dean of Worcester Very Reverend Dr Stephen Edwards and included the hymns Praise my soul, the King of Heaven and Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side.

Daughter-in-law Sara Grundy read the poem Funeral News, a clever composition by husband Simon, and there was featured music by two of Mike’s favourite composers Sir Edward Elgar (naturally) and Gustav Mahler.

The Cathedral Thanksgiving was followed by a private cremation. So if the Good Lord is looking for someone to write the History of Heaven, the ideal man has just arrived.