Ruby 75

Discussion about Ruby Murray.
John Harris
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:25 am

Ruby 75

Post by John Harris »

A couple of days early, as I shall probably not be able to get to a computer on Monday:-
Along with so many others, I'll be remembering dear Ruby on her 75th Birthday on 29 March, wishing she could have made it to her 3/4-Century. All for now, but I'll try to stay more regularly in touch from now on. Kindest regards to Bernie and all friends, John from Norfolk.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello John H,

Good to see your name on the website again and I look forward to seeing more postings from you. I shall be flying from Alicante to Exeter tomorrow (28th) and I will then drive to Torquay to personally attend to Ruby's grave and place some flowers on the anniversary of her birthday. I fly back on the 30th.

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

Gerald Lawrence
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 2:48 am
Location: Kenilworth, UK

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Gerald Lawrence »

Welcome back, John! And Bernie, make sure you do a good job of cleaning up the headstone - we will be thinking of you.

I was hoping to have a new Home Page to commemorate Ruby's 75th birthday, but sadly my computer still refused to talk to the website in the way it needs to for me to be able to begin again making changes. I have alerted Timmer again, but I guess he is up to his eyes in real work! We just have to be patient - he fixed the Forum messaging, and I am sure he will be able to fix my access.

I had to make a long journey on Friday, 3 hours driving each way. So I chose to put in my CD player the four discs of the Golden Anniversary Collection. I haven't actually listened to that particular collection for some time, and so it was with great pleasure that I listened again to some of my favourites, such as Music Maestro Please, How Did He Look, and Dear Daddy.
Gerald

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Jk
Posts: 402
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 2:22 am
Location: Wigan

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Jk »

Hello, yet another year goes bye and time to remember Ruby again and play her songs. Hope you clean up that stone really good Bernie.
Regards
John.

Teddy O'Neil

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Teddy O'Neil »

Thinking of Ruby on her birthday. It is hard to believe she would have been 75.
Hi Gerald, the tracks that you mention (Music Maestro Please, How did he look, Dear Daddy) are also favourites of mine. I think Ruby's voice sounds best in these 'plaintive melodies'. I also like Evermore
I'll come when you call
Passing Strangers
and the wonderful Macushla mine

Cheers, Teddy O'Neil

Bernie Burgess
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Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello Friends,

I am pleased to report that I managed to complete my mission to visit Ruby's grave on the anniversary on what would have been Ruby's 75th birthday. The English weather lived up to it's reputation - it was pouring with rain all the time I was at the crematorium. I placed a dozen red roses in my name and the fans and they looked really beautful. I had taken my digital camera along and took still shots and some video, I will now endeavour to send them to either Gerald or Brian, perhaps both, in the hope that one of them can upload onto the website so that everyone can see the picturesque setting. I was amazed to find that some very kind sole has placed a small 'live' conifer at the head of the stone plinth and it is flourishing quite well in it's own small pot. I am not sure whether it is breaking the rules of the crematorium but we can only wait and see if it is allowed to stay in place. One task that I was unable to carry out was cutting back the grass around the edges of the grave that, if left, creeps further on to the marble plinth, but due to the restrictions at the airports these days it is not possible to take scissors of knives in luggage. I would have searched for a shop where it would be possible to buy something suitable to use but it was pouring with rain and I was without transport, which is another story which I must relate later on today - hopefully.

I must relate the story of my trip because I was confronted with a whole catalogue of unfortunate happenings which I can now look back on and laugh about but at the time the disasters were coming my way continually and each one proved to be quite an obstacle. More on thie story later.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello 'Friends'
I have just tried to relate my story of the mission to Torquay to place flowers on Ruby's grave but my story was too long to be accepted and it flew off the page. In essence, I wanted to show my sincere thanks to a Guardian Angel by the name of Beckie who works in the Customers Service department of Flybe at Exeter Airport. Beckie was my savior and she went out of her way to assist me in every way possible and I am eternally grateful to her for all that she did for me in an attempt to ease a host of major problems that I experienced during my mission.
I must add that she drove me into Torquay from Exeter Airport because I was stranded and without transport. On the way she did explain that she tended to drive like a man, Jason Button springs to mind. She had no idea how white my knuckles were during the exciting trip. The following morning a scream of brakes announced that my driver had returned to take me back to the airport, an experience that I will never forget but will be eternally grateful for. I have asked her to look on the Ruby Murray website to read about my experiences but it never made it to the website. Nevertheless I am sincerely grateful to my 'Guardian Angel' - BECKIE.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

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Jk
Posts: 402
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Location: Wigan

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Jk »

Sounds like you had a good trip :)
Regards
John.

Gerald Lawrence
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 2:48 am
Location: Kenilworth, UK

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Gerald Lawrence »

Well it is a good job you are still a young man, or the excitement might have been too much for you, Bernie! I do hope you manage to post your full story - it will, as usual with your stories, make interesting reading.

I would also like to add my thanks to Flybe Customer Services and Beckie, for it would appear without doubt that Ruby's 75th anniversary of her birthday would have gone by without any flowers on her grave without their help. So, many thanks indeed for service above and beyond your normal duties, Beckie.
Gerald

MARTIN FOSTER
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Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:37 pm
Location: MANCHESTER, UK
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Re: Ruby 75

Post by MARTIN FOSTER »

Hi guys, Hope everyone is well and had a happy Easter.

Bernie, looking forward to hearing your story and also seeing your photos and video footage.

Martin.

Brian Henson
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:27 am
Location: Ilford, Essex, UK

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Brian Henson »

Here is a photograph that Bernie has asked me to upload, showing the flowers he placed on Ruby's grave.

Image

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello Friends,

I am most grateful to Brian for uploading the photo. - Thank you Brian.

Due to restrictions going through security at the airports, it is not possible to take either scissors or a knife to enable me to trim the edges where the grass encroaches onto the marble plinth. I will however find an alternative in readiness for my next trip. I will also get in touch with the Stonemason to see if he can once again renovate the lettering, The fact that the tablet lies flat the rain inevitably carries the dust and dirt into the lettering causing it to deteriorate. It is possible for the Stonemason to remove the top tablet to carry out the task, he has done this a couple of times for me in the past but there is now a need to repeat the task.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

Gerald Lawrence
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 2:48 am
Location: Kenilworth, UK

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Gerald Lawrence »

I think you did a good job, Bernie, it looks very neat and tidy.

And thank you again to Brian for letting us see the photograph.
Gerald

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Hello Friends,
Because my story about my last visit to the crematorium in Torquay was far too long to be accepted onto the Message Board, at Gerald's suggestion I am going to try to serialise my story. He thinks it might prove to be of interest and provide a few smiles to a number of friends, both established and new viewers. I will try, so, here is the first segment: -
'YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS...... BUT ....

Now that my son Tim no longer lives in the Torquay/Exeter area, there is no-one to tend Ruby's grave so it became necessary for me to fly to England to carry out the pleasurable task of placing flowers on Ruby's grave on March 29th. for what would have been the 75th anniversary of Ruby's 75th birthday

I went onto the Internet and booked my return flight, a hire car from a company that doesn't operate an upper age limit- thankfully, and provisionally an hotel. Due to the fact that my 'plane didn't land until after 10pm I was non too sure whether I would get to the hotel before it's reception closed at 11pm.

Before setting out, it was my intention to replenish my mobile with some Euros so that I had a means of contact in case of any emergency. I attended to many things in my preparation but foolishly didn't place more Euros on my mobile but thought, in my infinite wisdom, that it would be a simple matter to do this when I reached the airport. No such luck, there was nowhere that undertook such a task. Great! now I have no means of communication - with anyone. From here the story becomes humorous and unbelievable.
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POSTING. Adios Amigos. Bernie.

Bernie Burgess
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Sutton Coldfield

Re: Ruby 75

Post by Bernie Burgess »

Continued from previous posting whereby I related that I had no access to my mobile:-

Undaunted, I passed through security reasonably well, discretely replacing my belt after passing through the security without too much problem. Soon there was an announcement that my plane would be DELAYED BY AN HOUR. There goes any chance of being able to reach my hotel before the reception closed. Now I am faced with the distinct possibility of having nowhere to sleep. Fortunately I had packed a blow up pillow - just in case, so I would be okay.... I thought.

In flight, the pilot announced that we would arrive 5 mins late, which just didn't equate to me but I wasn't about to argue with him, he was at the controls not me. Maybe this French made aircraft had booster rockets attached which would make up the missing 55mins. As he promised and, (in the pouring rain), the pilot landed just 5mins late so, miraculously, I perhaps stood a minute chance of getting to my hotel, if I was able to get to the hire car office, - find my way out of the maze at the airport and navigate my way through unknown roads, ( in the pouring rain), to my sleeping destination.

I was only carrying an overnight bag so I made good haste through the airport terminal only to discover that the car hire offices were outside - somewhere - (in the pouring rain). I searched for the name - National Car Hire - but no such name was to be seen. I raced into the Avis Car Hire office to make enquiries and was told that National had combined with Europcar and their office, which was next door, was CLOSED- No 'phone, no hotel and no hire car.

To be Continued :-
Adios Amigos Bernie

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