As it happened: Southend says farewell to Sir David Amess

Summary

A memorial service for Sir David Amess has taken place at St Mary's Church, Prittlewell, Essex
Hundreds of people lined the streets of Southend to pay their respects as the hearse containing his casket passed by
A funeral mass for the late MP for Southend West will take place at the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral in London on Tuesday
Sir David, 69, was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on 15 October

Live Reporting

By Laurence Cawley & Jon Welch

Sir David Amess: 1952-2021published at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Image source, Stuart Woodward/BBC
Image caption,
Sir David's memorial service and procession has now ended
The hearse has arrived at the chapel of rest where it will remain overnight prior to Sir David's funeral on Tuesday at Westminster Cathedral.
Thank you for joining us during our live coverage of the memorial service and procession through Southend.
You can scroll back through our live posts or read a round-up of the day's events here.
Crowd claps then falls silent as hearse arrives at officepublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
This was the moment that Sir David's hearse arrived outside Iveagh Hall, the Southend West Conservative Association constituency office in Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea.
Media caption,
People clap then fall silent as hearse arrives outside constituency office
In Pictures: Southend pays its respects to Sir Davidpublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Thousands of people took to the streets of Southend to remember Sir David Amess.
Here are some of the moments from today's memorial event.
Image caption,
The hearse arrives at St Mary's Church in Prittlewell
Image caption,
Members of the public listened intently to the service from outside the church as it was relayed by loudspeakers
Image caption,
Members of the public broke into spontaneous applause as the horse-drawn hearse passed the Civic Centre
'Everybody knew him and he knew everybody'published at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Mike Liggins
BBC Look East
Image caption,
Sue Abrahams said she wanted to come out today to pay her "final respects" to Sir David
Sue Abrahams knew Sir David from their time campaigning together in Southend.
"Everybody knew him and he knew everybody; it was amazing," she said.
She said she wanted to come out today to pay her "final respects to him".
"Seeing the coffin was a very emotional moment. I couldn't fight back the tears, I'm afraid."
Guard of honour by Essex Police outside the Civic Centrepublished at 14:35 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Police officers formed a guard of honour outside Southend Civic Centre ahead of the arrival of Sir David's casket.
Media caption,
Guard of honour by Essex Police outside the Civic Centre
People line the streets outside constituency officepublished at 14:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Members of the public have lined the streets awaiting the arrival of Sir David's hearse at the Southend West Conservative Association building in Leigh Road.
Media caption,
People line the streets outside constituency office
The hearse is nearing the Civic Centrepublished at 14:04 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Richard Smith
BBC Essex
Members of the public applaud the casket of Sir David Amess as it nears the Civic Centre.
Media caption,
Applause for Sir David Amess's horse-drawn hearse
Mourners sing along during servicepublished at 14:02 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent
One person outside the church sang along to the hymn Make Me A Channel of Your Peace.
People gather to pay their respectspublished at 13:59 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter
People have started to congregate at the Southend West Conservative Association, waiting to pay their respects.
The hearse is now making its way towards Civic Centrepublished at 13:58 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Ian Wyatt
BBC Essex
The horse-drawn hearse is now making its way at a walking pace down Victoria Avenue towards Southend's Civic Centre.
Image caption,
Members of the public await the arrival of Sir David's horse-drawn hearse
Memorial service ends with We'll Meet Againpublished at 13:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent
The service has ended with “We’ll Meet Again“, a nod towards Sir David‘s support for a memorial to Dame Vera Lynn.
The congregation were asked by the family to consider contributing to the appeal to fund the statue.
Media caption,
Sir David Amess memorial service ends
'We are so enormously proud of him'published at 13:52 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Sir David's family have told of their pride in what he accomplished in his public life.
"We are so enormously proud of him," the family said in words read by Dame Ann Widdecombe. "Our hearts are shattered.
"However, there was still so much David wanted to do."
Image caption,
The family's statement was read by Dame Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe reads the family's wordspublished at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe delivered a speech on behalf of the Amess family.
She told how the family wished to thank everybody "for the wonderful tributes paid to David" after his "cruel and violent death".
"It truly has brought us so much comfort. The support shown by friends, constituents and the general public alike has been so overwhelming and as a family it has given us strength," she said.
"We have realised from tributes paid that there was far, far more to David than even we, those closest to him, knew."
Eulogy touches on the role and work of MPspublished at 13:39 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent
In his eulogy, MP Mark Francois spoke about David Amess’s dedication as an MP.
The Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford said: “Our electorate employs us to represent them, not the other way round.
"Boy, did David Amess honour the contract with his employers.“
Mr Francois said that Sir David “had more front than Brighton“.
He said his friend never yielded on a point of principle to anybody.
“Whatever the weaknesses of Parliament, David was the embodiment of all its strengths," he said.
'He was here for anybody that wanted help'published at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Mike Liggins
BBC Look East
Outside the church are Theresa and Mark Williams. Sir David had been helping them with an access issue when he was killed.
"Everybody loved him," said Ms Williams.
"Politics aside, you didn't think about what party he was involved in because he was just such a lovely man, and he was here for anybody that wanted help and he would help them."
Image caption,
Sir David was helping Theresa and Mark Williams with an access issue when he was killed
Mark Francois delivers his eulogypublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Mark Francois, Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, is giving his eulogy.
"He was the original Essex cheeky chappy," said Mr Francois.
He told how Sir David, on being made a knight, went out and hired a suit of armour for the occasion.
Mr Francois also spoke of the "serious side" of Sir David, who loved literature and music.
Image source, Parliament
Image caption,
Sir David Amess was "the original Essex cheeky chappy," said MP Mark Francois.
MP James Duddridge reads from New Testamentpublished at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge has given a Bible reading from the The First Epistle of Peter.
The reading was followed by the second hymn, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and a reading by Monsignor Kevin Hale from the Gospel of John.
Crowd gathers across the roadpublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Stuart Woodward
BBC Essex
A crowd is gathered across the road from St Mary's Church, straining to hear the service being broadcast over loudspeakers.
The first hymn is sungpublished at 13:16 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
After the welcome and the gathering of prayers by St Mary's via the Reverend Paul Mackay, the first hymn sung was For All The Saints.
The hymn will be followed by a reading from the Old Testament by Southend mayor Margaret Borton.
Image caption,
The order of service for the memorial service
Memorial service for Sir David Amess is under waypublished at 13:08 Greenwich Mean Time 22 November 2021
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
The memorial service for Sir David Amess is now under way.
Image caption,
Members of the public outside the church can hear the service relayed over loudspeakers
Scores of public well-wishers have congregated outside St Mary's to hear the service relayed outside over loudspeakers.