The last 'goodnight'
Private funeral for Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker has been cremated in a private family funeral, attended by just 40 close friends and family.
Even Ronnie Corbett was not believed to have been at the 30-minute humanist service in Banbury Crematorium, Oxfordshire.
The crematorium staff refused to comment on the funeral, despite intense media interest .A spokesman said only: ‘This is simply a simple family funeral.’
However newspapers report that his daughter Charlotte read a passage from Alice in Wonderland, which was one of the comedian's favourite books.
Barker's wife Joy was also accompanied by their son Larry, also an actor.
His other son, Adam, did not attend. Had he done so, he would have faced arrest afterwards by police investigating child pornography allegation.
Open All Hours co-star David Jason is also believed to have been absent, although he is expected to be at a larger memorial service likely to be held in London’s Covent Garden in the New Year.
Barker died on October 4, aged 76, following a long history of heart problems.
Published: 13 Oct 2005
