From Australia: Dear cousin Mark - you almost made that visit to us again, after your first trip “downunder” with your mum and dad in 1979. But no, thanks to Covid, in 2022 it was not to be after much pre-planning and discussion. Still, we loved all your emails back and forth, and the funny jokes, and photos. And those classic discussions we had at Wimbledon time. Seeing which of our two countries was higher up the scoreboard at Olympic games was always fun too. Yours was always the first Christmas card we received every year, with its snow covered cottages and the little swallows. So sorry we can’t be at this celebration of Mark’s life with all our relatives there, but maybe we will meet in Mark’s name somewhere.

Mark has been a very loyal and treasured friend since 1980 and it is a pity that I and all who knew him did not get the opportunity to tell him how much we appreciated him before he was suddenly taken from us. Mark and I shared several interests including a fascination with life behind the iron curtain. This saw us going to Berlin, Bulgaria and Moscow before the wall came down and Prague shortly afterwards. Classical ballet was another interest with many visits to Covent Garden. Another shared interest was Coronation Street – several Whats Apps were exchanged each week about a continuity mistake or long forgotten character who had just surfaced in one of the Classic episodes. His messages did however dry up during Wimbledon fortnight due to the fact that despite Mark explaining the rules of tennis to me every June for years none of it sank it at all. Mark served a very useful service during the Covid lockdowns by circulating various humorous videos to his friends. Mark made the most of his retirement with visits to a vast range of cultural events and I have many fond memories of meeting up with him and other friends for a lunchtime classical recital in one of London’s beautiful churches followed by an extremely leisurely lunch full of chat and laughter. I did not meet any of Mark’s family but it was clear he was very fond of his parents and spoke with pride and great affection about them. Mark was truly a one off and he will be missed enormously.

Mark. When I see a funny quote or FB post I still think of sending it to you I remember you from when we were very small and always looked forward to our families meeting up at nans on Boxing Day More recently I’ve loved visiting you in London where it’s been non stop talking and laughing. Missing you xxxx