Mourners pay respects to former Hartlepool Mail photographer

Harry was hugely well-known and respected in the town, having spent around 20 years capturing the people and their stories from the early 1970s through to the 1990s.

Much loved and admired by everyone who knew him, Harry died suddenly at the age of 83 at his home in Throston Grange Lane on December 21.

Mourners packed into Stranton Grange Crematorium for a service to celebrate the life of Harry, which was packed with his many passions, which still included photography and he was a member of Hartlepool Camera Club.

The tone of the service reflected Harry’s zest for life with a tune from an album he made playing the harmonica and the song Come Fly With Me as a nod to one of his other great hobbies of model aircraft making and flying, which he once wrote a book about.

Son Stuart, 48, said: “My dad was never negative about anything. Dad never said a bad word about anyone.

“He was so well known from his days at the Mail. It has been great to see all the wonderful comments people have left online about him.

“He used to take me to Pools and the stock cars, and I would go back to the Mail offices to help him develop the pictures, they were great times.”

Born and raised in Horden, Harry moved to Hartlepool when he married his late wife Enid, who died many years ago.

He leaves Stuart, daughter, Karen, 58, fiancé Marion, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.