BETHEL IM, NEWTOWN, WIGAN
From an early age, Harry spent most of his Church life at St Marks C Of E, Newtown, where he served as Vicar's Warden for a number of years. He was a member of the PCC, a Sunday School Teacher, Choir Member, a Home Sacrament Steward, House-group Leader, a member of the Men's Society and carried out endless maintenance work on the Church premises.
Around the age of 80, Harry and his wife Gladys, started attending evening services at Bethel. Latterly, when the 9.15am service at St Marks became unmanageable - it was Bethel morning and evening for Harry. During this time, he was a supporter of Bethel's Luncheon Club, and the Last Night of the Proms together with the Easter and Christmas Cantatas.
In 2017 Harry was attacked in his own home. Social media resulted in the Submarine Service making contact and they organized a trip to London for Harry where, as the oldest Submariner in the country, he was introduced to Prince William.
Harry was admitted to a Care Home in 2019 where his health rapidly deteriorated, especially with the restrictions of Covid. Despite this, he was able to respond to hymns and the reciting of The Lord's Prayer, once visits were allowed.
Covid restrictions put a damper on the planned events for Harry's 100th Birthday on the 18th April 2020. However, through the power of social media he received over 600 Birthday cards, together with his special card from the Queen.
We remember Harry with love and affection and thank God for his faith which encouraged and inspired so many people over the years. Harry's love and friendship, together with his great sense of humour, crossed over the generations.
The Funeral Service is planned for the 15th October, when members from the Clergy of St Marks and Bethel, together with the Submarine Service and the family, will acknowledge a life lived to the full in the Service of his Master.
Uncle Harry Eulogy by WO1 Andy Knox
Four years ago this week I was at work in Navy Headquarters in Portsmouth as the Command Warrant Officer Submarines when I received a notification that a certain Harry Melling, a second World War submarine veteran had been attacked in his home in Wigan.
Shocked and sickened by this news, I decided to contact the local police officer dealing with the incident, explained my role within the Royal Navy and asked if they could put me in touch with the family to offer support and assistance from the Submarine Service.
Within a couple of hours, I was speaking to Matthew and having gained his trust, he agreed that a visit from a fellow submariner after he had been discharged from hospital would lift Harry’s spirits.
And so on a cold and wet October I finally arrived at Harry’s home on my journey back to Scotland to be welcomed with open arms – my arms however were full of gifts from the Submarine Service!
I had the pleasure of spending the next couple of hours with Harry listening intently to his stories of the second world War and his exploits around the globe. This was the start of our amazing friendship and I remain honoured and privileged to have met Harry and spent precious time in his company.
Upon returning to the Naval base on the West Coast of Scotland I formulated a plan to ensure that Harry could return to the loving arms of the service he was so proud to have served - obviously the Admiral was going to agree with my plan!
Setting up a fundraising page to support Harry’s attendance at submariner events, I was amazed by the response of both the serving community but also the veterans and family members.
This allowed us to fund Harry's trips to the Submarine Service Birthday dinners in Scotland – although having to join Matthew on a 5K run around the base an hour or so before dinner whilst Harry took a well-earned nap wasn’t my favourite memory!
I will never forget that first birthday dinner and the amazing welcome Harry received when I pushed him out in his wheelchair with the other VIPs in front of 250 serving and veteran Submariners. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room and when all present, including his fellow VIPs, stood and applauded him, well that was another level.
At the conclusion of the dinner and speeches and as everyone retired to the bar, Harry was surrounded by serving Submariners of all ranks, eager to meet and talk with him. Living up to his legendary reputation as a ladies’ man, he was soon charming a large group of female submariners who were totally smitten with him. Now at this point, I must add that everyone who met Harry referred to him as Uncle Harry, from the highest-ranking Submariners but mainly the ladies! He held court for hours that evening and I know that all present will have cherished memories of that night.
We also had the opportunity to take Uncle Harry to the annual Submariners Remembrance parade in London. On a cold November morning the Duke of Cambridge (honoury commodore of the Submarine Service) had the pleasure of meeting a very special and treasured Second World War Veteran, again I will never forget that sparkle in Uncle Harry's eyes as the Duke reached out to shake his hand and thank him for his service. A truly touching moment for both.
My wife Nicki and I visited Harry and the family on numerous occasions since and have always been made extremely welcome. In the last few years we were comforted that Charlie and his wife Sue were always there to support Harry, Matthew and the family as for obvious reasons we couldn’t travel down from Scotland.
Harry has undoubtably left a huge void in his family but also within his beloved Submarine Service. He will be sadly missed by many but the precious memories of our times with Uncle Harry and the tales he told will live on as part of the Submarine Service Legacy.
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
God bless you Uncle Harry, you will never be forgotten.
Harry Melling - Eulogy
There are some folks we meet…who just change our lives for the better…
They are ‘life Enrichers’…
Harry Melling was one of those people.
Without question.. He was a “Star’ in my eyes..
Gillian & I first met him & Gladys in 1983.. when we were looking at the possibility of coming to St. Mark’s Newtown… A place we’d never heard of… But a place the changed the lives of my family for ever…
Harry was a ‘Technicolor person’… There was nothing ‘grey or drab’ about Harry Melling.
He lived life to the full… and all of us know… He was a man of deep Christian faith… who touched the lives of many people…
He was involved in everything at St. Marks … Totally committed…For many years one of the Church Wardens …
A House Group Leader..
Part of the ‘Live Wire’ Diocesan Newspaper team… Sorting out the different Parish orders..
He was in the ‘Home Communion’ Team…
All the (C.C.C. Children Christian Crusade) we had…Harry was at the forefront…
A keen member of the PMS (Parish Men’s Society…)
He loved the Walking Days…amazing occasions…
All the ‘Missions’ (Outreach programmes) we had…Harry was there…getting stuck in …in anyway he could
In the early years… ‘E.E’.. Evangelism Explosion..
The Parish ‘Smile week’ Mission (St. Mark’s invites you to life eternal)
The ‘Pie & Pints’ nights…..
He was passionate about bringing people to a living and growing faith in Jesus….
He loved the Parish Weekends at Abbot Hall… so many laughs and inspiring moments…He was in his element..
And all those Parish Tea Parties… He was Part of the Committee to sort out the entertainment… He’d do anything… The dafter the better… loved getting dressed up…
On more than one occasion Harry & Gladys brought the House down…
He would be one of the first people there setting up …and one of the last people to leave,…clearing up after everyone had gone home..
We know that he had a wicked sense of humour.. Loved laughing…a twinkle in his eye.
He was a man who made our lives better…
He was always a tremendous encourager for me..….I thank God for him…
The way he lived… made us want to know more about Jesus. …He was a truly wholesome Human being…
Kind…loving , obviously brave…..
So it’s appropriate that we see this service as a Thanksgiving for Harry and a Celebration of his life. …He was one of God’s gifts to us
We celebrate Harry’s faithfulness to Jesus for so many years…
And we also celebrate the Certain Hope Harry and every Christian has…that because of Jesus …Death does not have the last word on our lives… JESUS DOES…
The past…with all the memories ….. has been Amazing!!! …..so many wonderful times… BUT….. Listen!!!! As terrific as they have been….The best is yet to be..
I love C.S. Lewis… ‘The Narnia series’
C.S. Lewis :The Last Battle
And for us, this is the end of all the stories and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
Hallelujah… That’s our Hope/Confidence because of Jesus …Harry is setting out on Page ONE
Uncle Harry by Matthew Melling
It's said We are all the result of our experiences in life, and in his 101 years, Harry undoubtedly has had many great experiences. He was an extraordinary - ordinary man, whose faith mattered greatly to him.
The last couple of years of Harry's life can't have been easy for such a gregarious man, isolated in his room, a man that had traveled to distant countries and lived through war.
So let's not focus on the end, but look back on a "full life, well lived." To me and others here today he was Uncle Harry.
One thing we will all have in common about Harry, he left a big impression on everyone he met, and his passing leaves a gap that our memories can only partly fill. We all have our own unique recollections of our times with Harry and what he meant to each of us.
Having lived next door to Harry and Gladys for nearly 20 yrs, and Mellings Shoe shop being next door to Oliver's pie shop on Newtown, I was aware of Harry's strength of character and ability to handle danger, not only surviving in the submarines in WW2, but he also taught me to drive, (well at least he tried).
As a young lad I followed him round on many Saturdays, sometimes chauffeuring him in the shop van, and watching how to mend shoes, (probably much to his annoyance but he never showed it). He had strong opinions that he wasn't slow at sharing, the picture of Harry wagging a finger is so 'Harry' . I think many of us have been on the receiving end of that finger.
Harry was definitely 'old school'. Whenever we visited him at Mitchell st. during his later years, his first words to Else were always...."you know where the kettle is",.....& then to me "you can put the bottle on the sideboard".
It shouldn't be a surprise to any of us that Harry liked a tot, and we were pleased to be able to furnish him with a suitable lubricant that he could share with his friends, as they reminisced about the past, and probably bemoaned the present, the whiskey no doubt helping memories bubble to the surface to be shared.
Born 18th April,1920 into a world struggling to rebuild after an horrific war, things can't have been easy, especially when his mother died when he was just 2 yrs old. One of 5 children born to a Cobbler whose craft he was destined to continue. He trained as an electrician, learned to play the piano accordion, and married Gladys the love of his life in 1951.
So, Harry, a Husband, an Uncle, a Submariner, a Cobbler, a Church and Vicars Warden, a Survivor of the Second World War, a man who lived a full life.
Being neighbours, Harry and Dad used to like to meet in the garage at weekends, heads often under a car bonnet, probably putting the world to rights, and definitely in mum's opinion smoking far too many cigarettes.
It's a fond memory today, but a life time ago the Melling, (Daley) and Oliver clans would get together, for a Boxing Day celebration in Mitchell St. Uncle Harry often the master of ceremonies regarding the 'games'. A number of us here still remember Harry's pleasure at introducing us to his electric shock device!. Bank holidays or Easter could see 3 car loads filled with children, teenagers and grownups head East to his brothers, or North on a seemingly annual migration to Blackpool and Derby baths, and then perhaps on to Fleetwood, stopping for chips on the way back home, or maybe continuing North to the lakes, the trek sometimes punctuated waiting for one of the cars, [usually my dads] to cool down when it objected to the trials it had been put through.
No doubt Uncle Harry's character was put to the test many times in his life, not least to survive with his Brothers in Arms in the submarines during WW2. But Harry's love of being on the water didn't end with the navy, sometimes hiring a river boat for their holidays.
Married for 55 years, He showed this strength again, in his undying love for Gladys when she had a stroke. Fortunately she survived, but after a spell in hospital Harry decided Gladys wasn't making progress, or at least not quick enough, so he took her home to give her 100% care and attention. He was completely devoted to his wife and I'm sure Gladys benefited greatly from his continued love.
During one of our chats we discovered that Harry had been on a sub transiting the Caledonian Canal, a trip he encouraged us to emulate on our boat, and also that he had spent time in Malta during the war. On several occasions we moored our boat just yards away from where Harry's sub had been in the Grand Harbour, Birgu. We were able to take pictures of the dock- yards and Maritime Bakery, little changed in 80 yrs, stimulating strong memories of his past that while they sounded happy to us, must have raised mixed feelings for Harry, especially when he recalled the frequent air raids.
Malta as we know wasn't the safest of postings, his submarine having to sit on the bottom for protection while the bombs dropped.
2017 was a very fateful year for Harry. He was attacked and assaulted on his own doorstep, a horrendous incident that could have done for Harry, but his character and the power of social media, and support of family and friends saw him through this trauma. It was then the submarine service came back into his life, although in Harry's mind it had never been far away, as he often talked fondly of his time in the Navy.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Commodore Jim Perks and his colleagues Charlie Neve and Andy Knox and all in the submarine services, for their support of Harry in his last few years. After the assault you gave Harry something positive in his life.
The continued love and support of family and friends, combined with the genuine warmth and affection of the Submariners, ensured Harry's recent memories were happy ones.
On Harry's behalf, Thank you.
One final reminiscence, we used to help make pies at the shop on Saturdays, and Harry would often call in for a pie for lunch. When our daughter was 3 she came along as well. In fact She was virtually weened on Oliver's Pies, and her pie always had a large H on top identifying it just for Hazel.
You no doubt can see where this is going. The sight of this brusk stranger, eating her pie was too much to bear. But the tears didn't stop Harry enjoying his pie, after his offer to share was rejected.
Fortunately there was another one in the oven, also proudly embossed with the letter 'H'and the tears soon subsided.
Harry, you were unique and lived life to the full.
We'll miss you, but you will always be alive in our memories.