A celebration of the life of
Richard Sumner
1947 – 2026
Monday 14 September 2026
St Michael's Manor, St Albans
Thank you. To everyone who came, who travelled, who stood up and spoke, and who told us a story about Dad afterwards over a glass of something — it was the day he asked for, and it was better than we'd hoped.
And to everyone who couldn't be there: we thought of you, and several of you sent messages that were read out or passed round. This page is for you as much as for anyone who was in the room. Everything from the day is here — the presentation, the film that closed it, the recording of the service itself, and the stories people sent in.
Take your time with it. It's not going anywhere.
Phil & Steve
The presentation
The whole thing, start to finish
Every slide Steve and I put together — the school reports, Tubby Crystal, the Latin, Judy, the flying, all of it. Arrow keys or swipe to move through it.
The films
The End
The montage that closed the service — photographs from family and from all of you who sent them in, cut to the close of the Abbey Road medley, the last album The Beatles recorded together. Two minutes.
Watch the film →The rolling photographs
The pictures that turned over on the screen before and after the service. Seventy-three of them, twelve minutes, no sound.
Play →From the air
Shots from Dad's own flying — the coastline, Ben Bulben, St Michael's Mount, the Scillies. Just under a minute.
Play →The recording
What you told us
