Ashes Dispersal, July 2009


At the time there was not consent amongst his friends on what to do with it.

The ceremony took place on his second anniversary because Rhy was desperately sick at the time (but eventually to the relief of all her may friends managed to recover) and other people could not attend hither.

For the time being I kept them but eventually after much consultation it was decided that they would be divided in different parcels and subjected to different destinies.

  1. The larger part would have been dispersed on the Thames. Joe was born in the London Est-End and the river was the natural place to return his remains. His ashes would travel through the places he loved and eventually reach the sea and far away...

  2. A smaller portion would have been burned completely as a symbolic reminder of the tumultuous life he lived and because he often jested on being burned on a pyre.

  3. An other portion would have been given to Lenny for safekeeping ans he still faithfully keeps them under his portrait at home (he thought that something should remain as a remembrance for as long as possible).

  4. Some would be preserved for his son James that could not attend and wanted to do something in remembering him. James and his mother managed at last to pick them up several months later in a very emotional reunion and I will post what they have done with them when II'll know.

  5. A little bit for me. I thought that Joe had always a wicked sense of humour and would have appreciate some levity in his remembrance. So I decided to roll some of himself in a few joints and send them flying away attached to balloons!!

The dispersal on the Thames was planned because it is illegal but with the help of Ian (I am still in his debt for his help) we travelled to Southwark Bridge, found a quite moment and proceed. David took some video with my cheap camera while I and Jan were looking over our shoulders to see if cops showed up. We thought that Joe would have appreciated the theme and circumstances ;-).

The video (not very good quality but hey... can be seen here)