To read the obituary of Father Tony Ingham, please see here. 

The following is an extract from the latest St Michael’s Messenger, which is devoted entirely to Fr Tony's Funeral service. A full copy, which includes messages of condolence and a transcript of the funeral oration, can be downloaded here. 

Photo by Eric May.

“Hearts were heavy and tears flowed as more than 150 members of the St Michael’s community filled the church on the cold and sunny morning of Tuesday 23 April to say their farewells and pray for the soul of Fr Tony Ingham, who passed away at home in Beaulieu on 15 April with his wife Fiona at his side. The Funeral service, led by Fr Hugh of St Paul’s Monaco, was preceded by a family vigil on Monday evening at the church. Fiona’s grief, that of the family and of the many life-long friends present, was shared by the entire congregation.  

Among those in attendance were the Mayor of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Roger Roux, members of the clergy including Helen Innes, representing her husband, Bishop in Europe Robert Innes, Archdeacon Peter Hooper, The Ven Stephen Robbins CB QHC, former Chaplain General to the British Army and his wife Lydia, Fr Philip Robinson, Fr Patrick Springford and his wife Carole, Chaplains of Nice, Marseille and Menton as well as a former Priest in Monaco. Père Irek of the local Roman Catholic church was also present, as were nuns from the Little Sisters of the Poor in Nice and a number of lay people from other congregations on the Riviera. 

After the service, the Funeral cortege moved to the Nice Crematorium for the rites of committal attended by the family. After the cortege moved away, refreshments were served in the Church Garden, ending a deeply sad, but also joyous occasion to celebrate Fr Tony and Fiona’s remarkable service to St Michael’s church and our community. 

First to speak at the service was Fr Stephen, no stranger to St Michael’s. As Fr Tony’s commanding officer during his service as a military chaplain in Iraq, Fr Stephen recalled how Tony’s deep training as a clergyman gave him a special quality of empathy and the readiness to minister to any and all service personnel, no matter their background. 

The Funeral Oration, Fr Hugh described Father Tony as; 

 “..a wise and mature man of faith and example he was able to be an authentic voice helping others to trust in God`s love and not to be frightened. Someone once coined the expression in this regard with the words, ‘We need to be a bit more Tony.’ "

He went on to say how;

“The lenses of faith through which he approached his death were focused upon the Biblical promises of Jesus, sound theology, the teaching of the Church and the unchanging Christian hope into which Tony was baptised. Tony wanted the Christian Gospel to be at the centre of this service because it was at the centre of his life; he would want that to be true of us as well.” 

The Order of Service for Fr Tony's Funeral is reproduced on St Michael’s YouTube channel.  The music is 'Highland Cathedral', which was piped as Tony left the church. It is performed here by the Central Band of the Royal British Legion.