Funeral tributes to ‘wise old sage’ Sir Marcus Worsley

Family, villagers and workers from the family estate, and the family led by the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Sir William and Lady Worsley, packed the church on Saturday to pay their respects to one of Yorkshire’s leading personalities who had been a prominent figure in its life for much of his 87 years. James Elwes, Sir Marcus’s eldest grandson, described him as “a wise old sage” who was renown for his sense of humour. “He always said he read two books at a time – a hardback downstairs and a light novel in bed because he feared he may be squashed if he read the hardback in bed and it fell on him if he fell asleep!”

Sir Marcus, he said was “a model of hospitality”, adding: “He was deeply respected and even venerated by us. He cared deeply about his county of North Yorkshire”.

Mr Elwes said Sir Marcus had a great love of the countryside, especially of trees and woodland. He always said he had been very lucky in his family, friends and neighbours. “We shall miss him greatly,” he said.

Another grandson, Marcus, said his grandfather’s life had been “an inspiration”

Other grandchildren Marcus, Isabella, Margot, Hector, Matilda and Lucy Worsley read passages from the works of Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Beverley Nicholls, relating how Sir Marcus loved to read the books to them.

The Rev Rachel Benson, who conducted the service, said Sir Marcus had led “a long and varied life” and had left “a void and a silence”.

Also taking part in the service was the Bishop of Selby, the Rt Rev Martin Wallaces, the Rev John Warden and the Rev Beryl Bowes, and other clergy in attendance included Fr Edward Corbould
of Ampleforth Abbey and the Rev Mike Smith, of the Methodist Church, while churchwarden, Eddie Lucas read the lesson.

One of the highlights of the 50-minute service was the singing of Handel’s “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” by 17-year-old Jessica Holgate, who was one of a number of former York Minster choristers taking part in the service under the direction of Richard Sheppard.

Sir Marcus’s many positions in public life over the years included being MP for Keighley, and later Chelsea, and was a former High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, Honorary Colonel of the 2nd Bn Yorkshire Volunteers, a member of the General Synod of the Church of England, and a past chairman of the Royal Forestry Society.