Special lifeboat send off for former publican
Andrew Kempton
THE last wishes of a late Bridlington man will be honoured when his ashes are spread at sea.
Andrew Kempton, who later lived in Ipswich, lost a 14-month battle with a rare form of cancer last week.
Now his ashes will spread at sea off the coast of his home town by Bridlington’s RNLI lifeboat crew.
The 54-year-old was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of non Hodgkins lymphoma, in 2011.
He was born at the Avenue Hospital in Bridlington on July 26, 1958, to Hilda and Ted Kempton. He went to Hilderthorpe and Headlands School.
Andrew’s holiday job when he was 14-years-old was at Bridlington Spa, helping out in the kitchens, and this led him to enrol at catering college in Hull.
His first job as a chef was at the Brummels Inn in Prince Street for John Bath and family, before he went on to the Ferns Farm at Carnaby and the Timoneer at Flamborough, before returning to the newly refurbished Tilly Morrison bar at Bridlington Spa as the chef and licensee.
Bridlington’s lifeboat crew used to adjourn to the bar after their practice nights.
From there Andrew moved to Hull and several other places until he eventually settled in Ipswich, where he became the licensee of The Emperor Inn in Ipswich.
His funeral was held in Ipswich last Thursday, January 24, but he had asked if his ashes could be spread in the sea in his home town.
Andrew’s sister Sue Turner, who lives in Bridlington, said: “The wonderful lifeboat crew have agreed to make his wish come true, he would be thrilled.
“They will take his ashes out to sea on their next practice night, on Wednesday February 6, beginning at around 5.15pm.
“Anyone wanting to join his Bridlington family and friends as we gather on the north pier to say goodbye will be very welcome.
“Then we will wander across to the Windsor hotel for a cuppa and to share happy memories.”
Andrew’s grandad, Robert Clark, was involved with the lifeboat many years ago.
Andrew married his wife Heather in 1998 and they had four children, Jack, 13, Callum, 12, Ben, eight and Jess, seven. Heather has one other child, Selina, who is 19.
The couple separated around four years ago, but remained good friends and never divorced.
Heather described Andrew as a “happy-go-lucky” man.
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Weather for Bridlington
Sunday 26 May 2013
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