Stuart:-

Good Afternoon and welcome. Many of you will already know me but if not, my name is Stuart Haxton and I am proud to say I’m one of Sean’s oldest friends.

With Sean having had no religious convictions, I am humbled, honoured and privileged to have been asked by Sean’s family to preside over his funeral today. It’s a bit daunting and I hope I won’t let him down (he will be laughing his socks off at my discomfort I know that).

So, we are here to pay our last respects, to say a final farewell, to remember and in particular to celebrate the life of Sean.  Brother, old friend, in some cases colleague or maybe even lover. I am sure all these are represented today. Hopefully there are no enemies, even though I think he might have made one or two along the way.

I know for certain as you will, that Sean would not want this to be a glum sad affair, the time for mourning, sadness and sorrow at his passing is now over and he would want us to truly celebrate the life he so enjoyed despite his final few years being so cruel and unkind to him.

This short service is just the introduction to what Sean would refer to as his Funeral Party (he has had a few practice runs as many of you will know) and the celebration proper will start afterwards at The John Charles /South Leeds stadium. The family would like to have as many people as possible to join them there and we hope you can make it to reminisce and recount tales of Sean’s ‘Adventures’ shall we call them and to give Sean the send-off he would have wanted.

Sean Patrick Cluderay was born on 12 March 1951 and lived with his parents Albert & Pauline and two sisters Christine and Carmel in the family home in Beeston.

Sean attended Beeston St Anthony’s school before later progressing to St Michaels College at Headingley where, it’s fair to say, he gained not a great deal in the way of  academic qualification (despite having passed his 11 plus at 9 years old) but he did very well in notoriety you will not be surprised to learn; eventually he was asked to leave as apparently the headmaster didn’t think operating an unofficial school bookmakers was a suitable alternate learning path. How wrong they were!  Sean always possessed a great ability with figures and had an astute practical mind.

During his school years Sean often put in an ‘un-remunerated’ as he said, stint at the family bakery business run by his father and which would stand him in good stead for the future as we will hear shortly.

He was both a keen Leeds United and Hunslet supporter, both grounds being in walking distance from his home.

I might mention that so were the White Hart and Tommy Wass public Houses where I had many times with him in both of these establishments.

But I digress somewhat.

On leaving school (or actually being asked to leave, age 15 in 1966) Sean gained employment as a junior clerk at National Employers Mutual Insurance company in Leeds (or NEM as it was known) This was around the time I first met Sean through a mutual acquaintance Michael Shaw. Michael would remain Sean’s closest and best friend until we sadly lost him in 2012.

Sean continued his horse racing and bookies interest at this time by taking money from the co-operative at NEM to place bets for him during lunch hour. He and Michael would weigh up the odds themselves and decide if there was any chance of success. Invariably they didn’t bother placing the bet and pocketed the stake instead.

For me It was the start of a lifelong friendship. A gang of us would meet up every Friday lunchtime in the pub just around the corner from NEM, then Friday nights were spent terrorising  several public houses in Leeds starting at Whitelocks and moving gradually towards the Merrion Centre to  end up at Cinderalla Rockerfellas nightclub .This went on for years  and one famous night after we had persuaded three lovely young ladies to dance with us Sean got up on stage and won the dancing competition, dancing I think to Tiger feet by Mud.

These were the best of times, we never seemed to stop laughing and Sean and I would often look back to then with great hilarity. There are some old friends from those times here today I am pleased to say.

Sunday mornings would find us turning out for the NEM football team. Despite the fact that we didn’t really train or practice we did quite well at times considering we would be largely nursing bad hangovers. Sean used to play mainly as an old-time outside left (Winger). He had a mean left foot which I seem to recall connected more than once with the opposition goalkeepers rather than the ball! Sean claimed he was just a bit late into the tackle, but it was difficult to justify when the goalkeeper was on the floor receiving kicks in the back.

During 1969 Sean left NEM and took up a job at the Leeds Magistrates Alimony office where he first came into contact with the Law and made more life-long friends along the way.

He also worked Saturdays for Graham Lisle bookmakers continuing again his love of gambling and horse racing. Graham and Sean also became great pals and as everybody knows went on to become directors of and generally running Hunlet RLFC for many years.

In 1974 Sean grabbed an opportunity to take up a position as Clerk of the Magistrates’ Court for the ‘Skyrack ‘area based at Wetherby where he worked for many years.

A couple of years later, Sean’s parents were involved in a serious car crash and he had to step into the breach for a period and sort out production for the family bakery each day. This involved getting up at 3.30 to fire up the ovens amongst other things and virtually running the bakery before going off to work each day. Sean just took it in his stride as he did most things.

He buckled down during his time at Wetherby to take his law exams and extended these to full practising solicitor qualifications.  So dedicated to passing his exams was he that he curtailed his Friday nights out with us so he could study.

After serving 21 years in the Magistrates Courts Sean took up a position with William Tate at Tates Solicitors in Leeds and when some years later Bill Tate wanted to sell his practice, he persuaded Sean to become owner/partner, Sean having to withdraw his life savings in order to do so.

Sean worked with several different partners over the years working extremely hard to expand and make Tates one of the best practises of its kind in Leeds. Sean becoming one of the best advocates in the business and a bit of a legend in the Magistrates’ Courts. He took his work very seriously but could always laugh at some of the matters he had to deal with. The pressures and stress took its toll on him though and he had to work long hours especially when ‘on call’. He would often have to get up in the middle of the night to attend a ‘client’ who had been taken into custody or be available all weekend.

Associates in the legal profession remember him as an outstanding & formidable advocate and a cunning criminal lawyer

When he could get away, we used to spend weekends and bank holidays at a friend’s cottage in The Dales near Hawes where Sean could unwind. He would give out a cry of ‘yes!’ as he passed Kilnsey Crag on the way up in recognition that he was ‘ free’ at least for a short while. As the pressures of work left him and a few beers did their work Sean would often literally fall asleep in his dinner. He liked to go down to the river fishing and we would meet up with Jack Lunn and his family who had a house in Hawes.

During the whole of his life Sean remained a supportive and loving brother to his sisters and extended family finally, retiring in 2012.  But before he could enjoy the full fruits of his labours his health deteriorated as we know.

Fate was not kind to Sean in the last period of his life but he never once felt sorry for himself. I never heard him utter one complaint about his condition, other than he couldn’t always have a smoke when he wanted. It didn’t stop him from complaining about everyone and everything else however.

Anyone who visited him in hospital when he was there was quickly cajoled into taking him in the wheelchair to the outside smoking area so he could have a fag. He was actually forbidden from leaving the ward at times and even had his visitors ‘borrowing’ a white Doctor’s coat from the ward office to take him down for a smoke.

Sean lived for 4 years with Cancer. Fortunately, he had some people who cared enough about him and were able to look after him during this time. Those people who attended to Sean’s needs and helped him through this difficult period deserve our wholehearted thanks and appreciation for their sterling efforts. Only they can know what it took to deal with him during this time. He was cantankerous at times to say the least and it would have been challenging for even the most patient and kindest of people not to become aggravated. Plying himself with wine and smoking constantly, but who can blame him? How he managed to always have a warm welcome and continue laughing and smiling during these times I don’t know. He kept his sense of humour to the end and as previously mentioned had 3 funeral rehearsal parties over the last few Christmas’s which many of you will have attended.

I am going to hand over to David Wreglesworth now another of Sean’s great friends to say a few words.

David:-

For those who don’t know me my name is David Wreglesworth and in this moment of great sadness it is an honour and privilege to pay tribute to my great friend Sean who I knew for 45 years. Today is about celebrating the fact that we have known Sean and remembering how he touched our lives.

It goes without saying that Sean was a good friend and touched the hearts of so many! (as witnessed by the numbers here today). Although we have known that Sean would not be with us for a long time losing him so quickly has shocked us all and our thoughts are with his sisters Christine and Carmel, his wider family and those friends who cared for him at his home.

Suffice it to say that over the years I was also privy to some very intimate details of his very complicated social and private life. I know that Sean has broken hearts and in return has had his own heart broken but somehow Sean has managed to remain friends with most of his partners and I am sure that we all extend our sympathies to all of the ladies in his life. …….

Perhaps there will be some of us here who will feel guilty at not getting to see him often enough and being unable to say goodbye…….. but the main thing is we are all here now to show our respect…….. because somewhere… somehow…. Sean touched all of our lives.

Fortunately, for the legal profession, the young Sean who was perhaps too great a RISK for the insurance business - However, through his own determination and hard work he proudly rose through the legal ranks to become a highly respected and accomplished solicitor with his own successful practice in Leeds.

In private, he had the respect of his peers; he was kind and generous and a man who could always be depended on. Whether you needed simple advice, a shoulder to lean on; a listener; if all you wanted was to pass the time of day and share a quick joke - he was your man ready, willing and good fun.

Don’t get me wrong - In no way could Sean be described as a stand up comedian but he had a great sense of humour and was always up for a laugh and a bit of mischief.

It wasn’t long after we first met in 1975 that Sean led me astray from out duties as Court Clerks at Skyrack and Wetherby Magistrates Court …or as we called it – Skylark and Wetherby!

For 10 years I shared a small office with Sean who, as my mentor, taught everything I needed know…… about wine, good pubs around Leeds, horse racing, how not to treat women, and the one true love of his life…. Hunslet RLFC.

We worked hard but we also played hard and very soon I found myself in a lot of pubs for extended lunch breaks; shopping at Makro for goods for his Dad, Albert’s, bakery; playing pool, darts or table tennis for hours on end at Wetherby Police Station and nipping off early for the odd round of golf……. In fact I believe that it was Sean and I that probably invented the concept of flexi-time!

We thought it very funny when we built an igloo around the car belonging to of one of our admin staff and went home. I am afraid Sandra, who owned the car, didn’t think it was quite as funny as us because it took her until 8 p.m. to break down its frozen walls and was able to go home!

Sean was positively the keenest…. but worst, golfer ever and provided two of the most hilarious moments in my life. The first being when we took part in the Wetherby police annual golf competition and Sean succumbed to the stress of the attention of 40 players watching him tee off. Swinging so hard that he missed the ball completely, both of his feet left the ground and were above his head before rolling over and over 30 feet downhill in mud at the side of the tee. ………

Again whilst playing golf at Wakefield Golf Club when under a tree Sean took a massive swing in the hope of reaching the green….. The club cut through the air with a mighty swoosh and then….silence…..the ball remained in situ but Sean was no longer holding a club!...... Paul Daniels could not have made that club disappear quicker!

When we climbed up off the floor having nearly ruptured ourselves laughing we commenced the search for his club…..it was nowhere to be found ….and then we saw it at the top of the tree directly above where Sean had been standing. Watching Sean climbing 40 feet up a tree to retrieve his club whilst swearing his head off was a sight those present will never forget!

Nor will I ever forget the time when he invited my wife and I to stay in one of his superb rented villas in Cala d’Or, Majorca. Having recently undergone heart surgery I was looking forward to some sun and relaxation. After our first day in the sun we retired to bed only to have the door almost kicked off the hinges with Sean standing in the doorway telling us to “Why don’t you two just EFF off back home”. Needless to say, the next day, Sean had no recollection of the incident but having survived the shock - I never let him forget it!

Over the years Sean and I made several efforts to persuade him to cut down on his financial support for the Majorcan vineyards and get back to full health.

I remember one occasion when I suggested that as he could afford it he should check himself into the Priory. To my surprise Sean said he had already considered it and had made enquiries. My hopes raised I enquired further - only to be told that he had discovered that the cost would be £3,500 and as that would equate to the cost of buying 847 bottles of Vina Sol it was no contest!

For the last few years Sean knew he was fighting a losing battle but his sense of humour still shone through. A professionally created banner announcing “Sean’s Annual Wake Anniversary” was hung outside his home to welcome guests to his party. Three such anniversaries were held, we partied and Sean was never happier than when he was surrounded by those friends in attendance. The last party was only on the 8^th December, Sean was in good form and being positive - none of us thought we would be here today.

Sean was such a caring and positive person he would not want us to be sad and I have no doubt that the mere thought of tears being shed for him would have resulted in a tirade of expletives and a demand for us all to cheer up and get a life.

I did ask Sean if he would like me to say anything for him when this occasion arose but he told me to “ F Off” so when thinking about finishing this eulogy with some appropriate sentimental prose all I could hear in the back of my mind was Sean saying “Do me a effing favour!”. So to close I would just like to say that Sean lived his life to the full and even though he may be gone, just remember we were lucky to have him in our lives and his memory will always live on.