Posted on 01/04/2008 2:31:00 PM PST by blam
'Eleanor Rigby' sacrificed marriage for parents
By Gary Cleland, Sophie Borland and Richard Savill
Last Updated: 3:25pm GMT 04/01/2008
The real life Eleanor Rigby who died with no known surviving family was believed to have sacrificed marriage and children to look after her parents.
Olive Archer, who died aged 83, turned down a marriage proposal from an RAF officer out of a sense of duty, according to an acquaintance.
Olive Archer's funeral will now be well attended
The former beauty was the subject of an appeal by a local minister Rev Akasha Lonsdale who feared Miss Archer would have no mourners at her funeral.
Miss Archer's story echoed that of the 1966 Beatles' number one single "Eleanor Rigby", who "died in the church and was buried along with her name. Nobody came".
Today, however, Mrs Lonsdale said there had been a "heartwarming" response to her appeal for anyone who knew Miss Archer to come forward.
Childhood friends and former work colleagues have pledged to attend her funeral.
Miss Archer lived in the family home in Swindon, Wilts, looking after her parents until they died.
She later moved to a nursing home, where she died on Dec 20, without having had a visitor for five years.
She had a sister Lilian, who is believed to have died.
Mrs Lonsdale said: "By all accounts Olive was a very kind person. She was also a private person, but always said hello to people in the street.
"Perhaps as she grew older and had to care for her parents she lost the opportunity to get out and socialise. That was a common problem with that generation."
Derek Benfield, a former neighbour, who will give a eulogy at the funeral, recognized Miss Archer from her picture.
He said: "I found it very sad when I read that no-one would attend her funeral. Olive was 83, and I am 75, so there was an eight year difference between us growing up, but she lived four doors away.
"She was a very dear friend of my sister Eileen, who was the same age but is now dead, and the two of them went around together and enjoyed a bit of dancing and a bit of fun."
Mr Benfield, a former mayor of Swindon, who left the street in 1953, added: "She was absolutely beautiful. She had that 1940s look.
"My sister was a very attractive woman as well and when they used to go out together heads used to turn."
People who worked with Miss Archer when she was a checkout girl in the Co-op are among those who have pledged to attend the funeral.
Others who did not know Miss Archer, including readers of the Daily Telegraph who were touched by the appeal, have said they would like to attend or send flowers.
"It should now be quite a send off," said Mrs Lonsdale. "People have responded from across the country, and we have even had an offer of help from a genealogist in Vancouver who read the appeal on the internet."
She added: "There is a bigger social statement here.
"Everybody has a story to tell and if anybody had really bothered to get to know Olive better she would have had all kinds of stories to tell, but nobody took the time to do that.
"It is a really, really big shame and lots of old people must be in that predicament today. They don't have anybody to talk to or tell their stories to."
Miss Archer's funeral will take place at Semington Crematorium, Swindon, on Jan 14.
Following the funeral, there will be a show that night, for the benefit of Mr. Kite.
May she rest in Peace surrounded by the Love and Light of Our Lord,Amen.
“..for the benefit of Mr. Kite..”
I can’t explain it even to myself, but that dumb song has always been my favorite Beatles tune.
(shamefully LMAO!)
Will the Hendersons all be there?
> Will the Hendersons all be there?
Far out. Never saw that poster before.
Some of the details are blurry -- does it mention the hogshead of Real Fire?
Back on the thread, prayers for Miss Olive Archer, who sounds like she was a quite devoted and fine person.
Indeed it does. You can find a transcription of the entire text here, along with a picture of John and the poster and information about Mr. Kite and Pablo Fanque.
FYI: “Eleanor Rigby” was the only Beatles song where neither John, Paul, George nor Ringo played their instruments. All the music was provided by a string quartet.
Thanks. I didn't know that.
That song gave me a real love for the cello, and made me look more into classical music at the tender age of 13. It is still one of my very favorite Beatles’ song.
It would be kind of cool if Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr showed up at the funeral.
Olive was so beautiful. Rest in peace and know that you inspired many of us.
bump
That would be neat.
LOL :)
Not quite — no Beatles played on “She’s Leaving Home,” “Within You Without You,” “The Inner Light,” or “Goodnight.” However, “Eleanor Rigby” was the *first* where no Beatles played instruments.
String quartet. Never knew. Thanks.
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