Sir Norman Wisdom loved having jokes with fellow residents on the island Every resident in the Isle of Man has received an invitation to Sir Norman Wisdom’s funeral to be held later.
With a population of more than 80,000 and a host of family, friends and high-profile names descending, St George’s Church is expected to be packed out.
The cherished comic passed away on 4 October, aged 95.
His son Nicholas said: “I think he regards everyone in the Isle of Man as his friend, there’s a great warmth between him and the Manx people.”
Sir Norman’s coffin will be brought via Douglas promenade to St George’s Church off Westmoreland Road in the heart of the city on a horse-drawn hearse.
The London-born comedian, best known for his hapless onscreen character Norman Pitkin in the 1960s, has lived on the island for the past three decades.
“I can’t think of anyone on the island that hasn’t been touched by the presence of Sir Norman Wisdom”
Kevin Woodford Friend of Sir Norman Wisdom
Hundreds of residents are preparing to pay their tributes to the star.
One of them was the local ice-cream maker, George Davison.
“He opened the parlour for us when we refurbished the place and we gave him a letter of consent to come and have ice-cream when he wanted, free of charge.”
Another couple who remember him fondly are his friends, Enid and Malcolm Watson.
“We had a petrol station at the time and he used to go out on the forecourt and start serving the customers.
Nicholas Wisdom said his father loved the Manx people, and they loved him back “We would dash out and say, ‘Norman, you can’t be doing that,’ and the customers would often do a double take and say, ‘you look like Norman Wisdom’.
“To which he would reply, ‘do I?’.”
Sir Norman was known worldwide. He was particularly beloved in Albania where he was so revered that he was given Freedom of the City in the country’s capital, Tirana.
Mourners will be able to pay tribute as the cortege starts at the Onchan end of Douglas Promenade at 1335 BST before reaching St George’s for the funeral at 1400 BST.
Local chef and good friend of the comic, Kevin Woodford, added: “He was riding along on his scooter from the north to the south of the island and he would see a little old lady waiting to cross the road so he would stop to have a chat.
“I can’t think of anyone on the island that hasn’t been touched by the presence of Sir Norman Wisdom.”
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