A Service of Thanksgiving to God for the life of Sir Thomas Dunne was held this afternoon (Friday 2 May) in Hereford Cathedral and was attended by Her Majesty The Queen, who was also representing The King, and representatives for five other Members of the Royal Family, together with a large congregation of family and friends.
Two trumpeters of the Household Cavalry played a fanfare at the arrival of The Queen and Hereford Cathedral Choir led the offering of music.
Sir Thomas, who died on 6 January at the age of 91, was the Chairman of the Association of the Lord-Lieutenants. He served as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford & Worcester from 1977, and then from 1998 he became the Lord-Lieutenant of both Herefordshire and Worcestershire after the two counties were restored.
He retired from the latter role in 2001 but continued his duties as the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire until his retirement in 2008. He also served as the first Chairman of the Cathedral Council from its inception in 2001.
In 1995 Sir Thomas was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and then in 2008 he was appointed as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
Today’s service was an opportunity for those who knew Sir Thomas to give thanks for his lifetime of service to the Crown and the Church, and to ask God’s blessing upon Lady Dunne and her family in their bereavement. Readings were given by Edward Harley CBE, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, the Dean of Hereford, The Very Revd Sarah Brown and by each of Sir Thomas’ three surviving sons and daughter, Philip Dunne, Milly Soames and Nicky Dunne. The tribute was given by his son-in-law Rupert Soames OBE.
Lady Dunne said: “Thomas always felt that he didn’t warrant a memorial service because he didn’t think people would come. If we did end up arranging a service in the Cathedral, he thought it might possibly happen in the Lady Chapel. Well today was quite astonishing. He would have been very touched by the immense turnout, as are we all. All my family are so grateful to the Dean and Chapter for making it possible. I would particularly like to thank the Precentor, Canon Andrew Piper, who knew my husband well and was the architect of today’s unforgettable service.”
Lady Dunne added: “I enjoyed wearing a hat that was bought by Thomas’s grandmother in the 1920s from the shop then known as ‘the Harrods of Hereford’, Greenlands department store.”
May Thomas rest in peace and rise in glory.
