The woman who died unknown... but not unloved
It’s a mystery as intriguing as any TV drama: how could this lady’s body wash up on the shore but NOBODY know who she was? Two strangers who stepped in to give her a proper funeral are determined to find the answer . . .
mystery that galvanised everyone touched by her story.
on Christina’s social media pages, she has recorded all the companies who didn’t need to be asked twice to donate for the unknown lady’s funeral. one post shows a Waitrose receipt for flowers with the words ‘It’s on Us’.
Another shows a picture of her grave marker, donated by Treasured Memories. Interflora and other florists donated flowers.
Sarah Taylor was another of those who contacted Christina — through funeral directors haine & Son in Polegate, East Sussex, who also waived their costs — offering to help. Sarah then threw herself into spreading the word.
At the beginning of this year Sarah, a mother of two, spent five months in hospital after flu left her unable to keep food down. Most of the people on her ward were elderly and had no family. She says she watched three die with only herself to comfort them, an experience that made her all the more sensitive to this story.
‘I was so dismayed that this lady had no one. The council was arranging her funeral, so I thought: “I’ve just got to let other people know,” ’ says Sarah, who used her 90-minute daily train commute to London to spread awareness.
‘I went on every Facebook group I belong to — ones about dogs in East Sussex, items for sale, cakemaking — then set up an event page for the funeral.
‘I tried to ensure as many people as possible turned up. I thought there might be around 20, so it was incredibly moving when I saw more than 100.
‘Most of them were in their 50s, but there were younger people there, too, and one mum with a two-year-old came.’
of course, no one knows whether the unknown woman was religious, so a graveside service was conducted by celebrant Martin Ellis, followed by a few words from Sarah. others read poetry, and th they finished by singing Leonard C Cohen’s hallelujah.
Around 30 people then attended a wake at The george hotel, hailsham, sh where Sarah and another w woman had paid for the food.
Martin Ellis recalls: ‘No one death is more tragic than another, but this was very unusual.
‘Everyone could relate to the th thought that this lady was likely al alone and in a very dark place when she died. They didn’t want her to be alone at her funeral.’
If her family do eventually come forward, Sarah hopes they will find comfort in the memorial book she has created, which contains messages of condolence taken from the floral tributes, pressed flowers and a DVD of the service.
It is in the safekeeping of the police, ready for collection when someone identifies the artist’s impression. There is little more either she or Christina can do, but Sarah has not given up.
‘having been at the funeral, I don’t think I can stop. There’s a police description, an e-fit and the necklaces. Someone, somewhere, must recognise them,’ says Sarah, who hopes to have the police appeal translated into several languages and spread worldwide.
She also wants to launch a campaign to persuade celebrities to take up the cause.
‘People are so transient. her family may have no idea what has happened to her. All I hope is that one day they’ll come forward and give her a name.
‘I hope they understand what people did for her, and take some comfort that she didn’t go alone.’
IF you have information about the unknown lady, ring Sussex police on 101, quoting CaD604, date 4/7/17.