James Ramsden (1923-2020)

This column breaks new ground with the virtual funeral in Harrogate of James Ramsden. The last British Secretary of State for War, he succeeded John Profumo after the revelations about Profumo’s affair with Christine Keeler in 1963. He is the first former Cabinet Minister whose life has been celebrated with an online service.

A select group attended Harrogate Crematorium, with many more watching screens at home. Prayers and psalms were read aloud; it was all over in 20 minutes.

Ramsden was working for the family brewery in Halifax when he became MP for Harrogate in 1954, serving until 1974. He joined the Cabinet at the precocious age of 39, but the War Ministry was soon dropped following the Profumo scandal. He went to the MOD in 1964, until the Tories were defeated in that October’s election.

He was never a grouse-shooting Tory but was very keen on hunting, preferring it to being in Whitehall. He became joint master of the Bedale Hunt in 1959, but resigned on becoming a minister. In 1962, he formed the West of Yore, to hunt when Parliament did not sit.

From 1988, he chaired the Hackfall Trust, restoring 18th-century dingles in woodland between Ripon and Masham, created by William Aislabie. He made a new weathervane for Mickley Church and, in latter years, spent much of his time reprogramming computers.

‘Thank you for joining us, the very few of us, on this extraordinary moment in our lives when we come to commit our father’s body to be cremated and to pray for his soul. In the 20 minutes allowed, we will gather together the strands of his life and give thanks to God for them,’ said Ramsden’s son Tom.

‘Central to Father’s life was his strong belief in God. It founded his love of family and place, his instinct for what is right, his charitable work and his love of the countryside. He felt hunting was good for the body and soul. He approached his passions for beekeeping, woodwork, forestry, fishing and fly-tying with single-minded intensity, knew that they were healing and helped to calm his active mind.’

Some of Ramsden’s wood carvings were on display during the service.