In Loving Memory

This is a classic British comedy. It's about an undertakers business run by Auntie Ivy ( Thora Hird ) and her nephew, Billy Unsworth ( Christopher Beeny).

The pilot episode featured Freddie Jones as Jeremiah Unsworth ( Ivy's husband). He died in that episode and Ivy took over when the series proper began. The early series were excellent but the later ones became weaker particularly after Billy got married. The location filming practically disappeared at this point and was studio bound, which caused the series to lose a lot of its appeal and charm.

It was filmed in the village of Luddenden near Halifax in West Yorkshire.

When i was a nipper i used to watch this particular British comedy every week. It's about an Aunt (Thora Hird) and her nephew (Christopher Beeny) who run an undertaker business in Lancashire in the twenties and thirties. Thora Hird plays a religious, old fashioned over bearing and bossy woman who is always nagging at her nephew Billy. Billy is in his late twenties or early thirties and is single because he is an undertaker and that kind of occupation isn't what you would call a chick magnet so he always has trouble getting and keeping girlfriends especially with his Aunt Ivy on the prowl ready to split up any tongue action she might catch Billy doing. Infact she would rather not have him with any women PERIOD! And that is where the humour lies, Billy sneaking around behind her back and if i can remember rightly he does more than snog a few women ;o)

'In Loving Memory' is very similar to 'Last Of The Summer Wine' and does have that gentle approach to it but it isn't as goody goody as 'Last Of The Summer Wine'. Thora Hird is truly fantastic and funny with her wise cracking quips and the expressions she makes when Billy gets the best of her. I havn't seen this for a few years because it's been awhile since it was repeated. It may be showing somewhere on Sky but i havn't come across it. I don't think i've seen the original pilot so that's something for me to watch out for. If anybody has a chance to watch 'In Loving Memory' then i advise you do so especially if you like watching British comedies.

I saw 'In Loving Memory' many years ago and would love to see it again but it never seems to figure in the TV listings, nor seems to be available in either Video or DVD format. Does anyone know where, or indeed when this ageless and most superb comedy will again be available for viewing. The plot, centred on the misadventures of a Yorkshire undertaker, is so well written, and humorously delivered by Thora Hird - as Ivy Unsworth, the undertaker's widow, Christopher Beeny - as Billy Henshaw, her hapless nephew and Colin Farrell as Ernie Hadfield, his wayward friend. I'm certain that any re-run this hilarious and timeless series would be most eagerly taken up and much appreciated by members of the viewing public.

'In loving memory' is a show that if you watch ITV3 very early in the morning you'll catch.

Is it worth watching though? Yes, if you accept the fact that it's very much of its time. I was surprised to not see Roy Clarke's name attached because it's very much of his ilk. Slow paced, character driven comedy. But it is slow, and that for me is why I can't say i'd rush to watch it again. There are so many gaps between laughs amongst the studio audience at times you forget it's even a sitcom.

In this age of revisiting classic comedies this one is never mentioned as a possibility, and for me with good reason. It was alright, not spectacular comedy, and very much of its time.