“Colourful” send off for “one of a kind”

Thursday 20 July 2017

It was a funeral and a wake, the like of which will probably never be seen in the Island again, but David Gainsborough Roberts wasn’t your normal islander.

In the words of best selling author, Harry Patterson - who writes under the name Jack Higgins – David was “one of a kind."

The famed memorabilia collector who died last month aged 73, was described by life-long friend Fiona Walker as a “distinctive eccentric” who “wouldn’t fade into the background." He was an imposing figure: well over six foot tall, with long-flowing grey hair, and always distinctively dressed. Mourners had been strictly told not to wear black tie.

Pictured: As one of Jersey's best-loved characters, David was honoured as the subject of the People's Portrait in 2015, which was painted by artist Benjamin Sullivan (right).

His coffin – with his trademark cowboy hat on top – was brought into St Brelade’s church to the theme tune from the western, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. David was an avid film buff and for many years was the patron of the Jersey Film Club. Each season he’d choose and introduce a film and would often would often hand out items from his collection to the audience. But he didn’t just limit himself to collecting items linked with the Wild West, he often dressed the part. Along with his hat he’d sometime wear a bootlace tie, tasselled buckskin jacket, and snake skin boots.

But it was David’s collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia that made him world-famous, and sat in one of the front pews next to the coffin was a Marilyn Monroe look alike. At the wake at the L’Horizon she later entertained the audience singing two cover versions of Marilyn’s songs, including adapting one so it became “David is a Girl’s Best Friend." 

Pictured: David with a lookalike of his favourite film star, Marilyn.

Before coming back to live in the Island in the 1970s David lived the high life in London and was affectionately called The Canary because of a distinctive yellow suit he used to wear. It’s claimed David inspired the Kinks to write Dedicated Follower of Fashion – so it was apt the coffin was taken out of the church to the distinctive strains of this 60s classic. The congregation tapped their feet and clapped their hands in memory of a man who’d brought so much joy to so many people.