Hundreds wish Horace the 'best of luck' at funeral (From Times Series)

Hundreds wish North Finchley legend Horace White the 'best of luck' at funeral

2:35pm Tuesday 9th October 2012 in News By Chris Hewett

More than 400 people turned out to pay their respects to Finchley legend Horace White at his funeral this afternoon.

The sun shone at the Islington Cemetery, in High Road, East Finchley, where the popular 54-year-old was buried in front of a huge crowd of friends and family.

People travelled from across the country to say goodbye to the enigmatic figure, who was well known around the North Finchley for wishing people the “best of luck”.

Mourners cheered the now famous saying as Horace’s coffin was carried into the small chapel at 11.30am.

The open coffin was visited by each of the 400-strong congregation, who passed messages of condolence to Horace’s sister Selina.

A subsequent service that included memories and tributes to Finchley’s most famous face brought tears and laughter to those inside, as well as a 300-strong gathering listening on a PA system outside the chapel.

Reverend Michael Giles led the service with a nod to the headlines Horace made with his passing in local newspapers. The reading brought cheers from the congregation.

A floral tribute inside the hearse read ‘Legend’ – a word used to describe the High Road regular by thousands on a Facebook page set up in his memory.

A reading from Horace’s best friend Leon Nash, 37, was followed by the oration of a series of tributes left online and among flowers outside McDonald’s in Finchley High Road by well-wishers.

Also speaking at the service was former East Finchley Baptist Church reverend Michael Harley, who led the funerals of both Horace’s mother and father.

As the service ended, a roar of ‘three cheers for Horace’ rang out among the congregation before they made their way to his final burial place.