Video: Smoker Dick
Whittamore's last message to town

by Graham Tutthill

A former Dover shopkeeper who was adamant being a heavy smoker
resulted in his death got his message across as he went to his
grave.

Dick Whittamore suffered from emphysema and had to use a
motorised wheelchair to get around in his later years.

So when he died, he left instructions with the undertaker that
signs should be displayed in his hearse stating smoking had
killed him and, hopefully, urging others - especially young people
- to give it up.

Mr Whittamore had lived in Dover since he was
10-years-old, and worked at the former Hippodrome Theatre in the
town before it was damaged in the war and subsequently
demolished.

He then ran his own shop, doing small printing and duplicating
jobs and selling raffle tickets, bingo cards and fancy goods.

When he died he was 85.

Undertaker Paul Sullivan carried out Mr Whittamore's wishes on
Tuesday by putting the signs in the hearse, and driving it on a
route around Dover for which Mr Whittamore had given him
details.

Speaking before the funeral, Mr Sullivan said: "He wanted to do
his bit to get the message across to people about the health
problems which smoking can cause."

The funeral route included Dover seafront and Snargate Street
where, as instructed by Mr Whittamore, the
hearse paused for one minute at the site of the former
Hippodrome Theatre.

It then went on through the town centre to St Mary's Cemetery,
where he was laid to rest.