Published at 10:37, Saturday, 19 May 2012

FAST MOVER: Bishop John Satterthwaite

THE memories Page article by Allan Hodgson on April 17 about the priests and professors produced by Millom struck a chord with a Lancashire man.

The family of Mr P.A Beck, of Gillett Street, Preston, has had a long association with Bishop John Sattethwaite, who grew up at the Green, in the Millom area.

Mr Beck’s father, Colin Beaumont Beck, was a cousin and childhood playmate of the bishop.

As lads they got into all sorts of scrapes and adventures including the occasional mission to investigate local orchards.

Mr Beck said: “My dad was caught but John was elusive and quicker off the mark.

“My dad proclaimed that ‘God looks after his own’.”

The former bishop of Gibraltar, Morocco and the old Soviet Union attended his cousin’s funeral in 2000.

Mr Beck had been a train driver for 40 years, working on steam, diesel and electric locomotives.

He had been born in Millom, lived in Haverigg and settled after marriage in Barrow.

His son said: “The presence of a bishop gives some distinction to the proceedings.”

Bishop Satterthwaite joined the congregation at the Barrow funeral but had offered to preside at the service.

The bishop retired in 1993 and now lives at Carlisle.

His sister was the former Millom councillor Bessie Schiff.

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