Auction of Eric Morecambe’s Belongings Signifies ‘End of an Era’

An auction will feature a previously unseen collection of items owned by the renowned comedian Eric Morecambe. These showbiz mementos and personal belongings, originating from Brachefield, the comedian’s former residence in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, are being offered for sale following the death of his widow, Joan, at 97 years old in March. Among the items in the collection are telegrams sent by the late Prince Philip, alongside correspondence from Margaret Thatcher and fellow comedians Ronnie Barker and Tommy Cooper. Gail Stuart, Morecambe’s daughter, residing in Northamptonshire, commented that the past year had been an “interesting year” for her and her siblings, accompanied by a “real sense of it being the end of an era”. Eric Morecambe first encountered his comedy partner, Ernie Wise, in 1940 when he was 14. Despite being separated during wartime, they went on to establish a lasting double-act. After numerous challenging years performing in theatres, they achieved success in television, with their 1977 Christmas special attracting an audience of 28 million viewers. In January, Hansons Auctioneers, located in Derbyshire, will present Morecambe’s possessions across 700 lots, over four decades after his passing in 1984. The comedian’s three children, Gail, Gary, and Steven, are providing fans with the chance to acquire some of his personal effects. Notable items include his spectacles, the piano he used for practice, a portrait of the star created by royal portrait artist Richard Stone, joke books with annotations, and numerous sketch concepts. Gary Morecambe, a 58-year-old author based in London, stated that the family was “genuinely excited” regarding the auction of their parents’ possessions accumulated over a lifetime. He further mentioned that witnessing the memorabilia find new owners signifies a conclusive end to a remarkable period that, as he put it, “for Gail and I at least, began in the 1950s”. He added: “I think what makes it such a unique occasion, and such a momentous time in our lives, is that our mother barely touched anything in the house after our father’s death. “Hence we have had everything quite literally under the same roof for 56 years.” Gary Morecambe also reflected: “When thinking about my father, it’s always easy to contemplate the great comedian he unquestionably was to the detriment of the other side of his life – the home-loving man, who had a serious passion for the natural world.” Ms Stuart, 71, also commented that during her upbringing, she was unaware of how fortunate her childhood was, surrounded by such material possessions and “special individuals…our parents”. She continued: “Both had great gifts, both made their lives about family, both were always kind, humble, honest. Both received an OBE. All my memories are in glorious Technicolor.” Ms Stuart further elaborated: “We grew up sharing Dad with the British people, the amazing fans. It wasn’t until Dad died that I realised the affection for Dad and for Morecambe and Wise ran so deep.” Victoria Sheppard, a sale manager at Hansons, described entering Brachefield following Mrs Morecambe’s death as akin to entering a “shrine” dedicated to Eric, calling the experience “truly magical”. She noted: “Fascinating finds include loving letters from Eric’s parents and a poignant message from Ernie Wise revealing how close the pair came to splitting up…thankfully that never happened.” The collection is scheduled to be offered for sale on 10 and 11 January, with its catalogue becoming available online on 1 December. Information concerning Beds, Herts and Bucks news is accessible on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Details regarding its approach to external linking are available.