Founded 1980
Chair:        
Secretary: 
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Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


Brian Emes 2022
Brian Emes 1990
Deputy Director General
Eulogy: Presented by Dominic Emes

Funerals are by nature sad affairs but in the case of Brian it is as much a celebration of a long and fulfilled life. Brian was nearly ninety on his passing, and by anybodys measure he succeeded in filling these years with an exciting childhood, highly decorated career and active retirement.

Brian was born in North London in 1933 and as so many of his generation, spent his formative years under the blitz of the second world war. He would regularly regale us and his grandchildren with stories of life in London at the time. Collecting spent ordnance from the streets, watching the squadrons of planes overhead or sleeping in the bomb shelter built by his father in the basement of their house.

After his secondary education, Brian was awarded a place at the LSE University to study Sociology, but his attendance was postponed as he had to undertake National Service. However, unlike many of his compatriots, Brian was spared two years of mundane uniformed service due to a misunderstanding by the recruiting staff. On seeing that Brian·s initials were B A Emes, they believed he must already be in possession of a BatchIor of Arts degree and so he was posted to Berlin for two years to teach soldiers English and Maths. He was to arrive during the partition of the city by the four powers and was to experience life around checkpoint Charlie.

On his return from Berlin, Brian undertook his course and it was whilst at university that he met a fellow Sociology student. The rest as they say is history and Marion and Brian were married in 1962.

After graduating, because of his interest in the rehabilitation of offenders, Brian joined the prison service. His rise through the ranks was rapid and so followed a normadic lifestyle for his family as we travelled from prison to prison across the UK. However, such a lifestyle ensued we were never bored and we were kept amused by Brian·s antidotes of prison life. One such, was the time that having just arrived at Wormwood Scrubs prison, Brian declined the invite to visit Blake, the soviet spy and a recent inmate. A wise decision as it proved, since Blake escaped that same day.

Brian’s career continued to flourish and he was soon appointed the youngest class 1 governor in the service. This was followed by Regional director and Brian reluctantly retired just before his 60th birthday as a Senior Director of the prison service.

A career on the road had at least prepared Brian for choosing his retirement location. Having been posted to Yorkshire on a number of occasions, he had fallen in love with the county.

Brian quickly settled into retirement, he split his time between his four main passions: travel, gardening , ornithology and working in the community. Marion and Brian spent many years travelling to far flung parts of the globe, more than once to the consternation of their children as they seemed to have a penchant for war zones or areas that would soon become war zones on their departure.

Brian thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Haxby community and joined many local groups such as Victim support, the Breakfast club and the Third world group. He also particularly enjoyed participating in the life of this church.

Brian led a life of compassionate service, he will be greatly missed by his family and to all whose life he touched.

May he rest in peace.

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