Farmer takes his final tractor ride

GERALD COLLINS’S coffin is loaded on to the trailer, ready for his final journey

A SADDLEWORTH farmer made his final journey on a favourite tractor to his funeral attended by more than 200 people.

The coffin of Gerald Collins (80) travelled through Dobcross to Saddleworth Parish Church, Uppermill, on an adapted bale trailer towed by a David Brown 996 machine.

He was known as the man with the hook after he lost part of his left arm in an accident with a bailing machine 51 years ago.

Mr Collins lived with wife Margaret (74) and their son, John (36) — a former Man of Oldham — his wife, Joanne, and their two children at Doctor House Farm, Doctor Lane, Scouthead. They are the fourth generation of the Collins family to occupy the 88-acre farm.

John Collins who paid tribute to his father at the service, recalled: “It was said he was probably a better man with his hook than many a man with two hands.

“He was legend in the community and recognised far and wide for his good work and farming services. He was a very-forward thinking man who was always looking to make the farm a better and easier place.

“It was reckoned he brought mechanisation to the Saddleworth farming community and, from the 1950s, to the 1970s, was the main agricultural contractor in the area before diversifying into other businesses.

“His tractors — he owned a dozen at one time — were part of the legend.

“Dad was a familiar figure and his last wish was to be taken to Saddleworth Parish Church up Church Road — one of his favourite routes round the villages which he loved.

“We made a special rig to accommodate this coffin, pulled by the white-painted tractor which he bought and had driven from Kendal more than 20 years ago.”

John is conductor of Oldham Band Lees which played “Abide with Me”, Gerald’s favourite hymn, at the service conducted by the Rev Willi Nesbitt.

Gerald was later buried in the parish church cemetery in Gellfield Lane.