Hundreds gathered in the Market Square on Wednesday morning (December 7) to pay their respects to town legend Eamonn 'Fitzy' FitzpatrickHundreds gathered in the Market Square on Wednesday morning (December 7) to pay their respects to town legend Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick
Hundreds gathered in the Market Square on Wednesday morning (December 7) to pay their respects to town legend Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick

In pictures: Hundreds gather in Northampton town centre to pay final farewell to town and Market Square legend, Fitzy

"We had to bring him back here for one final time”

Hundreds gathered in Northampton Market Square this morning (Wednesday) to celebrate the life of town legend Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick.

Fitzy's final farewell took place on a beautiful sunny morning at the market stall where he had been selling fruit and veg from for 60 years.

His coffin, which had his famous yellow cap sat proudly on top of it, was driven past his stall and through the market for the final time at around 11.30am.

Fitzy's son, Joe, gave a 10-minute speech in which he paid tribute to his late dad, who died suddenly on Friday, November 4.

Joe said: "Your favourite market trader, a pound a bowl master, the petition king, now a Northampton Market legend.

"We had to bring him back here for one final time, mainly for his town centre people. You people are the reason he never retired. That's why he kept working, he enjoyed coming down here talking with people, having a cuppa tea, he just enjoyed being down here. He used to say, 'why am I going to retire when I can come to the market and talk to 100 people a day?"

Joe went on to recount the day after his dad's death when he went to visit the market and found floral tributes and notes left for Fitzy.

"It made the day easier. I would just like to thank everyone for their kind words, text messages, letters, cards, calls, having them really does help," he said.

Joe went on to thank the Chronicle and Echo for our coverage of Fitzy's 'Save The Market' campaign.

Fitzy managed to get 16,000 signatures on his 'Save The Market' physical petition, which aimed to stop West Northants Council moving all traders to Commercial Street Car Park for two years during £8.4 million refurbishment works to the market.

Joe also thanked a nurse called Tammy who looked after his dad in Northampton General Hospital in his final hours. He said: "She made my dad's final hours comfortable. She did brilliantly."

The heart-warming gathering ended with the sale of fresh fruit and veg, with all proceeds to be donated to Fitzy's favourite charity, The Lowdown in Northampton.

Joe said: "If he was here he'd want this sold. If anyone wants to buy anything, let's sell it. He'd hate to see it packed away! All the profits will be given to The Lowdown charity, which Fitzy has supported over the years."

Customers flocked to buy fresh fruit and veg while one of Fitzy's favourite songs 'Dirty Old Town', by The Pogues, played in the background.

"It's a love song, not to a woman, but to a place," Joe said.

Fitzy's coffin was then taken to All Saints Church for his memorial service before being taken to Kingsthorpe Cemetery to be buried.

Rest in peace, Fitzy.

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