Tributes paid to Northampton town legend, Fitzy, as sun shines down on final farewell at Market Square

Hundreds of people 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, since he was just a 12 year old boy.

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 before being taken to All Saints Church for his service and later to Kingsthorpe Cemetery where he was buried.

Fitzy's son, Joe, gave a 10-minute speech at the Market Square in which he paid tribute to his dad, who died suddenly on Friday, November 4 at the age of 72.

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 visited 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.

He said: "I think my dad thought that Logan [Chron reporter] had his corner and he could sort of sense what was going on with the market, so I would like to thank Logan for giving us a bit of coverage down the market. Eamonn was massively into local journalism, so let that continue."

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 continued: "Eamonn had two wishes, which were: to keep working until he dropped, and that he wasn't going down to that car park. Sadly, he's got his two wishes.

"My dad used this microphone for a 'Save The Market' campaign, which run for six months through the summer. He got more than 15,000 signatures. These signatures were presented to the council. The council's reply was, 'you've got 16,000 signatures but there's another 100,000-plus people in the town who did not sign the petition.

"Still to this day there is not a date for us to move down to that car park. A market place without people isn't a market. I think there is no leadership at The Guildhall at the minute. Let there be a grey cloud over The Guildhall today."

Joe went on to thank 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 to the tune of one of Fitzy's favourite songs, Dirty Old Town by The Pogues.

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

Joe added: "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."

A wonderful service led by Father Oliver Coss then took place at a packed out All Saints Church.

One of Fitzy's employees got up and paid tribute to his old boss and friend.

He said: "I want to say a few words that I hope represent the feelings of people who have worked for and with Fitzy over the years. Working on the market isn't a job, it's a way of life, a life that Fitzy loved. He was never happier than when he was on the stall serving his people, that's how he viewed his customers, the people of Northampton were his people.

"Fitzy has served generations of families over the years, many becoming friends. His favourite saying was, 'your first loss is your best loss...we can't always win in life'.

"Many of us here have worked for Fitzy... he instilled a good working ethic. A lot of us became extended family, although we didn't realise it at the time, looking back you get that feeling of an older brother or an uncle watching over you.

"The one lesson Fitzy never taught us was how to eat a breakfast properly. You always knew what he had that morning for breakfast because it would be on his chin, his shirt. The 72 year old man who never mastered the art of eating a runny egg.

"His last lesson was: if you truly love something, fight for it. Nobody can accuse Fitzy of not doing that. 700 years of tradition was not lost on him. He was proud to be the market's flag bearer, its champion.

"People here have lost a father, a brother, an uncle and a friend, but I also feel Northampton market has lost its heart."

Rest in peace, Fitzy.