Obituary: Ernest McCormick


Ernest started keeping bees in the mid-1970s in St Helens. in particular, he was fascinated by the bees skill and precision in making wax comb. He kept bees until he developed an allergy to the bee's sting. Despite two lengthy treatments, he was unable to develop tolerance to the venom and was forced to give up keeping bees. Even so, he continued to exhibit and win prizes, for as long as he had supplies of honeycomb, sections made by the bees and cut comb. He still exhibited wax, while its aroma lasted, and won prizes for mead and wine. He was an active committee member of the Liverpool Branch from early in his beekeeping career.

When the British Beekeepers Association created an Associate Judge exam in 1989 for those who wished to

judge small and regional shows, Ernest took it and passed and by 1991 he was listed as a Senior Judge.

In 1996 he became President of the Lancashire and NW Beekeepers Association and presented a new trophy for the Annual Honey Show, the Ernest McCormick President's Shield for the Branch that gained the highest number of points in the County show. By 1997/8 he was President, Exhibitions Officer and Delegate, both to the BBKA and to the National Honey Show.

One comment from a show secretary describes Ernest to a tee: Ernie was in a class of his own, a meticulous judge, quiet, honest and upright, and with no sense of a prima donna. He was a good man and we will be the poorer for his passing.

Ernest's funeral was truly a celebration of his life and showed a man with many sides, from the heartfelt eulogies of his brother and brother-in-law to the poem written by his two nieces depicting a former teacher, at ease with children and with an impish sense of humour. He will be missed.



Ernest was a wood work teacher at the Childwall school on Queens Drive. He developed allergies to bees so stopped keeping bees a long time ago. He did do a long course treatment over a number of years, but never kept bees again. He just concentrated on judging. His wife Jill was never in good health and was in and out of hospital all the time. Arthur Gillett.


I want to write on behalf of the National Honey Show, but do not want to put my foot in it. He was a lovely man and will be much missed.

I only knew Ernie through the National Honey Show, and I liked him enormously. As Secretary, I am used, as I am sure you are too, to the foibles and peculiarities of the people we invite, but Ernie was in a class of his own - a meticulous judge, quiet, honest and upright - and with no sense of a prima donna, wanting this wanting that - in other words a wretched nuisance. So, you can imagine how pleased I was whenever it was Ernie's turn to be invited. We always knew we would have a good job done, and no trouble caused.

I was grateful to him because he discovered a small hotel in Kensington, where I subsequently stayed happily during the National's days at the Town Hall there. I remember too the time when he pointed out to me the significance of the various possible spellings of his surname.

He was a good man, and we will be the poorer for his passing. With all good wishes

Francis Capener

Dr Andrew Todd


I am sad to inform you of the death this morning of Dr Andrew Todd, Chair of Preston Beekeepers. Andrew and Dorothy have been strong supporters of Lancashire for many years. They kept the Preston branch going at a time when nobody could/would take on the necessary posts, ran the honey show at the Royal Lancs Show and provided a venue for Central Council and AGM meetings.

Dorothy produced and printed the yearly handbook until her accident, and still prints it now for all the branches.

Would you pass on the news to those of your members who would have known Andrew.

There will be a service next Monday at 10 am at St James's Church, Slater Lane, Moss Side, then the Crematorium at Charnock Richard.


Sheila Myron Liverpool Beekeepers