Last Word

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Factual: Life Stories

Radio 4's weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

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Last Word: Iris Apfel, Colin Murray Parkes, Baroness Henig, Jim Lawrence

Iris Apfel, Colin Murray Parkes, Baroness Henig, Jim Lawrence

BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, Iris Apfel, Colin Murray Parkes, Baroness Henig, Jim Lawrence

Matthew Bannister on a designer, a psychiatrist, a politician and a sail maker.

Matthew Bannister on designer Iris Apfel, psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes, politician Baroness Henig and sail maker Jim Lawrence.

Matthew Bannister on

Iris Apfel the colourful fashion and interior designer whose own dress sense made an impact until her death aged 102.

Dr Colin Murray Parkes, the psychiatrist once described as “the David Attenborough of the bereavement world.”

Baroness Henig, the deputy House of Lords Speaker who was a historian and expert on the security industry.

Jim Lawrence who became skipper of a Thames sailing barge aged eighteen and went on to set up a successful sail making business in Essex.  

Interviewee: Dame Zandra Rhodes
Interviewee: Laura Higginson
Interviewee: Debbie Kerslake
Interviewee: David Henig
Interviewee: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering   
Interviewee: Simon Devonshire KC

Producer: Catherine Powell

Archive used:
Iris Apfel on BBC Radio 4 “Woman's Hour” 31/07/2015; Colin Murray Parkes on BBC Radio 4 “Word of Mouth -  The Language of Bereavement and Grief” 14/01/23; BBC Wales “Aberfan 2 days after the disaster” 24/10/1966; BBC News 20/09/2001; St Thomas Church Memorial Service, BBC New Special, BBC, 20/09/2001; Colin Murray Parkes courtesy: Cruse Bereavement Support, YouTube 23/09/2019; Baroness Henig on Woman's Hour - 20/10/2011; House of Lords 08/11/23; Parliamentlive.tv. BBC Parliament “Levelling up and Regeneration” 6/9/24; Jim Lawrence: Jim Lawrence singing, “The Singing Bargee”, Paul Desmond, YouTube 14/11/2012; Jim Lawrence Recalls His Early Days, Paul Desmond, YouTube uploaded 14 Nov 2012

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