Popular gypsy Sissy Smith's funeral: 'Let's eat loads, drink loads and dance loads'

After his mother Mary "Sissy" Smith's funeral, son Joe has praised Hanworth locals for "welcoming" the hundreds who attended on Wednesday (April 11).

Huge crowds arrived in South Road at around midday for "party girl" Sissy's spectacular gypsy funeral parade, which saw seven trucks of floral tributes and 10 black Mercedes limos make their way from her former home to St Richard's Church for the service.

Following the funeral, the same procession headed to Hounslow Cemetery where Sissy was buried to a soundtrack of her favourite anthems and raised glasses all around - even the vicar was said to have had a Guinness.

Speaking to getwestlondon a day after his mother was laid to rest, Mr Smith said: "She had a great day, we were so pleased with everything. I've been back to visit her flowers and they look fantastic."

Floral tributes to Sissy Smith

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He added: "At the graveside initially I was very emotional but I grabbed myself together and I looked around at the crowds.

"Everybody was really somber because they were all in fear of upsetting the immediate family and stuff.

"And then I said to them 'We might be sad but you don't need to, please step forward we have 400 beers here or so, please step forward, grab a Guinness or a lager and don't be shy and don't be sad'.

"She was a party girl, so we had the whole cemetery, including the vicar, drinking a Guinness - how good is that."

Mr Smith thanked the Hanworth Royal British Legion Club for welcoming 400 guests to an "absolutely rocking" wake where jellied eels and cockles were eaten and plenty of dancing took place.

He said: "We had about 400 people back at the wake and tons of buffet food, traditional London food like jellied eels and cockles. all that sort of stuff.

"Mum was from Essex Road, east London, and we're from west London, so it was quite traditional of us to get tucked into the jellied eels and cockles and that went down well.

"And we continued with the music and her favourite songs. And at the end of it the girls got absolutely rocking - there must have been a good 30 to 40 girls in the middle of the floor, up on the tables and chairs it was fantastic. We just couldn't have asked for any more."

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"It went on until about midnight and we were very well welcomed at the British Legion Club, in a nutshell it was fantastic.

"The wake was like the funeral, it all went as planned, people couldn't have asked for much more than let's eat loads, drink loads and dance loads and talk about old times.

"Local people, some of mum and dad's old friends, were on the committee of the legion and they were very welcoming.

"I think I did the right thing saying let's celebrate her life - that's what she would have wanted. And if she was outside looking in she would have had a Guinness and a dance at the graveside too."