In the early 2000s I attended a Church Monuments Society tour in the south of England. At one particular church, the leader of the tour called upon a smartly dressed gentleman to talk about two specific monuments. That man was Dr Julian Litten. During the dialogue between him and the tour participants he made reference to the Newman Brothers funerary furnishings factory in Birmingham that had recently closed, eulogising about its importance and lamenting its loss. After this tour I attended at least two tours led by him, and delivered in his rare gentle but assertive way. If there was a burial vault (either with access or just an air vent to the outside) a smile would break on his face, and his enthusiasm would rise, reigned only by his gentle manner.
In 2003 he appeared on BBC2 making an appearance on “Restoration”, a competition between nominated potential heritage sites, stating the case for the preservation of the Coffin Works’ site.
On the most recent CMS tour of his that I attended, I told him that I had become a guide at the Coffin Works. He responded with the words “Oh, I envy you…”. He smiled, so I assume that he meant it. Let’s face it, Julian was a very busy man.
Julian died on the morning of Saturday 19th October 2024.
He has often related to how as a student he fell through the floor of a fire-damaged church into a vault. He took an interest, recorded what he could and was subsequently sought after by many churches to do the same thing for them. He even became an author on the subject, writing essays and books. The rest they say, is history.
Julian was involved in many organisations, many related to his core subject. He was President of the Church Monuments Society from 2001 to 2006, and was still a CMS council member until his passing.
For the Coffin Works, Julian provided valuable information about the use of Newman Brothers coffin furniture for royal funerals, including those of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. He also provided presentation for the videos that we use in our display area.
Finally, I must apologise to the memory of Dr Julian Litten for what might look a bit like an obituary. He made it very clear that he didn’t want one! (this didn’t stop the Daily Telegraph though). So what you have just read is a blog from one man, who felt the greatest respect for a man of great character, the like of which he doesn’t expect to see again.
God rest you Julian.
Robin Draper, Coffin Works’ volunteer
