Looking beyond
I TOLD YOU I WAS ILL reveals that Spike Milligan's daughter
Jane would like to see a foundation set up in honour of
her father - to continue his legacy for many years to come.
Jane says, "Since he died, there has been a lot written
about Spike and, as his child, I have found most of it to
be very loving and sympathetic but some of it to be misinformed
and inaccurate. Of course there are many aspects to him
that people never knew that would be worth writing or talking
about.
"My father was an extremely compassionate man, who
cared a great deal about the future of the planet. There
are many people who were affected by him or influenced by
him who have pieces of Spike in their lives. We are involved
in the film and this web site to help create a clearer and
more accurate picture of this extraordinary man, who he
was and what he did in his life, why his legacy is so important
and why his huge body of work should not be forgotten...
"Spike Milligan was not just a human being, he was
a way of life. He had three children from his first marriage
to June Marlowe – Laura, Sean and Sile. I am the only
child from his second marriage to Patricia Ridgeway, who
was known as Paddy. He had not children from his marriage
to his third wife Shelagh Sinclair. Family was everything
to Spike. He loved his children very much and would tell
us at every available opportunity.
"The four children have always remained very close
and connected. After Spike died the family were devastated
by the events that unfolded.
"My father was a wonderfully complicated man and,
not surprisingly, since he died things have been very difficult.
The family home has been broken up and at the moment the
future remains undecided. This is a situation we are all
working to resolve for the good of everyone who loved Spike.
My sisters Laura, Sile and I have decided to open our family
archive and tell the story of Spike as we knew him and the
places and things that really mattered to him. Our brother
Sean supports us but his fragile health prevented him from
being in the film.
"Our home in Rye, where Dad lived until he died, was
a re-creation of the family homes we had grown up in. Everything
in the house had a story, a connection to Dad and our lives
with him, our history, our ancestors’ history - mum,
dad and grandparents.
"The house has sadly now been emptied and is in the
process of being sold. Mementoes from our childhoods were
left in the garage and the attic, so we took a trip down
to collect them.
"I have known Shelagh since I was 12 years old but,
sadly, since my father died she will only communicate with
the family through a lawyer. This devastates me. If we can
resolve this situation, we can concentrate on what is important,
which is to celebrate this great man's life and work.
"I don't think the Spike Milligan legacy will just
stop. I think that people will keep him alive and I would
to see some of the profits from his work going towards a
'Spike Milligan Foundation' for the promotion of 'love,
light and peace'."
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