I am so sorry to have to relay the news that my dear cousin, John Hagger, who wrote the blog By Stargoose and Hanglands, passed away last night. His brother Les called me this morning.
John, 2013, at Ely Cathedral
I can't say this was unexpected. As some of you who followed John's beautiful blog know, John has been ill with cancer for a while, and the cancer finally won, taking this gentle, knowledgeable, and funny man away.
With John and Les, 2016
I did not meet John until 2013, on our first trip to England, although we had been communicating via blogs and email for a few years before that. John's knowledge of England's history and folklore was deep; he led walking tours as a young man and never did get a driver's license, preferring instead to walk, bike, or take the train if necessary. As a young man he worked on farms with his father, my Uncle Ted, then later became a teacher for handicapped children. He loved both careers, and only retired to care for his aging mother, who passed away a few years ago. He wrote a moving and often amusing series of posts about his mum, who was quite a character.
2019
After Aunt Flo's passing, John and Les took many rambles together, exploring historic and unique sites, all captured in exquisite detail by John's camera, and shared with great depth of research on his blog.
I had hoped to be able to see John and Les again but Covid intervened, and then in 2024 John was diagnosed and quite ill. So now what I have is his blog to remember this special man, and my memories of my all too brief time. Still, I am so glad I had the opportunity to cross the pond and spend time in his gentle presence. What a gift that was.
Oh I'm so sorry to hear of John's passing. I always enjoyed his blogs, and his occasional remarks on my blogs. Thank you for sharing a bit about his life. I never knew the details about why he would not be walking and taking his great photos, but assumed it was illness. I will miss him even more now, because I kept hoping to have him return to blogland. I hope the blog is left open to look at some of the good walks he recorded. I didn't realize you were cousins either. It is a day when a wonderful spirit has left the footpaths of this world to fly free.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. I think I found you, like many I follow, through his blog.
DeleteSo sorry for your loss sounds so trite. But John sounds like a very nice man who lived a fulfilled life. I'm wishing that more of us could have that kind of commentary after we're gone.
ReplyDeleteVery true, Bruce. He was kind, funny in his quiet way, and such an observer of every part of life around him . Mindfulness is a thing today but John had it long before it became something to "practice".
DeleteSo sorry to hear this sad news. I enjoyed reading John's blog, he was quite the character. He will be missed by everyone who came across him.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill. He was a character for sure, in his quiet way.
DeleteI followed John's blog for many years, although I didn't always comment. He shared some music with me [the Dungworth carols] that I revisit every Christmas season. I knew he was ill and noted that it had been quite some time since he was able to post. A lovely and gifted person.
ReplyDeleteHe was, indeed. Thank you for sharing this. I think John touched more lives than he knew.
Delete...Susanna, I'm sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tom.
DeleteOh, I'm so shocked to read this. I have enjoyed his blog for years. He did write about the cancer when he seemed to rally but it often wins. He will be sorely missed. Will Les continue the blog?
ReplyDeleteAnd I had no idea you were related. But I see/read the relation in how you both write your blogs. Please pass on my condolences to Les. I'm sorry for your loss of a cousin who you came to know late in life.
I am so sorry that you had to learn of his passing this way, Marcia. I found you through his blog, and for that I am very grateful.
DeleteI didn’t know his blog but he sounds like a gem of a guy. /AC
ReplyDeleteHe was, AC, he sure was.
DeleteSorry to learn about this sad news...I just learned that my uncle had a stroke...life is unpredictable. Rest in peace, John.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Angie. I am so sorry about your uncle. Life can be so hard.
DeleteI am very, very sorry. Darn cancer, again...
ReplyDeleteGood you can be thankful you´ve at least met him in person. Hugs...
Yes, I am so very glad I got to spend some time with him. I am not very close to my American cousins, but the ones in England just click with me for some reason.
DeleteSuch sad news. I had a feeling that this might be the case, thank you for letting all us bloggers who followed and loved John's blog know what has happened. I'm sorry you didn't get to meet him again but glad you have many happy memories to treasure. He always seemed to me to be such a kind and thoughtful man with a great sense of humour and a wonderful photographer too:)
ReplyDeleteRosie, I knew that you all would want to know. I just wish I could get the word to all his followers. I am thankful to have found you through his blog, at least there is that. Thank you for your sweet words.
DeleteI am truly sorry to hear of John’s passing. He always seemed a very gentle soul, filled with knowledge and a deep love of the English countryside. There was no finer blog; I read each new post with relish. May his memory be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I found your blog through John's. He actually connected me to several blogs that I visit regularly. You describe him perfectly and I can just imagine if the two of you had been able to go on a ramble together. How the conversation would have sparkled!
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear this, Susanna. I remember when you and Larry visited John and Les during your travels, and how lovely it was that you shared such a deep interest in lore and stories from the past. Condolences to you and to all who loved John, and especially to his brother. That's a hard, hard loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Quinn. Sharing stories and songs was so special. And I loved his singing. He played a squeezebox and knew many of the ballads that I also knew. His mother sang too, she had a lovely voice and shared John's wry humor. I miss them both.
DeleteWhat a sad loss. I loved reading John's blog and his superb photographs of the landscapes and villages and churches and wildlife took me back to my childhood in England. I looked forward to each new blog post. How lovely that he never learned to drive and travelled everywhere by other means. An admirable man who loved the countryside. I am so sorry for his loss, my condolences to John's family especially to Les. I hope John's blog will stay available, I'd love to go back and look at many of his photographs again and again. Fenella in Ontario
ReplyDeleteI think he could drive, but chose not to. And as you know, in England it is quite possible to just use public transportation. I wish it were so easy here! Walking, though, was his absolute favorite thing to do.
DeleteJohn was such a talented photographer and writer! My sincere sympathies to you and Les. May John's memory be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this comment.
DeleteWhat a nice tribute to John. I'm sorry that I didn't get to know him through his blog. He sounds like he was an interesting man who contributed a lot to the world. I'll be thinking about you and your family during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteHe was interesting, June, and shy too. Like many people, writing was his way of communicating, I think.
DeleteI am so sorry to hear of John's death. I enjoyed reading his blog and he was kind enough to comment on mine often revealing his good sense of humour. Thank you for posting this sad news.
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming here to leave a message. You are right about his humor! He had a gift for seeing the funny side of things.
DeleteHe sounds like such a wonderful person. I'm glad you got to know him & shared him with us. So sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteHe was, Jenny. I am just grateful to have had some time with him.
DeleteSad although not unexpected.
ReplyDeleteI miss his blogging and his comments and conversations.
John would be amazed to know how many people were impacted by his writing, and how connected to him we all were. Blog friends become so special.
DeleteCondolences on the passing of your cousin, John, and while this update was sad it was not unexpected by those of us who have enjoyed his posts. I'm sure that other bloggers, like myself, have been checking his blog regularly to see if he had a recent post, even though we did know of his prognosis, still there's always hope for more time. It's unfortunate that the pandemic prevented another meet up.
ReplyDeleteHi Beatrice. I was do hoping the treatment might have given him more time, but it was just not meant to be, I guess.
DeleteYou know, I was worried about him, and I wanted to ask you, but I did not know if you would consider it rude. I am so sorry. I really will miss him. He's a huge loss to our blogging community.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet of you, Debby. Yes, he will be missed. Like Weaver, another special blogger. The two of them were friends and I believe corresponded as they both went through their illnesses.
DeleteSuch sad news, his blog was so vibrant with the nature he saw around him. He will be missed in the blogging world.
ReplyDeleteThelma, vibrant is exactly the word for John's blog. Thank you.
DeleteI'm sorry that I discovered his blog too late. He sounds like a wonderful, caring and adventurous person. My condolences.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Margaret. He was special indeed.
DeleteI’m deeply sorry for your loss. When I learned this sad news on Marcia’s blog, I was so shocked that I found myself unable to visit you right away. I am a great fan of John’s photography - especially his mastery of mist and low light. He is sorely missed together with his photos, tone of narratives, and kind heart. I’ll visit his blog from time to time – there is so much to admire and learn.
ReplyDelete