On 17th September 2001, Douglas Adams' friends and family came together to celebrate his life with a service at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square.
Speakers included Simon Jones, Mark Carwardine, Robbie Stamp, Ed Victor and Richard Dawkins. Members of Douglas' family gave readings, and Douglas' college friend Jonny Brock recounted a wonderful story about a mobile phone that just wouldn't work on the beach...
Douglas used to hold impromptu concerts at his home, and some of the musicians he played with performed some of his favourite tracks. Margot Buchanan sang 'I Wanna Be A Rockstar' - which features on Douglas' Apple Masters film - and Dave Gilmour performed 'Wish You Were Here'. There were also performances from Robbie McIntosh, The Chameleon Arts Chorus and Gary Brooker.
The occasion was full of laughter and appreciation for a very talented man, who will be greatly missed by both those that knew him and his many fans.
The event was webcast by BBC Online. This marked another first in the remarkable media history of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. St.Martin's hosted the BBC's first ever religious radio broadcast, a vicar from the church led the BBC's first ever televised service, and at the end of the 1800s the church pioneered transmitting its services using a precursor of the telephone. It is fitting that the BBC's first ever online broadcast from a place of worship was the Douglas Adams Memorial Service from St Martin-in-the-Fields.
