The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The family of a popular Spalding hairdresser who died after a heavy weekend drinking session have been comforted by the “amazing” reaction and support.
Messages of sympathy flooded into the Donington family home of Clayton Gilchrist (formerly Gilks) following his death on May 27.
And there have been few busier funeral services at Surfleet crematorium, with some mourners not inside.
Nathalie Crittenden-Lopis was a friend of Clayton’s for almost 30 years, after first staying with the Gilks family on a French exchange trip.
She said: “It was a celebration of his life and was as positive an ending as we could wish for.”
And his brother Stuart Gilks said: “The communication before the funeral and afterwards was really, really amazing – overwhelming.
“His funeral was a great event, really fantastic and the gathering at Ayscoughfee Hall, where he worked as a volunteer, was nice too.”
Mr Gilks said his brother was very interested in history and it was this passion which had contributed to Clayton changing his surname last year to one from which Gilks was derived.
An inquest into his death on Tuesday heard that Clayton (48), who was single and lived alone, was found dead in the bathroom of his rented accommodation in Cowbit Road, Spalding.
He had recently been given notice to quit the property as it was to be sold.
Clayton had previously taken medication for bipolar disorder.
In a submitted statement, his brother Matthew said: “Since 2005, when he was down he would pick himself up with the help of drugs but more recently it had been drink.
“My brother had mentioned suicide but had never attempted it.”
Reference was made to an incident two years ago when drink had been found hidden in a cemetery and Clayton had to go to hospital. Matthew Gilks went on to say his brother had been “dry” for months when he last saw him at Christmas.
A post mortem revealed a fatty liver “consistent with heavy use of alcohol”.
A toxicology report showed an ethanol (alcohol) level of 372mg per 100ml of blood. For comparison, the drink-drive limit of 80mg was stated by Prof Robert Forrest, senior coroner for South Lincolnshire.
He added: “We have heard evidence of intermittent problems with alcohol misuse.
“He had been drinking heavily over the weekend before his death.
“I record his death as alcohol-related.”
