Man tragically falls to loss of life after hanging Union Jack flags on lampposts
Paul Lumber, 60, fell from a ladder while hanging flags in South Bristol and never regained consciousness after being placed in an induced coma. Tributes have now poured in
A man tragically fell to his death while hanging Union Jack flags from a lamppost after raising thousands for the campaign.
Paul Lumber sustained fatal injuries from the fall while hanging flags close to his South Bristol home on November 23. Although he was rushed to hospital, Paul never regained consciousness from an induced coma and died late last week.
Back in October, Paul had launched an online fundraising drive to collect money for extra flags, according to Bristol Live. His online appeal, which began in late October, had raised over £1,000 for his ‘Raise the Colours’ project before his tragic fall on November 23.
While he remained in hospital, devoted friends mobilised to establish a second online fundraiser for Paul, a 60 year old painter and decorator, and his family. The campaign has now raised more than £5,000, reports the Manchester Evening News.
A close friend shared: “He was widely regarded as one of the area’s most colourful and recognisable characters. A painter and decorator by trade, Mr Lumber was a lifelong Bristol City and England supporter who followed both club and country with unwavering devotion.
“He was a prominent figure in the football casual scene during the 1980s, later chronicling its history in two books about the movements and activities of the City Service Firm, the group associated with Bristol City. Mr Lumber had recently wed Michele, his partner of 23 years. Friends characterised him as a man whose life orbited around those he cherished.
Another friend, who described Paul as a “working-class hero,” added: “His family and friends were at the heart of everything he did. Anyone who knew him will recall the pride, love and warmth with which he spoke about them all.”
Sean Donnelly, the landlord of the Three Lions pub in Bedminster, shared that he had known Paul since they were children and was devastated by his loss.
“All his stories situations were unique and unbelievable, and if in a trench in a situation, you wanted Paul shoulder to shoulder with you – that was Paul,” Sean reflected.
He added: “But of all his achievements, marrying Michele was his biggest achievement – it was a wonderful day celebrating with the good, the bad, the ugly, but most importantly the best people.”
Paul’s first book ‘It All Kicked Off In Bristol’ featured a cover photo of him standing in the doorway of the Three Lions, detailing the events that led to his permanent ban from Bristol City home games.
The memoir followed his journey through, and eventual exit from, the football hooligan scene during the late 1970s and 1980s, becoming a significant contribution to the contemporary literary trend documenting the experiences of retired football casuals.
He was thought to be among the earliest people across the country to receive a football banning order when they were first introduced, and served several jail terms in his younger years for football-related violence.
His loyalty to Bristol City never wavered, and he remembered how, while behind bars during the 1980s, then-City boss Terry Cooper would send him match programmes from weekend games, along with personal letters detailing his thoughts on the team’s display and what happened during the match. In a 2018 interview with Bristol Live after publishing his first book, he acknowledged that while he felt no shame about his time with the CSF, he had matured into a more responsible person with family commitments.
“We were just normal British lads growing up at the time,” he told Bristol Live. “If we hadn’t had football we wouldn’t have had nothing.”
