Almost 200 people gathered to remember and celebrate the life of Auckland and Hamilton nightclub owner Nicholas Morgan yesterday at Hamilton Gardens' Pavilion. Several friends and former employees from Morgan's 'Flesh' nightclub days travelled from Auckland to pay their respects. The current team from Hamilton's 'Venom' nightclub and several Wellingtonians were also present. The music was a mixture of traditional Russian orthodox chants, and gay nightclub tracks provided by DJ Love. Flowers, plants, pictures and mirrorballs were placed around and on the coffin, with a bright pink 'Flesh' sash also placed on the coffin during the ceremony. Ex-Catholic Priest Michael Bancroft donned his ceremonial robe to present the introductory speech. He said Morgan's life was a colourful contradiction -- before opening gay nightclubs in Auckland and Hamilton, he'd spent over 20 years as a Russian Orthodox monk, during which time Kenneth Morgan acquired the name 'Nicholas' after one of the saints. In forty-five minutes of tributes several of Morgan's friends and co-workers through the years spoke of his generous spirit and told stories from their times together. Bancroft then summed up by saying, "Now that Nicholas is in Heaven, if there's a bar, he'll go to it - but if there isn't, he'll open one." The wake was held at Venom nightclub. Morgan's body travelled to his home town of Levin today for burial. A picture showing some of Nicholas Morgan's friends and employees paying tribute to him at his funeral is on the link below. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 18th August 2007 - 5:51pm