The life of Brian

Published Tuesday 8 July 2008 at 10:20

May I put those readers curious about the In Memoriam for ‘Brian’ who died at the apparently tender age of 14, out of their misery (The Stage, p53, June 26)?

Brian, full name Anjakarn Tyroan, was in fact a pug dog and well known to the many theatrical clients of Breckman and Company.

Born in Margate, he was brought to London three months later by Julie Alexander and Robert Breckman, where he remained until he died on June 17 this year - the equivalent of 101 human years.

When Julie went into the Meadbank nursing home in 1997, Brian went with her, and stayed in her room until Julie sadly died in 2003. He then moved to live with me.

During the period, when I was the principal of Breckman and Company, he used to sit under my desk, sometimes unbeknown to our clients. He has a seat named after him at the Drill Hall, benches in Battersea Park, the Meadbank Nursing Centre and in the Julie and Robert Breckman Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

After Julie and I founded a Pet Aid Centre for the PDSA in Romford, Brian had a special room named in his honour and a designated patch in the forecourt. In his time he was invited to Buckingham Palace, the House of Lords, the Orient Express and the RAC dining room. Also he was the subject of much correspondence in both the Sunday Times and the Guardian and more than one mention in The Stage.

He will be sorely missed by Patisserie Valerie where he was a welcome visitor and many, many other friends.

Incidentally, Brian is not the first non-human whose death has been announced in The Stage. Many years ago, Beerbohm, the Gielgud Theatre’s house cat, received his own obituary.

Robert Breckman FCA

Consultant

Breckman and Company

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