Monday, October 05, 2020
RIP Doorkins Magnificat
The Times reports the sad death of one of the papers’s most popular neighbours. Doorkins Magnificat, the splendidly named chief mouser at Southwark Cathedral, has died peacefully in the arms of the verger she had been living with since retiring from eccelesiastical duties last year. The Southwark Cathedral website takes up the story:
In 2008 a stray cat started visiting the Cathedral between Christmas and New Year waiting at the South West Doors each morning for food.
After being fed each morning for a few days, this cat decided (as cats do) that the Cathedral is where she wished to live and has been with us ever since.
Given the name Doorkins Magnificat by the Vergers who served her on a daily basis, Doorkins was very much part of the Cathedral fabric and was popular with the congregation, visitors and staff. A number of visitors came to the Cathedral just to see her and she has even had the honour to entertain HM Queen Elizabeth II.
In August 2017 Doorkins published her first book which gives a complete tour of the Cathedral and a typical week in the life of our self-proclaimed Magnificat.
Doorkins could be quite elusive but it was not uncommon to see her walk in front of the altar during a service, asleep on the Dean’s stall in the Choir during the day or cat-napping in the Churchyard if the sun is out. In the winter months, she liked to stretch out on one of the radiators or snuggle into the hay at the Nativity Crib during Advent and Christmas.
On Wednesday 30 September, Doorkins sadly died peacefully.
She had been living in retirement with one of the Cathedral vergers since the end of 2019 and died in his arms following a stroke. Doorkins came to Southwark Cathedral in 2008 and made her home with us. She had been living wild until she saw a place of sanctuary at Southwark Cathedral, and she gradually began to trust those who fed and looked after her.
She remained an active and fearless cat, wandering around the Cathedral and outside during her time with us, until the London Bridge terrorist attack in 2017. At that time she was shut out of the Cathedral for a number of days and once inside again she did not leave the warmth of the place which she had come to think of as home and where she knew she was safe.
Doorkins went into retirement when she could no longer see and the Cathedral was then not a safe place for her, as she could not navigate it without mishap. Her last months were very happy and she was well loved in her place of retirement.
The Cathedral have opened a book of memories for Doorkins here and are holding a thanksgiving service for their former mouser at 4pm on 28th October. Her fame has spread far and wide, so much so that there is even a tribute from Sadiq Kahn, the Mayor of London:
'Southwark Cathedral is part of the fabric of London and Doorkins is part and parcel of the Southwark Cathedral family. I have very fond memories of my visits to Southwark Cathedral - each one with Doorkins taking pride of place.'
There is also an impressive range of gifts that can be bought from the Southwark Cathedral shop featuring Doorkin's image, including this magnificent Corbel.
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