Artist pays tribute to Dorchester pub manager after tragic death

Howard O’Brien, 63, who has lived in Dorchester since 2001, has drawn the members of his weekly social club, and in doing so, has paid tribute to Kevin Cope, a former long-standing bar manager at the Junction pub who sadly passed away aged 44 in 2022. 

Mr O'Brien said: “I’ve always loved my art and used to do little cartoons for my mates in the army to keep morale high.

"When Covid hit, I was struggling with it, and drawing Captain Tom helped me through it, but after the pandemic passed I didn’t want to pick up a pen again.

“Then one day, a mate asked me to come along to the Junction pub on a Monday for their 'Monday Club,' and so I did, and in the first week it was a mate of mine’s, Steve’s Birthday, so I did him a caricature.”

Mr O’Brien said that he then thought about doing a caricature once a week, and since then, in the course of over a year, he ended up drawing 37 clubgoers and staff, as well as nine pets, which he has compiled into one big picture to honour the Monday Club.

“We wanted to get Kev involved. He passed away and was such a popular character,” he said.

The caricature pays homage to Kevin Cope, who passed away in 2022 (Image: Howard O'Brien) The picture of Mr Cope is to the side of the groups with a pint left on the table for absent friends. A Tottenham Hotspurs flag portrayed in the background is something the landlord arranged for Mr Cope and is currently up on the wall in the pub and was signed by well-wishers. 

Mr Cope collapsed when returning home one night from Charminster with a friend and was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where he passed away eight days later after his family made the difficult decision to turn off the life support machine.

Kevin Cope sadly passed away aged 42 (Image: The Cope Family)

Kevin's mum, Anita Claridge, said: "It's very difficult and was very sudden- I still expect him to walk up the path and I cry every day. 

"Following his death, his kidneys were donated to two people, so he saved two lives. 

"He was such a kind boy. So many people came to the funeral, we had over 300 coming to pay their respects. 

"Kevin loved the Junction. I got him his first job there as a washer up and worked there since he was 16, bar a six month break during the pandemic where he worked for Tesco.

"Oby's art is fantastic."

Landlord of the Junction, Albert Stratford, said: “It’s a fitting tribute to Kev. He was such a well respected member of bar staff, and it’s unfortunately been two years since he passed away.

“A lot of regulars have been coming in on a Monday, and the people joining has increased over the years. Congrats to Howard for putting all this together.”

The club meet every Monday, and Mr O’Brien says that it has really helped him with socialising, and his art. He said: “It’s a really great group, and they helped me after I had this really bad artist block. We meet for a couple of hours each week to socialise and it’s a really good time.

All members of the Monday Club at the Junction pub (Image: Howard O'Brien) “I don’t know what to do next,” Mr O’Brien admitted after spending a year working on the piece of art, which is now displayed in the pub.

Howard O'Brien presenting a caricature to Prince William (Image: Howard O'Brien) Mr O'Brien has been renowned for his caricatures, and has even drawn royals Prince William and Prince Harry in the past.