The coffin of Professor Stephen Hawking will be carried at his funeral on Saturday by six porters of Gonville & Caius, the Cambridge College that was his academic home for 52 years.

Many porters at the College knew Professor Hawking, who died last week aged 76, for many years, often providing support for the scientist when he visited the College for dinners and other events. In recognition of the porters’ role, Professor Hawking’s family have asked six of the team to be pall bearers, while Head Porter Russ Holmes will walk ahead of the coffin as it is carried into Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge for the funeral service on 31 March 2018.

Russ, a former member of the Royal Engineers, will wear his formal College uniform of top hat and tails, and carry a silver-topped ebony Cane of Office. The other porters will also be in uniform, including traditional bowler hats.

Two more of the College’s porters will also be in attendance at the event to provide extra organisational support, while others continue to oversee the signing of the Book of Condolence for Professor Hawking in the Caius Porters’ Lodge.

Russ said: “It’s an enormous honour for the Porters’ team here at Caius to be invited to show our respect for Professor Hawking in this way. Many of us knew him and were often part of the arrangements that meant he could enjoy his life as a Fellow of Caius as fully as possible. By acting as pall bearers, we’re showing the strength of that connection between Professor Hawking and his College that goes all the way back to 1965, when he joined Caius as a Research Fellow.”

The Master of Caius, Professor Sir Alan Fersht, said: “Porters are at the heart of every Cambridge College, and we are particularly proud of our team at Caius. The personal connection the porters have with Fellows, students and staff is reflected in the warmth of their affection for Stephen. We are very grateful that Stephen’s family have allowed the porters to play this role in the funeral service, providing them with an opportunity very visibly to represent all of us at Gonville & Caius on this important day.”

For more details, contact Gonville & Caius Head of Communications Lucy Ward.