The funeral of Matthew Ferry, a notorious robber, drew hundreds of mourners who paid their respects with flowers, including some made to look like the submachine gun he was caught with. Other flower designs spotted at the funeral included the Mac-10 submachine gun, a balaclava, and bolt cutters.
Other wreaths depicted a burner phone and signage for the jewelry store where he stole £250,000 at gunpoint, as well as Rolex and Cartier watches.
The funeral service for Ferry was held at the Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh, before his remains were taken to Saughton Cemetery, also in the city. Ferry died in prison last month.
‘It was the most remarkable funeral I’ve ever been to,’ one unnamed mourner told the Daily Record. ‘It was like something from The Sopranos.’
Family members, friends, and gangland figures attended the service for Ferry, who had been serving 13 years at HMP Edinburgh for the armed robbery at a Laing’s jewelry store in 2015. The 33-year-old was found dead in his cell on March 25.
A wake was held at the Silver Wing pub following the funeral on April 12, with a heavy “police presence,” although officers are not believed to have gotten too close.
The mourner continued: ‘Matthew Ferry had carried out a pretty well-known crime. But he was very well-liked in Edinburgh, and there were hundreds at the funeral and the wake at the Silver Wing pub later. There was a police presence at the wake as well, but they kept their distance.
‘The flowers were amazing. Ferry was jailed for 13 years over the brazen robbery (Image: Daily Record)
‘There were bouquets devoted to his biggest crime – where he carried out an armed raid and stole a load of watches from a jeweler in the town. There were flowers made into shapes like a machine gun, watches, balaclavas, bolt cutters. One said ‘Smash and Grab’ in big letters. There was even one with the logo of the jewelers he robbed. I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Ferry’s family and friends also left messages on a page online that was dedicated to his memory.
‘This site is a tribute to Matthew Ferry,’ the site said. ‘He is much loved and will always be remembered. Matthew, a much-loved son of Lorraine and Manus, loving brother of Shaun, Michael, and Lori, cherished grandson of the late Mary, and a loved cousin and nephew who will be sadly missed by all his Hutchison family, extended family, and many friends.’
Ferry had edged closer to a potential release date, but inmates who feared for his welfare raised the alarm before staff found his body at 8 am. Prisoners at HMP Edinburgh are locked up from 4 pm until 7:30 am, meaning that no checks are made overnight.
He had been part of a gang that held up the Laing’s jewelry store in Frederick Street during the notorious heist. Ferry pointed his gun at the store’s manager and shouted: ‘Put the
* watches in the
* bag or I’ll shoot you.’Staff were left needing counseling following the horrendous raid in the heart of Edinburgh. Ferry believed he had gotten away with the crime, but CCTV caught the attack on video. The shop’s manager also bravely tailed Ferry through the street and got passersby to take photos of the taxi on their phones. The photos were later used to help trace Ferry.
He was found at his grandmother’s home, where he had stashed a Mac-10 sub-machine gun and heroin worth an estimated £50,000. Ferry pled guilty to armed robbery, assault, abduction, possessing the machine gun, and being involved in drug dealing.
Watches taken in the raid, estimated to be worth £230,000, have not been recovered. Ferry also dropped £23,000 worth of stock as he fled the jewelry store.
