WILLIAM PENFORD
THE LATE MR. PENFORD.
By the decease of Mr. William Penford, which occurred at his residence, Donnington-square, last Monday week, one of the oldest and best known business men of the town has passed away. For considerably more than 50 years he has been connected with the trade of Newbury, having commenced business in 1849, in a portion of the premises in Northbrook-street now occupied by the present firm of Penford and Son, the other half being then in the occupation of Mr. G.E. Walker, gunsmith. During that long period, every other establishment in the street and indeed almost in the town generally, has changed hands; but Mr. Penford has continued his connection with the business until within a few months of his death.
He always cherished a warm interest in the public institutions of the borough. For a short period he was a member of the Town Council, and for some years he served upon the Board of Guardians. He was at one time or another connected with the Dispensary, the Savings Bank, the Cemetery Company, and the Boys' British School. For more than 50 years he has been a deacon of the Congregational Church, and for a lengthened period one of the secretaries of the Bible Society. As one of the leading business men in the town, his opinion upon local matters was much valued, and he has on many occasions contributed to the columns of this journal his views upon questions of the day.
The funeral took place on Friday afternoon, the first part of the service being held at the Congregational Church, where he had worshipped for so many years. The body, enclosed in a coffin of unpolished elm, was conveyed in a glass-panelled car, from the residence of the deceased in Donnington-square, to the church, on being borne into which, the organist (Mr. Andrew Freeman, Mus. B.) played an appropriate voluntary. The service was conducted by the Rev. E. H. Titchmarsh, who delivered the following address:
— We are in the presence of death, but as Christians we believe in the Resurrection. Our faith penetrates the gloom, lifts the veil and floods our souls with the light from beyond. Sorrow is here, but also a deeper joy; there is a sense of loss, but also an assurance of victory and abiding gain. We think of one who has lived out the full years of human life and of whom it may be said: "Lay down thy work, begin thy rest, for day is done." Here is no mystery of a broken career. The ship has finished the voyage and made the harbour; the shock of corn fully ripe is gathered in. After the changes of life„ after its joys and sorrows, after its work and reward, he has joined those who "have loved long since and lost awhile." We think of one who through the years of a long life took the highway of Christian service and kept to it. How loyal he was to this church; how anxious for its true prosperity, and how gracious in almost a fatherly kindness to its present minister we all partly know but none of us can fully tell. We recognise these things with gratitude to God. He was one of those who believed that a Christian's sphere of service might touch all aspects of life; might be found in commerce, in municipal and political work, and in all these directions he lived an honourable and strenuous life. He was one of those who believed that no institution was more worth serving than the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to order rightly its necessary business affairs, and to care for its aged sick and poor was for him the worthiest and highest form of activity. We think of one who having finished his work on earth has passed away in peace, leaving us a steady consistent testimony to his humble reliance upon the Redeeming Saviour. The outstanding feature of the closing weeks of his life was a complete and humble confidence in the mercy of God; by that he lived; in that he has fallen asleep.
The hymn "Rock of Ages" was sung, and prayer offered. As the body was borne out of church, the "Dead March was played. The interment took place at the Cemetery, where Mrs. Penford and other members of the family have been buried.
The mourners were Mr. Walter W. Penford and the Rev. R. J. Penford (sons), Mrs.H. Mullings, (daughter), Mr. R. Penford (grandson), Mr. H. Muilings (son-in-law), Mrs. W. W. Penford (daughter-in-law), Miss Hill (housekeeper), Mr. T. Jackson (Marlborough), Mr. Blacket (executor), and Mr. Goodman (Hermitage).
Amongst those present in the church, and at the graveside were Messrs. J. Wareham, H. J. Midwinter, J. Rankin, J. T. Nash, F. C. Hopson, deacons of the Congregational Church, Ald. Fidler, Councillors A. Jackson. T. H. Pratt, T. W. Turner, A. Camp, Mr. F. Q. Louch, Mr. A. W. Neate (representing the Bible Society), Messrs. G. Wintle, E. L. Staples, J. H. Hopson, John Flint, J. H. Larbalestier, J. C. Slight, J.E. Webb, S. Walter, P. Mortimer, Arthur Smith, G. Wallace, J. Eatwell, R. Bell, J. W. H. Kemp, B. F. Freeman, F. H. Stillman, Hugh Turner, W. C. Gale, A. J. Whitingtom H. White, Mrs. Gayfer, Mrs. Flint, Miss Nash, Mrs.Walter, Misses Midwinter, Mrs. Forster, Mrs. Staples, Mrs. H. Dolton, Mrs. J. H. Hopson, Mrs. Salway, Miss Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. A. Atteweil, Mr. and Mrs. T H. Cullum, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Marshall, Mr. J. Whitney, etc.
By special request, no flowers were sent, the only exception being a wreath front the Pastor and Deacons of the Congregational Church, bearing the inscription, "From the Pastor and Deacons of the Congregational Church, in remembrance of many years of Christian fellowship, and of the life-long devotion of their departed colleague in the service of the Church.”
On Sunday morning, at the close of the service, Chopin's Funeral March was impressively played by Mr. A. Freeman, Mus. Bac., the congregation standing..
