Item 3094 Obituaries from 1850 to 1934, copied from local newspapers “KING’S CLIFFE PERSONALITIES” Obituaries typed from ms transcriptions made by Canon John Bryan from the original newspapers. These include some notable people from the surrounding area. [In a few cases, photographs of the individuals have been inserted from the archives. Several are to be found in the photograph at the end of the document showing the first Parish Council of King’s Cliffe in 1895]. Stamford Mercury, 11 th March, 1864 STAFFORD O’BRIEN The remains of the late Stafford O’Brien, Esq., were deposited in the family vault in Blatherwycke church yesterday, enclosed in three coffins, the outer one being covered with rich Genoa velvet and handsome brass fittings and brass plate with the following inscription: “Stafford O’Brien, born Nov. 15, 1783; Died March 3, 1864 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. Romans 7.37” The procession left the Hall at 1 o’clock and passed through the lawn to the church yard in the following order:- The Rev. S Blacker and the Rev. Concanon Thomas Tryon, Esq., Hon Wm. Freke, Rev. Wm. Hatton, Capt. Ed Hatton, Arthur Grantham, Esq., the Rev. M Berkeley, the Rev. J Cautley, the Rev. R Hurt, Wm. Burdett and W A Skinner, Esqs., R Thompson, Esq. and Captain Rickett; tenants Mr Hatton and Mr E Cave, undertaker, mason, carpenter and plumber. H.O’Brien, Esq was chief mourner, after whom came Horace O’Brien, Esq., Augustus O’Brien, Esq., G N Hoare, Esq., the Rev. Ernest Hoare, the Rev. Wm Hoare, Hon. H. Noel, Hon. G Noel, Esq., the Rev. J H Holdich, the Rev. W Bagshaw, the Rev. Ed Bagshaw, Geo. Nevile, Esq., A Farfield, Esq., R Humfrey, Esq., Ernest Fitzroy, Esq., the Rev. Wm Herrick Dyott, Chas Harrison, Esq. The funeral arrangements were under the charge of Messrs Hopkins, undertakers of Uppingham. It is a somewhat singular coincidence that on the day of his death the remains of the Hon Mrs Grantham, who had acted as one of the bridesmaids at the “Squire’s” marriage in 1808, were interred in Ketton churchyard. She was present at the festivities held at Blatherwycke on the 7 th June 1858 on the occasion of the celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the wedding, which anniversary had been similarly celebrated till 1863, a festival that will be much missed by rich and poor. Mr O’Brien completed his 80 th year on the 15 th November last. Peterborough Advertiser, 12 th March, 1864 King’s Cliffe – Funeral of Stafford O’Brien Esq. The remains of this lamented gentleman were interred in the family vault at Blatherwycke on Thursday last. The pall bearers were: Thomas Tryon, Esq., The Hon W Freke, Capt. Hatton, the Rev. Wm Hatton, the Rev. Robert Hatton, the Rev. C Cautley, A Grantham, Esq and the Rev. M. Berkeley. The deceased was a noble specimen of the old English Squire. His extensive hospitality and his considerate kindness to his poorer neighbours will be remembered for many years to come and will long serve to “keep his memory clean”. Peterborough Advertiser, 14 th January, 1865 King’s Cliffe – The Squire of Blatherwycke Hall will henceforth be known as De Stafford O’Brien, the first Christian name of Henry having been dropped. It will be remembered that Mr de Stafford O’Brien’s eldest brother (deceased) ignored the surname and was known to Parliament as Mr Augustus Stafford. Item 3094 Obituaries from 1850 to 1934, copied from local newspapers Stamford Mercury of 5 th August 1898 “King’s Cliffe An old and highly-respected inhabitant, Mr Thomas James Law , died on the 29 th ult [ie July] after a short illness, in his 84 th year. He was a large farmer, had held at one time or other all the parochial offices, and has been the parishioners’ Churchwarden about 28 years. It is calculated that during the years he was a Guardian, in going to and from Oundle to the meetings, he must have ridden about ten thousand. At the time of his death he was Churchwarden, Parish Councillor, a member of the School Board, and overseer. He was ever ready with a subscription to meet a poor neighbour’s loss, and in church or parish matters generally he was a liberal subscriber. He gave a portion of the site on which two cottages stand, to make a better approach and appearance to the church from the Cross, which cottages his men were pulling down at the time of his death. ……. [See photograph of 1st King’s Cliffe Parish Council at the end of this document] Peterborough Advertiser, 25 th January, 1908 FUNERAL OF MR H JELLEY Nearly 90 years of a Notable Life, and much work for Religion, Commerce and Politics On Saturday afternoon the remains of Mr Henry Jelley, sen., who died at his residence, Park Road, Peterborough, in his 89th year, were interred in Nassington Cemetery. Our Nassington correspondent adds: It will be remembered that Mr Jelley, when residing at the Yarwell Mills House, was one of the foremost workers and supporters of the Nassington Congregational Chapel. He was a man of fine intellectual powers which, together with his largeness of heart, endeared him to all. He was one of whom it may be said “those who knew him best loved him most”. Outside the work of the church, Mr Jelley deeply interested himself in all Forward movements. A staunch liberal in politics, he fought nobly and untiringly for the cause he had at heart. His name will ever live in the memories of the people for “he being dead yet speaketh”….. He had attained the ripe old age of 88 years and retained all his faculties. Death was due to senile decay. The last obsequies were carried through in the presence of a great concourse of people who attended to pay a last tribute to one whom they beloved (sic). The Rev. G W Elliott, Pastor of Harris Street Baptist Church, Peterborough, was the officiating minister and the service at the graveside was beautifully impressive. The inscription on the breast plate was: HENRY JELLEY Born December 21 st , 1819 Died January 14 th , 1908 BIOGRAPHICAL Born at King’s Cliffe on December 21 st , 1819, Henry Jelley was the son of Mr Thos. Jelley of the Mill House, farmer and miller. His father occupied the Old Sulehay Farm, of about 390 acres and the mill and farm of 50 acres. The mill and farm he took over in 1807. A bright and intelligent lad, Henry received his education at the village private school and a certain Macdonald was his tutor. His father was a member of the Church of England and his earliest impressions of religion were received under THE CARE OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH, and from youth was a devoted Biblical student. He was brought up in the farming and milling and at the age of 22 he left home for Barrow-on-Soar in Leicestershire, returning in a year or two to claim as his bride Miss Georgian Mobbs, a daughter of Mr John Mobbs of Surfleet. On the death of his father in 1847 he returned to King’s Cliffe and took Old Sulehay Farm and Item 3094 Obituaries from 1850 to 1934, copied from local newspapers subsequently the King’s Cliffe Mill. In 1853 his devoted wife died leaving him a son, Mr Henry Jelley, now of Yarwell and Misses Emily and Elizabeth Jelley of Peterborough, the burial taking place at King’s Cliffe, where two little sons who had predeceased her lay. In 1857 he gave up the mill at King’s Cliffe and went to a steam flour mill at Loughborough, which he soon turned into an elastic web factory, which he worked at with much success. During that period he married Miss Emma Balm of Quorndon, Loughborough, who survived him, but who in her 86 th years is now a confirmed invalid……….In the year 1867 Mr Jelley returned to Northamptonshire and took over the Yarwell Mill from his brother Tom and there he remained until he retired from business in 1888 when he took up his residence in Peterborough. His son, Henry, followed him and carried on the business until 1892 when he retired, but subsequently he purchased the Yarwell Mill from Mr Leonard Brassey, who had come into possession by purchase of the Westmorland Estate in that neighbourhood, and it is now occupied by Mr Robinson. It was during his occupancy of the Yarwell Mill that Mr Jelley reached the height of his commercial success. In addition to the milling he farmed in Nassington and Yarwell occupying the farms now held by Mr B Lock and Mr Nottingham……Mr Jelley was sixty nine when he retired from business after a successful career, when he purchased “Charnwood”, Peterborough, and settled there with his wife and two daughters. Additional obituary from another source Nurtured under the influence of the clergy of his native parish and in an Anglican home young Henry might well have been expected to have grown up a staunch supporter of the established religion, but comparatively early in life he revolted. With his young wife he became a church worker at Barrow, and they both became teachers in the Church of England Sunday School. It was not long, however, before they both felt they could not continue to teach some of the doctrines of the church and leaving the establishment they WENT OVER TO THE BAPTIST denomination and both became members of the Baptist Church at Quorn.