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The Funeral of William Farrow
-as reported in the Bucks Standard of Saturday, July 27th, 1912 |
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Funeral Of The Murderer
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| With but little ceremonial, and unwept and unmourned, the mortal remains of William Farrow, the murderer of the revered Squire, were buried in Hanslope churchyard on Thursday night. On this glorious summer evening, the stars shone brightly from an almost cloudless sky, but in strange contrast the moon was wont to hide her face behind the leafy branches of the grand old elms which add beauty to this charming and peaceful God's-acre. She was anxious that she should not throw her light on a sorrowful and weird scene, and it was not until the concluding prayers of the special service for suicide's burials were being read that the moon veered round and peeped between the two ash trees, beneath the shade of which the man had been given his last resting place. The general public were not admitted to the churchyard to witness the burial. Hundreds of people assembled in the vicinity of the church, and an equally large number watched the burial ceremony from behind the southern boundary hedge of the burial ground. There was no demonstration. The crowd were orderly and reverent, and the work of Police-sergeant Govier and his men was extremely light. Two women effected a mysterious entrance to the churchyard but they were turned back with their curiosity unsatisfied. It was shortly after nine o'clock that the dead gamekeeper's body was brought from the little cottage at Tathall End and placed in Mr. Eakins' wagonette, which served as a hearse. The inhabitants of the little hamlet stood round, grief writ large on their faces. The distracted widow and the three fatherless children were meanwhile being comforted by kindly neighbours. They did not attend the funeral. It was a melancholy procession which made its way up the winding country road to the Parish Church gates. Mr. Adams, the undertaker, Messrs J. Herbert, J. Capell, Jos. Geary, and William Mills (bearers), with a few of the dead man's neighbours, were all that followed. At the churchyard the crowd formed themselves into an avenue and silently watched the unloading of the plain elm coffin which had no adornments or furniture, and no plate to record the name of its occupant. The Rev. W. J. Harkness (Vicar of the parish) performed the last sad rites. He had been in communication with his Bishop, who permitted the use of the specially sanctioned service for the unbaptised, the excommunicated, or those who have laid violent hands on themselves. Preceded by the Sexton (Mr. York), and accompanied by a lantern bearer, the Vicar recited the 130th Psalm on the way to the grave. The bearers, four Pressmen and a police officer were the only other persons present at the graveside. The reading of 25th to 29th verses of the fifth chapter of St. John's gospel, the recital of a few beautiful prayers and the Blessing, and the service was at an end. |