Charles Farrar Forster (29 February 1848 – 28 August 1894) was
curate
A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...
of the parish of
Lockwood near
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
, vicar of St Andrew's Church in Huddersfield, and the first vicar of the
Church of St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw
The Church of St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw, North Yorkshire, England, also known as Beckwithshaw Church, is an Anglican church built and furnished between 1886 and 1887 by William Swinden Barber in the Gothic Revival style as part of t ...
.
[''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894: The late Rev. C.F. Forster]
In spite of suffering severe pain due to heart disease during his working years, he was known for his dedication to parochial work and for the large congregations who came to hear his sermons. For all his bodily fragility he was notable for his personal charisma, causing various newspapers to remark upon the numerous friends among his past and recent parishioners and among his fellow clergymen who formed part of his life and who attended his funeral and memorial services.
Life
Ancestors
Charles' paternal grandfather Daniel Forster, an inspector of weights, was born in
Otley
Otley is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically a part of the West Ridi ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
in 1776, and died in 1844.
United Kingdom Census 1841
The United Kingdom Census of 1841 recorded the occupants of every United Kingdom household on the night of Sunday 6 June 1841. The enactment of the Population Act 1840 meant a new procedure was adopted for taking the 1841 census. It was described a ...
: Daniel Forster was aged 65; his wife Bella was 45, and they were living in Union Street, Otley, with their sons Daniel aged 25 and Henry aged 15. Ref.H0107/bk9/fol23/p.19/PieceNo1314 He was buried on 30 December 1844 in the same town. His wife Bella, a school mistress and Charles' grandmother, was baptised in Otley in 1796, and died aged 78 in 1866 in Otley.
Their seventh child was Henry Highmore Forster, Charles' father, who was born on 14 October 1821 in Otley and baptised on 11 August 1823 at All Saints Church, Otley. In 1841 at the age of 15, Henry was a grocer, as was his older brother.
Henry died in
Burmantofts
Burmantofts is an area of 1960s high-rise housing blocks in inner-city east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England adjacent to the city centre and St. James's Hospital. It is a racially diverse area, with sizable Afro-Caribbean and Irish communities, ...
aged 48 on 14 March 1869. Charles' mother was Martha Ann Farrar, who was born in 1825 in
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax () is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is the commercial, cultural and administrative centre of the borough, and the headquarters of Calderdale Council. In the 15th cen ...
and died in
Guisborough
Guisborough ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England. It lies north of the North York Moors National Park. Roseberry Topping, midway between the town and Great Ayton, is a landmark i ...
in
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
in 1897 aged 72. Henry and Martha married in 1846 in Halifax and had six children, of which Charles was the eldest. One of Charles' brothers was Edward Eustace Forster (1849-1916), chairman and managing director of printers Knight & Forster Ltd., of Leeds.
Charles and his wife
![Charles Farrar Forster grave 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Charles_Farrar_Forster_grave_001.jpg)
Charles Farrar Forster was born on 29 February 1848 in
Knaresborough
Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd. It is east of Harrogate.
History
Knaresborough is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ''Chenares ...
. On 6 October 1880, in Lockwood parish church, he married Mary Priestley, who was born in 1858 in Lockwood and was the eldest daughter of James Priestley, JP. In honour of this marriage, 438 workers at B. Vickerman & Son, a
woollen mill
Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
in Huddersfield, were given a day out by special train from
Berry Brow
Berry Brow is a semi-rural village in West Yorkshire, England, situated about south of Huddersfield. It lies on the eastern bank of the Holme Valley and partially straddles the A616 road to Honley and Penistone.
The village has a Victoria ...
to
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Irish ...
.
The 1891 Census shows them living at
Pannal
Pannal is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Pannal ...
vicarage with one servant: Ellen Tupper, aged 46, from
Wiltshire
Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
. He is aged 43, Mary is 33, and he is described as a clerk in holy orders.
Charles had a
weak heart. In July 1894, just before evening service at Beckwithshaw he had a "
bad attack" in the church, and the service was postponed.
With some difficulty his parishioners carried him to the vicarage and called for medical aid. He was too ill to work, and was taken to
Bournemouth
Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...
for a rest and the sea air in the hope of improving his health.
He died in Bournemouth on the morning of Wednesday 28 August 1894, leaving his wife a widow with no children.
[''The York Herald'', 1 September 1894: Death of the Rev. C.F. Forster, vicar of Beckwithshaw][''Huddersfield & District Chronicle'', 29 August 1894: Death of the Rev. C.F. Forster, FRGS.] His funeral at 3pm at Beckwithshaw Church on 1 September 1894 was brief: he was buried just half an hour later at 3.30pm at
Harlow Hill Cemetery,
Harrogate
Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor at ...
.
[Gravestone photos: Harlow Hill Cemetery, Harrogate, section A, grave no. 170999, Charles Farrar Forster](_blank)
Current reference for grave location is Section A, grave no. 28. Directions: enter cemetery's main gate; grave is in 7th row (parallel with street) on left of path, 1st grave in row, by tree.
At
Armitage Bridge
Armitage Bridge is a village approximately south of Huddersfield, in the Holme Valley, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated between Berry Brow and South Crosland and straddles the River Holme. The village has a public house, a cricket club ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
on 30 September 1902 at the age of 44, Mary Forster née Priestley took a second husband, a widower who had been married twice before:
Sir Thomas Brooke, baronet (31 May 1830 – 16 July 1908), of Armitage Bridge House, near Huddersfield, a
Deputy Lieutenant and
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
. Mary died on 12 March 1938, aged 80.
Work
![Deane Parish Church](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Deane_Parish_Church.jpg)
Forster studied at
St Bees Theological College.
['']Manchester Courier
The ''Manchester Courier'' was a daily newspaper founded in Manchester, England, by Thomas Sowler; the first edition was published on 1 January 1825. Alaric Alexander Watts was the paper's first editor, but remained in the position for only a yea ...
and Lancashire General Advertiser'', 15 January 1887 In 1873 or 1875 he was ordained deacon at Ripon.
From 1873 or 1875 to 1878 he served as
curate
A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...
of
Lockwood parish near
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
. In 1877 he was ordained priest. When T.B. Bensted died in 1878 he resigned his first curacy at Lockwood, and from 1878 to 1880 served as curate or vicar at
St. Mary the Virgin, Deane
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Deane, is an Anglican parish church in Deane, Greater Manchester, Deane, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It is a member of Deane deanery in the archdeaconry of Bolton, Anglican Diocese of Manchester, diocese ...
,
Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors (also known as Bolton le Moors St Peter) was a large civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in Salford (hundred), hundred of Salford in the Historic counties of England, historic county of Lancashire, England. It was administered f ...
in
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
.
St Andrew's, Huddersfield
From 1878 to 1880 he was curate-in-charge at St Andrew's parish in Huddersfield, a "typical working class district", then on Monday 28 June 1880 was licensed to sole charge of the parish by the
Bishop of Ripon
The Bishop of Ripon is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The bishop is one of the area bishops of the Diocese of Leeds in the Province of York. The area bishop of Ripon has oversight of ...
and appointed to the living by five
trustee
Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to t ...
s.
He was vicar until 1887.
The living had a
gross annual value of £260, but by the time his resignation was announced, it had fallen to £257.
['']Leeds Times
The ''Leeds Times'' was a weekly newspaper established in 1833, and published at the office in Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It ceased publication on 30 March 1901, with Robert Nicoll as one of its first editors, and Samuel Smiles
...
'', 8 January 1887 He became well-known there and had many friends.
[British Listed Buildings: former Church of St Andrew, Kirklees]
Built 1870; declared redundant 1975. Grade II listed. In spite of having an acute form of
heart disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...
, his parochial work did not go unnoticed. The ''Huddersfield & District Chronicle'' said: "indeed he raised the organisation of St Andrew's parish to such a pitch of perfection that it became noted throughout the borough for the efficiency and thoroughness of its church life." He was described as ". . . a most assiduous and energetic parish worker," and as "an able and interesting preacher." He was noted for "his forcible
pulpit utterances and earnest parochial work in attracting and maintaining a large congregation, in addition to the various organisations which an efficiently worked parish always possesses." Due to being "handicapped very considerably" by his poor health he was assisted in the fulfilment of his duties "in the most hearty manner" by his wife.
![Disused church, Leeds Road A62, Fartown, Huddersfield - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Disused_church%2C_Leeds_Road_A62%2C_Fartown%2C_Huddersfield_-_geograph.org.uk_-_785877.jpg)
When he left this position, a subscription was held among his congregation and 80 people, many of them poor, contributed small sums towards two testimonials which were presented to Charles and his wife on the evening of 25 March 1887. Due to Charles' delicate state of health the presentation could not be public, so a deputation of gentlemen was sent to his house. They brought Charles a "handsome and valuable" gold watch, on the back of which was engraved his
monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series o ...
, with the text inscribed inside: "Presented by the congregation of St Andrew's Church, Huddersfield, to the Rev Charles Farrar Forster, vicar, in token of their appreciation of his seven years' earnest work amongst them. March 1887."
[''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 26 March 1887] For Mary they brought a "chaste and artistic" lady's
inlaid rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues.
True rosewoods
All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated in ...
davenport. It carried the inscription: "Presented to Mrs C.F. Forster (on her leaving Huddersfield) by the congregation of St Andrew's Church, as a mark of their affection and esteem, March 1887." In their speeches of thanks, both Charles and Mary alluded to the great accord and friendship that they had experienced in the parish.
To demonstrate the kind of ceremonial life which Forster experienced during his ministry, here is an account of a funeral which he attended. On Wednesday 3 September 1890, he returned to Huddersfield with his father-in-law, James Priestley JP, to attend the grand funeral of Alderman John Varley JP (1836–1890), a wealthy, "brusque" and "rugged" coal-merchant with his finger in many pies, who had died of
apoplexy
Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...
. This involved a very long procession, robed or uniformed, winding its way on foot to the tolling of
muffled bells from Varley's house, Springfield,
Newsome
Newsome is a village situated approximately 1 mile south of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the Kirklees, Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees. The village lies at the centre of Newsome (ward), Newsome Ward to which it gives its n ...
to the church of St John the Evangelist, Newsome. It was headed by eighty policemen, nine firemen, over forty members of
Huddersfield Borough Council and several
Freemasons
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
. Next came two carriages bearing priests and doctors, then the
hearse
A hearse is a large vehicle, originally a horse carriage but later with the introduction of motor vehicles, a car, used to carry the body of a deceased person in a coffin at a funeral, wake, or memorial service. They range from deliberately ano ...
flanked by walking
bearers from the mill of Vickerman & Sons. About eight carriages containing chief mourners and local
VIPs
A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots.
Examples incl ...
followed the hearse; then came many more VIPs on foot, including local politicians, and six private carriages containing more VIPs followed these. All along the road house-blinds were closed as the hearse drew near. When the procession passed by the
mills
Mills is the plural form of mill, but may also refer to:
As a name
*Mills (surname), a common family name of English or Gaelic origin
* Mills (given name)
*Mills, a fictional British secret agent in a trilogy by writer Manning O'Brine
Places Unit ...
, machinery stopped, flags dropped to
half-mast
Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salu ...
and the workers lined the route, heads bowed. The
surplice
A surplice (; Late Latin ''superpelliceum'', from ''super'', "over" and ''pellicia'', "fur garment") is a liturgical vestment of Western Christianity. The surplice is in the form of a tunic of white linen or cotton fabric, reaching to the kne ...
d choir met the procession at the church
lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, lyke-gate or as two separate words lych gate, (from Old English ''lic'', corpse), also ''wych gate'', is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style ch ...
. Forster was waiting in the church to attend the service, being too infirm to take part in the procession.
After Forster died, he was well-remembered at St Andrews:
t St Andrew's/nowiki> he ministered in season and out of season according to his strength and power . . . labouring patiently and diligently as an able preacher, a vigorous organiser, a wise manager of the schools, a painstaking parish priest, and in all things approved himself to be a Man of God. In those days this church was crowded to overflowing, for many came from far to hear his wise and loving words. ''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894[Rev. W.F. Shaw, quoted in ''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894: The late Rev. C.F. Forster]
The ''
Church Times
The ''Church Times'' is an independent Anglican weekly newspaper based in London and published in the United Kingdom on Fridays.
History
The ''Church Times'' was founded on 7 February 1863 by George Josiah Palmer, a printer. It fought for the ...
'' published an ''In Memoriam'' for Charles:
Mr Forster had for some years suffered a painful and distressing malady which he bore, however, with remarkable fortitude . . . A man of strong will, sound judgement and prompt decision, he influenced to no slight extent the Church life in Huddersfield while vicar of St Andrew's in that town; where he will ever be remembered for the definiteness of his teaching, the heartiness and reverence which characterised the services of his church, and for the well organised and successful day and Sunday schools connected therewith. ''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894
St Michael and All Angels, Beckwithshaw
![Beckwithshaw Church 031](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Beckwithshaw_Church_031.jpg)
In 1887 he resigned the living at St Andrew's and became the first vicar of the recently
consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
St Michael and All Angels Church at
Beckwithshaw
Beckwithshaw is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about south-west of Harrogate.
History
Beckwithshaw takes its name from the now smaller settlement of Beckwith, to the east. The suffix "shaw" ...
, because it was hoped that his health would improve in the "comparative retirement" of this "quiet and secluded parish".
[''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 24 December 1886: Local news] He was nominated to the living of £200 per annum and the promise of a future vicarage by Dr Williams of Moor Park; his preferment was announced on 7 January 1887 and he was licensed to the post by the Bishop of Ripon on 17 March 1887.
He was a
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
of the
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
and was one of many members of that society to be innocently duped by the
Society of Science, Letters and Art
The Society of Science, Letters and Art, also known as the Society of Science or SSLA, was a ''soi-disant'' learned society which flourished between 1882 and 1902. Dr Edward Albert Sturman, M.A., F.R.S.L., owned and ran the Society for his own f ...
, London. He was a member of the Pannal
School Board
A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution.
The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
, and he concerned himself with the welfare of the Church.
It was his success in dealing with parochial institutions and his "practical pulpit utterances," making St Andrew's a foremost church in its district, which recommended him for this new position.
However, village life was not as tranquil as Forster might have expected. On 1 June 1887, after collecting some scrap metal, blacksmiths Thomas Sadler and Anthony Pratt of Harrogate were drinking at the Smiths Arms opposite Beckwithshaw Church. On the way home, Pratt appeared too inebriated to walk and was left in a field by his friend. Sadler returned to find Pratt foaming at the mouth and dying. It was concluded that the cause of death at age 42 was excessive drinking.
Forster took an interest in clerical matters. On the afternoon of 11 April 1889, he attended a large Anglican church meeting at Harrogate Church Institute, headed by the
Earl of Harewood
Earl of Harewood (), in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
History
The title was created in 1812 for Edward Lascelles, 1st Earl of Harewood, Edward Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, a wealthy sugar plantation own ...
, the
Bishop of Ripon
The Bishop of Ripon is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The bishop is one of the area bishops of the Diocese of Leeds in the Province of York. The area bishop of Ripon has oversight of ...
, the
Bishop of Penrith
The Bishop of Penrith is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Penrith in Cumbria.
The title was first mentioned (as Pereth) in the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 (alongside a see for Penreth – now called Penrydd – in Pembro ...
, Mr Joseph Dent Dent of
Ribston Hall
Ribston Hall is a privately owned 17th-century country mansion situated on the banks of the River Nidd, at Great Ribston, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.
The two-storey mansion presents an impress ...
, and a large contingent of local clergy.
The stated subject of the meeting was the reorganisation of the Ripon Diocesan Societies, but the content was a move by the Bishop of Ripon for funds to support pensions for retired clergy, nine-tenths of whom did not have independent means. The meeting enthusiastically supported this motion. Sadly, Forster was not to live long enough to benefit from this improvement of the clerical lot.
[''York Herald'', 12 April 1889: Ripon Diocesan Societies] He supported the Church Institute which in turn supported the clergy, and he attended the annual bazaar, a three-day occasion in aid of its building fund.
![Beckwithshaw Church 067](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Beckwithshaw_Church_067.jpg)
Forster served in Beckwithshaw for just seven years, and died on 28 August 1894. His funeral and interment took place on 1 September. In Beckwithshaw, "in all absence of gloom" the church was crowded at the funeral service, while in the village blinds were drawn and "signs of marked sorrow were visible on every hand."
While the body was laid in the
chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ove ...
, the congregation laid
wreaths
A wreath () is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a circle .
In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, most commonly as an Advent and Chri ...
of flowers along the
altar rail
The altar rail (also known as a communion rail or chancel rail) is a low barrier, sometimes ornate and usually made of stone, wood or metal in some combination, delimiting the chancel or the sanctuary and altar in a church, from the nave and oth ...
.
Charles Wesley
Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include " And Can It Be", " Christ the Lord Is Risen ...
's hymn ''Blessing, honour, thanks and praise'' was sung, and Mark Rowntree read the lesson before the choir sang the
canticle
A canticle (from the Latin ''canticulum'', a diminutive of ''canticum'', "song") is a hymn, psalm or other Christianity, Christian song of praise with lyrics usually taken from biblical or holy texts. Canticles are used in Christian liturgy.
Ca ...
''
Nunc Dimittis
The Nunc dimittis (), also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon, is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 29 through 32. Its Latin name comes from its incipit, the opening words, of the Vulgate t ...
''. At the graveside service were
medical officers from the local hospitals, an
alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
, a
councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
, numerous curates and vicars including Frank Shaw of St Andrew's, Huddersfield, D. M. Thomas, the curate of Beckwithshaw, and Mark Rowntree, vicar of
Pannal
Pannal is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated to the immediate south of Harrogate. Since 2016 it has formed part of the new civil parish of Pannal ...
. Mr and Mrs Henry Williams, patrons of the living of Beckwithshaw, were there too.
The funeral ''cortège'' travelled on foot more than a mile to the cemetery. The clergy and choir were robed; the choirboys carrying all the flowers: a "picturesque appearance of reverential sorrow." At the cemetery, the grave was lined with ivy and flowers, and W. Binner conducted the service in "a most impressive manner." Numerous relatives of Charles and his wife were present, although newspaper reports do not say that Mary herself was there. The choir sang ''
For All the Saints
"For All the Saints" was written as a processional hymn by William Walsham How, who was ultimately the Anglican Bishop of Wakefield. The hymn was first printed in ''Hymns for Saints' Days, and Other Hymns'', by Earl Nelson, 1864.
Tune
The hymn w ...
''. The polished oak coffin had heavy brass mountings and a brass cross on the lid. According to the ''Huddersfield Chronicle'' of 1894, the cross and its pedestal were inscribed, "Charles Farrar Forster, priest, born 29th February 1848; passed to rest 28th August 1894."
[''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 8 September 1894] However the existing inscription as of 2014 is as follows:
"In memory of Charles Farrar Forster, priest. First vicar of the adjoining parish of Beckwithshaw 1887 to 1894. Passed to rest on the 28th day of August 1894 aged 46. ''My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest''. This cross was erected by the members of his congregation."
On the evening of Sunday 9 September 1894 a memorial service was held for Forster at St Andrew's Church, Huddersfield. There was a large congregation. The organist, H. J. Wood, ARCO, played the voluntary ''Cantilene Pastorale'' by
Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant (; 12 March 1837 – 29 March 1911) was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of La Trinité from 1871 until 1901. A noted pedagogue, performer, and improviser, Guilmant helped found the Schola Cantor ...
. There were psalms and hymns, and lessons were read by the vicar, W. F. Shaw. The choir sang an anthem which was followed by a sermon from the vicar. The congregation stood while the organist played the
''Dead March'' from ''Saul''. The closing voluntary was Guilmant's ''Funeral March''.
At Beckwithshaw he was remembered thus:
t Beckwithshaw/nowiki> he preferred to labour on and to die in harness . . . He was troubled with a dangerous disease which at times caused him agonies of excruciating pain. Yet through it all he was calm, patient, collected.''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894
''The Church Times'' said:
Appointed first vicar of the new parish of Beckwithshaw in 1887, he set himself to build up, slowly but surely, the life of his people . . . and while he taught the fulness of the truth, and symbolised it in simple yet reverent form, he failed not by the bright example of his own life - so consistent, so nobly patient under the severest trials - to give a forcible illustration of the yielded will and godly endeavour of a Christian man.''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 18 September 1894
In July 2005, over a hundred years after Forster's death, his great-nephew visited Beckwithshaw Church, showing that he is still remembered by his family.
[Information from Beckwithshaw Church]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Charles Farrar
1848 births
1894 deaths
19th-century English Anglican priests
People from Knaresborough
Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society
Alumni of St Bees Theological College