Samuel Attewell (1863-1920)

STRENUOUS WORKER’S DECEASE

Born in Newbury 57 years ago, the death of Mr. Samuel Attewell took place at 15 Aldridge-road Villas, Westbourne-park, London, on Saturday, May 8th, from pneumonia after a few days’ illness. Never physically strong, he, throughout life, suffered from recurring fits of ill-health, which limited his naturally active temperament and the full exercise of those mental powers with which he was more than ordinarily endowed.

Apprenticed to the grocery, he was afterwards in business; but subsequently became connected with the Alliance of Honour; he addressed meetings in villages and held conferences, and when the war broke out and a military camp was formed in Newbury, a Soldiers’ Club was established under this movement, of which Mr. Attewell (assisted by his wife) was the Superintendent, and amongst the soldiers he went by the affectionate name of “Dad”. Here, during the dark days of the war, hundreds of servicemen found in this Alliance of Honour Club a home away from home. It proved to be an immense boon, and its good name was known in the overseas trenches as well as in the home camps. On the cessation of the war, and the closing of the premises, Mr. Attewell moved to the headquarters in London and found a congenial sphere in acting as agent in advance to the meetings held in connection with the Alliance Campaign in the large towns and centres of population. He had been engaged in this work more than twelve months when his death occurred.

The funeral was on Friday at the Primitive Methodist Church, with which he had been connected from his earliest days – first as a scholar, then as a member, preacher and official. The body was brought from London by rail and borne into the church on the shoulders of four lay preachers (Messrs. John Hunt, S. Fry, E. Bishop and F. Seward) as the organist (Mr. S. Griffin) played “I know that my redeemer lived” (Handel) and “O Rest in the Lord” (Mendelssohn). After the service “Blest are the departed” (Spohr) was rendered. The hymns were “When the day of toil is done ” and “Jesus lives” and the ministers taking part were the Rev. Percy Jackson and Rev. A.B. Gowers, the former reading passages from the New Testament and the latter from the Old Testament, while the Rev. C.V. Pike offered the prayer. Mr. Alfred B. Kent, a director of the Alliance of Honour, speaking of Mr. Attewell said that the deceased’s was a simple faith of splendid loyalty. He possessed dogged courage and tireless energy, and his work on behalf of purity was his very environment. Men from the four corners of the world would remember Mr. Attewell, who pointed them to the Saviour. Few people knew that his bright smile cloaked physical pain borne so uncomplainingly, and now he had received his reward, his memory would be cherished, and his influence felt for many years to come. The speaker concluded with a prayer for the bereaved. Mr. Jackson officiated at the graveside, when a large number were also in attendance. The coffin was of polished oak with brass fittings, and bore the inscription

“Samuel Attewell
died May 8th 1920,
aged 57 years”.

The mourners were Mrs. S. Attewell (widow), Mr. and Mrs. House (brother-in-law and sister, Derby), Mrs Snook (sister-in-law), Mr. L. Rosier (brother- in- law),, Mrs. W. Rosier (sister-in-law), Mrs. W. Rosier (sister-in-law) Oxford, Mr. Stevens (brother-in-law) Burnham, Som., Miss Stevens (niece), Mrs. M. Attewell (sister-in-law), Mr. M. Attewell (nephew), Mr. and Mrs. J. Attewell (cousins), Mr. Arthur Attewell, Mrs Paulen (cousins), Miss Hoare (Hungerford), and Messrs. A.B. Kent, E. Bagnall and Hurst, representatives of the Alliance of Honour.

There follows a long list of wreaths and flowers and their donors.

Funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. A.J. Chivers.

The deceased was an earnest advocacy in the Temperance cause, and was often engaged in addressing meetings in the villages in this and other social objects. No notice would be complete which did not recognise the work he did for many years in connection with Stroud Green Chapel and its Sunday School, in which he received every assistance from Mrs Attewell.