The Rev George William Murray

Reading Mercury

Sat, 22 Nov, 1890

 

Shrivenham

 

Funeral of the Rev G.W. Murray, Late Vicar of Shrivenham

 

The church of St Andrew’s, Shrivenham, was on Friday, the 14th inst., completely filled with a sorrowing congregation, the occasion being the funeral of the late esteemed vicar, the Rev G.W. Murray, whose death was recorded last week. The mourners arrived at Shrivenham station from Newbury by the 1.38 train, and were driven to the Manor House, the residence of Mr A.W. Fairthorne. Shortly after two o’clock the relatives and friends entered the church, where the surpliced choir and clergy were awaiting them, the organist (Mr Olliver) meanwhile playing Spohr’s  ‘Blest are the departed.’ As the opening sentences of the Burial service had been said the day before by the Rev E.F. Hill (the present vicar of Shrivenham), and the Rev G.D.C. Wheeler (rector of Barcheston, and formerly curate of Shrivenham), the service commenced by the choir chanting Psalm xc. The Rev Walter Hughes (rector of Tarporley, Cheshire) very impressively read the lesson, after which the hymn, ‘O let him whose sorrow,’ was sung. Whilst the coffin was being carried from the church to the grave, the church-wardens, choir and clergy preceded it, slowly chanting the Nune Dimittis. On reaching the grave, the Rev G.D.C. Wheeler finished the sad ceremony, the choir singing the hymn, ‘Now the labourer’s task is o’er.’

 

The surpliced clergy who took part in the procession were: The Rev H. Miller (Rural Dean), the Rev E.F. Hill, the Rev E. Banks, the Rev H.P. Gurney, the Rev B.C. Edwards, the Rev J. Light, the Rev E. Ferguson, the Rev W. Hughes, and the Rev G.D.C Wheeler. The following were the mourners: Mrs Murray, Mr Barrington Murray, Miss Murray, Miss Ethel Murray, Miss Mabel Murray, Miss Florence Murray, Mr Douglas Murray, Miss Nora Murray, Master Arthur Murray, Mrs Scott, Mr John Murray Scott, Colonel Douglas Scott, R.E., Rev E.M. Scott, Mr Malcolm Scott, Miss Scott, Miss Mary Scott, Mr Walter Scott, Major-General Christopher Teesdale, K.C.M.G., V.C., Mr Francis Swan, the Earl of Cork and Orrery, Viscount Barrington, the Hon Walter Barrington, Major-General C.P. Forbes, Colonel Edwards, Mr F. Griffiths, Mrs Fowler, Mr A.W. Fairthorne, Miss Fairthorne, Miss M. Fairthorne, Mr W.M. Raymond, Fraulein Lorch, the Rev John Hughes, the Rev J.B. Kearney, the Rev J. Edgell, the Rev H. Ault, the Rev A. Macdonald, the Rev J. Smeaton, Mr Richard Wilson, and a large number of the tradesmen and villagers.

 

The floral tributes, numbering upwards of 80, were very beautiful. Mrs Murray and her family brought with them a large processional cross of choice white flowers, which was carried by a choir boy immediately in front of the coffin from the church to the grave.

 

References to the death of the late Vicar were made from the pulpit of Shrivenham Church on Sunday. The Vicar (the Rev E. Hill), preached in the morning, and the Rev H. Miller, Rural Dean, in the evening.

 

The funeral arrangements were satisfactorily carried out by Mr H.S. Hanington of Newbury.