[From The Manx Quarterly, #27]

Memorial notices

REV CHARLES KELLY.

Died June 29th, 1921.

The many Manx friends of the Rev. Charles Kelly, Primitive Methodist minister (son of Mr and Mrs W. Kelly, of Kensington-road, Douglas), will receive with deep regret the news of the rev. gentleman's death, which occurred at Manchester on June 29th; Mr Kelly has for the last five years been engaged on a mission station in Manchester, and the strain had told seriously on his health, but no one had sup posed that his life was in jeopardy. Mr Kelly was about 35 years old, and was a teacher in the employ of the Douglas School Board when, some eleven or twelve years ago, he was accepted as a candidate for the ministry. During his training at the Hartley Theological Institution, he attracted the special attention of Sir W. P. Hartley, the donor to whose liberality the institution owes its existence, and he, together with one other student, was selected to undergo a general University education at Owen's College, Manchester. Finally he took the degrees of B.A. and B.D., and for the last eight years he had been on active circuit work. The possessor of fine intellectual powers and of great personal magnetism, he would in all probability, had he lived, have attained a high place in the Connexion. In order to recruit his health, he had recently accepted a call to Peel, and he was just about to take up residence in his native Island. Mr Kelly was married and leaves a, widow and son.

TRIBUTE FROM ANOTHER MANX MINISTER.

The Rev. R. Wilfred Callin, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire (who is a son of Mr Robert Callin, gaoler, of Douglas), writes as follows --

I wonder if you will be able to find space in your journal for a few words of appreciation of a very distinguished young Manx scholar, the Rev. Charles Kelly, M.A., B.D., Primitive Methodist minister, of Manchester, who died nine days ago.

Mr Kelly was born in Peel thirty-four or thirty-five years ago, but his family must have removed soon after to Douglas, for I first met him as a fellow-scholar at Tynwald-street school, where he was one of a group who brought pleasure to the hearts of Mr J. T. Hall. and his able assistant, Mr H. Cannell, B.Sc. J. W. Rogem, M.Sc., was four or five years older, but had already given, in that schodl, a glamour to things of the mind. With Kelly was Paul Johnson, H. Corrin, B.Sc., and others. A few weeks after I left the school for business, Johnson, Collin, and Kelly headed the list of candidates in the examination for Harris Scholarships to the Douglas Grammar School, and all three went there, spending some years under Mr Barthelemy. A year or two of teaching and clerking followed, during which time Kelly became a local preacher. A certain native lucidity and directness of speech impressed the authorities of the Douglas P.M. Circuit very much. He was at that time regarded as undoubtedly the ablest young man on the plan, and the expected thing happened. The late Mr T. H. Cormode at the June Quarterly Meeting 1906, was responsible for moving that Kelly be asked to prepare himself for the ministry, and to take the examinations of the following winter. so far as my memory goes, this was passed unanimously and heartily, as it deserved to be. This direct "call" of his own people settled Kelly's own judgment, and he went forward.

I was senior student in college when Kelly arrived to make the third Manx-man studying at the same period under Dr. A. S. Peake. Kelly had far away the best academic qualifications, and he was chosen to take a five years' course in Arts and Divinity, during which he proved himself a thorough workmanlike student. Prizes came to him, but I have forgotten the details of them. He gave his strength to his studies rather than to his preaching, and became somewhat more remote and detached from the common world. This, coupled with his very quiet, unassuming manner and an utter absence of the spirit of the rebel which has always troubled some of us, helped to obscure the very fine and noble man who was steadily developing. Some who knew him of old were disappointed that he had become "only a scholar." Ye gods ! A man, who if he had lived, might have had his name second to Forbes or Brown for his sheer weight of genuine learning, to be measured thus by a suet-pudding finger-and-thumb Democracy.

Kelly served the P.M. Church for a time at Brierley Hull and later at Manchester. This summer he was to have gone to Peel-his native place. I am told he was going partly for his health. Be that as it may-I have more than once pictured to myself the future that never will be now; the erudite saint trudging up to Lower Foxdale to break the Bread of Life to a handful of people, who could never over-realise, the beauty of service in the man who was their minister.

Well, it's over now. His peaceful life has closed early. May his memory live.

We cull the following passages from an obituary notice in "The Primitve Methodist Leader " of July 14th:-

The passing, so unexpectedly, of the Rev. C. Kelly has removed from our Church one of the most promising of our younger ministers. . . In 1916, he became the superintendent of Maverenter First Circuit, where for five years he laboured successfully under the greatest difficulties during the war and its terrible aftermath. Only those who know the conditions prevailing in this " down town" church and its environments have any conception of the amount of courage and devotion to duty displayed by him during those five years. It has been a fight against great and overwhelming odds, yet notwithstanding the forces against him and, the smallness of the noble band of workers, he has spent 'has strength to the point of exhaustion. . . To those who knew him intimately., the lose will be felt most acutely. He has endeared himself to the officials and members by his genial and loving disposition.

JOHN KILLIP

Died July 16th, 1921.

Mr John Killip, joiner, of Mount Havelock, Douglas, died on July 16th, after a long and painful illness. The deceased gentleman, who was 58 years old, was a native of Hilberry, Onchan, and was a brother of the late Mr T. W. Killip, ironmonger and plumber. He was at one time in partnership with Mr W. Kelly, but for many years past he had carried on business on his own account as a jobbing joiner. He was a man who took a healthy pride in his work; no job ever left his bench that was not neat and reliable, and his financial dealings were, characterised by unimpeachable honesty. In his latter years he developed a hobby for antique furniture, and many curio collectors became well acquainted with him. The funeral took place on July 21st. Almost the entire building trade of Douglas followed the coffin, and a goodly representation of the general public also attended to testify their esteem.

MRS. J. J. CORLETT.

Died July 14th, 1921.

Much regret will be occasioned by the death of Mrs Corlett, wife of Councillor J. J. Corlett, of Douglas, who died at her residence, No. 1 Kensington-road, on July 14th. The sad event was wholly unexpected, as the deceased lady had been walking with her husband on the Promenade, apparently in good health, a few hours before. Mrs Corlett was a daughter of the late Mr Henry Craine, of Ramsey, and a sister of Mr Walter Craine, law clerk, and Mrs A. Cameron, of Ramsey. She was a remarkably capable woman of business, and thoroughly good-hearted, and she enjoyed the respect of a very large number of her fellow townsfolk. She and her family have been active workers at the Victoria-street Wesleyan Church. Two of her daughters, Mrs C. Poland (formerly Miss Hilda Corlett), and Mrs T. Jacquet (formerly Miss Bertha Corlett), are well-known Insular vocalists.

FRANCIS ROWLAND MOORE.

Died June 13th, 1921.

General regret will be felt at the death of Mir Francis Rowland Moore, manager at Castletown and Port Erin for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank, who passed away at his residence, The Crofts, Castletown, on June 18th, at the early age of 37. Mr Moore had not been at business for some months, but it was not suspected until quite recently that his illness was likely to have a fatal termination. He was the youngest son of the late Mr George Moore, of Balladoole, Arbory, and was thus a cousin of Mr William Moore, H.K. After experience in Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey, South John-street, Liverpool, and Port Erin, he succeeded the late Mr R. C. Cretney as manager at Castletown three or four years ago. Mr Moore was the possessor of a fine powerful baritone voice, and both as a soloist and a member of choirs, was well known in the South of the Island and in Ramsey; and the not infrequently officiated at the organ at Arbory and St. Mary's Churches. He was secretary of the Port Erin Golf Club, a post which, during the period of the construction caused by the war and by the club's transference to a new course, had entailed much labour and anxiety; and he was for some years secretary of the Port Erin branch of the Lifeboat Institution, and at the time of his death held a similar position in the Castletown branch. Among other organisations in which he actively interested himself were the Athole Club at Castletown, the Castletown and Rushen lodges of Freemasons, and the Southern District Agricultural Society, of which latter body he was treasurer.

The funeral took place at Arbory Churchyard, on Tuesday, June 21st, them being a large gathering of Freemasons and the general public to pay their last respects to the deceased. Among the brethren present were noticed W.Bro. the Rev E. T. Shepherd (Prov. J. G. Chaplain), W.Bro. E. H. Stemning (Prov. G. Steward), W.Bro. J. R. Connal, J.P. (W.M., Lodge of Rushen), W.Bro. H. J. Clague (W.M., Lodge of Mona), W.Bro. A. E. Gawne (P.Prov. G.S.D.), and W.Bro. Richard Cubbon (Secretary of the Lodge of Mona). At the home of the deceased, the hymn, "O God, our help in ages :past," was sung. In the church, Psalm 39 was read by the Rev E. H. Stenning, and the lesson (1 Cor. xv.) by the Rev John Graham; and the hymn, " Rock of Ages," was feelingly sung. The Rev F. W. Stubbs, B.D. (vicar of Arbory) officiated at the last rites at the graveside, after which the Freemasons reverently filed past, and each deposited a sprig of acacia on the coffin. Mr Wm. H. Cubbon presided at the organ, and played the " Dead March" from "Saul" and other appropriate music.

ANDREW SPEEDIE.

Died July 3rd, 1921.

Mr Andrew Speedie, retired farmer, died suddenly at his residence in Rosemount, Douglas, on Sunday, July 3rd. The deceased gentleman, who was over 60 years old, for many years cultivated Middle Farm, Braddan, and was considered one of the most capable and up-to-date agriculturists of his day. He will be gratefully remembered by many farmers because of his having some years ago initiated a campaign against rooks, which at that time were so plentiful as to constitute a serious menace. It is estimated that the campaign alluded to has resulted in this class of the black-coated population being reduced by half. Mr Speedie was a stalwart Radical and temperance enthusiast, and was a close associate, politically and otherwise, of the late Mr T H. Cormode and of his brother, Mr Edward Cormode. Until he removed to Douglas two or three years ago, he was one of the mainstays of the Cooil Wesleyan Chapel. In 1910, on the resignation of Mr G. F. Clucas, now Speaker of the House of Keys, he contested a seat in Middle Sheading, but just at that time there was rather a slump in Reform politics, and Mir William Christian, who described himself as a moderate Constitutionalist, was returned.