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CHARLES WEBB
AN OCTOGENARIAN TOWNSMAN
A LINK WITH THE PAST
The death of Mr. Charles Webb, which took place on Thursday morning at his residence, Westfield House, Craven-street, removes one who had played a prominent part in the public and private, commercial and religious life of Newbury during the last three-quarters of a century.
Mr Webb celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday last December, but although he maintained his cheery disposition to the last, it was evident that his great age was beginning to tell. He suffered with a weak heart, and latterly had led a very quiet life. On Wednesday morning, whilst dressing he had a paralytic seizure, which rendered him unconscious, from which he never recovered, passing away on Thursday.
Charles Webb was member of an old family which has been at the northern end of Northbrook-street for nearly a century. It was in 1915, the year of Waterloo, that John Webb took over the grocery business of John Chapman. He in turn was succeeded by his son Thomas, who subsequently handed over the reins to his sons, Charles and John. The former was actively associated with the business, and in 1884 he retired, leaving the management in the hands of younger men, so there have been four generations connected with the business. One of the brothers of deceased, Samuel, went out to Australia in 1854 where he is still living.
Mr. Charles Webb witnessed many changes in the grocery trade, his recollections ranging from the days when tea, sugar, coffee, etc. were sold at such high prices they they were only available for the well-to-do, to the times when these same articles became so cheap as to come within the reach of all. Although rejoicing in the greater purchasing power of the poorest, this venerable trader could not help now and again recalling with satisfaction the bigger prices paid in his earlier years as a trader, tea at 7s. or 8s. a pound, sugar at ls., currants at ls., and lamenting the keen competition which had befallen these latter days.
Born in 1825, dying in 1910, Charles Webb's life extended over a wonderful period of progress. His memory carried him back to the stirring days of the coaches when the Bath road was the great highway between London and the West of England, and Speenhamland was a centre of activity and animation each day as the coaches stopped at one or other of the numerous inns to change horses and enable passengers to obtain rest and refreshment. Although living just "over the water," he was close enough to the Hamlet to be a spectator of the scenes of bustle which daily occurred. He knew the "Pelican" in all its glory, when it comprised a much larger area than at present, when it could comfortably accommodate a small army of guests and a hundred or so of horses were always waiting in the stables for the "changes." He retained a profound admiration for that celebrated hostess, Mrs. Botham, who with queenly dignity presided over the big hostelry. As a boy he remembered Speenhamland Theatre, where some of the leading actors and actresses of the day performed, as many people of quality broke the journey at Newbury and were glad of the opportunity of amusement in the evening.
Although not qualified by residence in the "Hamlet," to be included in that select body known as "The Speenhamland Worthies," Mr. Webb was familiar with each of them, and his reminiscences of these local celebrities were vastly entertaining to the present generation, to whom he delighted in relating them. He had outlived most of his contemporaries, although there are a few left like Thomas Idler, one of his oldest friends, Charles Midwinter, James Eatwell, David Rogers Jones, Robert Bell, and Thomas Fielder. It is an interesting fact that Charles Webb was the first pupil of Mr, Sew, at whose school at Speen so many Newburians of that generation were educated.
Mr. Webb witnessed several revolutions in vehicular locomotion, saw the opening of the railway between Newbury and Reading, which eventually disestablished the coaches and drove the barges off the Canal. He lived long enough to see motor-cars take possession of the highways, and very nearly to see flying machines. But to recall the marvellous changes which place during his long life, would be to re-write the history of Newbury during the greater part of the Nineteenth Century, for he participated in the celebrations of the Coronation of Queen Victoria, as well as her late Majesty's Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee, and the Coronation of her son, Edward VII. He saw Newbury develop from a quiet country town, practically isolated from the rest of the world, save for the news brought by the coaches, into the active business community of today connected up with the commercial centres of the country by train, telegraph and telephone. Perhaps none took a keener interest in the demolition of the old railway station, which sixty years before he had seen erected, and the substitution therefore of the modern structure which is striking evidence of the progress made during his life-time.
Mr. Webb was a Wesleyan by religious persuasion, and his energies were mainly exercised in connection with that body. His business ability and sound common-sense were always at the diposal of the denomination, and he was deservedly held in high honour by a long succession of ministers and fellow-members. He filled all the offices open to a layman, including society steward, circuit steward, chapel steward, secretary of quarterly meeting, and was superintendent of the Sunday School Mr thirty-five years. He was one of the trustees of the Northbrook-street chapel, the erection of which he witnessed. As a boy he worshipped in the old chapel which stood close by to the present building. So great was the confidence in his integrity that he was a trustee of nearly every chapel in the Newbury Circuit. He was greatly in request as chairman of meetings, his happy manner, quaint humour, and homely speech being much appreciated by audiences. Mr. Webb was a director of Newbury Building Society and a trustee of Newbury Savings Bank. The prevailing note of Charles Webb's life was his cheerfulness of disposition. He had a genial smile and pleasant word for everybody. For this reason he had a large circle of friends outside the religious body with which he was so prominently identified. He had no faith in religion which makes a man morose, or prevents participation in the amenities of life. He was ready to do a kindly action, to speak a sympathetic word in season. He has died full of years, enjoying the respect and esteem of all who knew him, and sincerely mourned by the community of which he was for so lengthy a period a useful and honoured citizen.
Mr. Webb's early married life brought heavy bereavement, as he lost two children, one aged 11 months in 1856, and another of six months in 1857. His first wife died in 1883 aged 26, and his second in 1885, aged 31. His third wife, a daughter and son survive him.
THE FUNERAL
There was a large gathering of relatives and friends at the Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon when the interment took place in the family vault in which rest the remains of Mr. Webb's father, two wives and two children. The body was conveyed in a Washington car from the House of the deceased in Craven St to the Cemetery Chapel where the first part of the burial service was conducted by the reverend Sidney Phillip (superintendent minister) and the Reverend T H Lomas. At the graveside the hymn “Rock of Ages” was feelingly sung. The mourners were Mrs A H Butler (daughter), Mr H Webb (son), Mr A H Butler (son-in-law), Mrs H Webb (daughter-in-law), Messrs Stanley Butler and Morris Webb, miss Katherine Butler, and Miss Dorothy Webb (grandchildren). Mr J B Webb (nephew)
Other relatives present where the Misses Webb, Mrs J B Webb, Mr Oliver Webb, Mr and Mrs S Walter, Mrs Brice Gould, Miss Gould. Amongst those attending to pay a last tribute of respect to this venerable townsman where the mayor Mr Counsellor Camp, Ald. Thomas Fiddler. Councillor T H Pratt Messrs W E Lewendon J P, John Flint J P, W H Belcher, G Wintle, Hannibal Hill, W R Pettifer, J Mason, W W Bowring, T Butler, J E Woodgear, J Johnson, E Rowles, S North, \F H Stillman, Mrs C Dalton, Miss Dalton, Miss Edith Dalton, Miss Mason, Mrs Lomas, Mrs Fiddler, Miss Parsloe, Miss Rogers, Mr and Mrs Alfred Hollands, Mr and Mrs J C fiddler and Mr and Mrs J W Righton, Mrs Hamblin, Mr and Mrs S Smith, Mr and Mrs Allen, Miss Pascoe, Miss North, Mrs Herbert, Mr and Mrs H Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Piper, Mr and Mrs Bridgeman, Mrs Waldie, Mr and Mrs Oliver, Messrs F G Pavier, H Moore, W Sainsbury, F Skinner, S Poole, R Jennings, Nurse Coombe and others
The coffin plate was inscribed-
CHARLES WEBB
Died March 24, 1910
Aged 84
Among the floral offerings where the following:
Wife, children, grandchildren, Dorothy and Maurice,s nieces and nephews at 50 Northbrook street and Portland place. George, Edith, Flo and Madge, Mrs price and Miss Moore, Niecess at “Elmsliegh” and 37 Bartholomew St, Miss Mason, Miss Agnes Mason, Johnn and Rosie and Miss Price, Mr and Mrs Bendy, Mr Gillet, and Mrs Coleman and family.
The Funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs Penford and sons, Northbrook St.
Newbury Weekly News 31 March 1910
Mrs P p 8 S22 (and many others)
Died 24 March 1910 aged 84
Buried 29 March 1910 from Craven Street Bk 1899 p.188 no. 8702 |
