Funeral of Husband and Wife at Conisborough.

Last Sunday afternoon the Conisborough cemetery was the scene of a very painful and distressing circumstance.

On this occasion the remains of a young man named Robert Ackroyd, aged 36, and his wife, Julia, aged 33, were laid in their last resting place. Ackroyd, who had been in failing health for some time past, died on the previous Wednesday morning.

The news of his death was such a shock to his wife, who latterly had been an inmate of Wadsley Asylum, that it seems to have hastened her end, and she died within 24 hours of her husband.

Both bodies were interred in the same grave. A large number of members belonging to the Oddfellows (of which deceased was a member), and glass bottle workers followed, in addition to a large number of relatives.

It was indeed a grievous sight to see the four young orphan children following both their parents to the graveside. The eldest is a boy, aged 13, the rest consisting of one girl and two boys. There was an unusually large assemblage of friends present to witness the sad event. The crowd was undoubtedly the largest number ever seen before at a funeral at the cemetery, and it is to be hoped that such a circumstance will not have to be witnessed again for many years to come.

The first portion of the burial service was held in the church by the Vicar (the Rev. G. H. Stock), who, in sympathetic tones, addressed a few words of consolation. He said that during his ministerial life he had never been called upon to perform the last rites of Christian burial of man and wife at one service. The service was very impressively intoned, and was fully choral. The Rev. J. Crawford (curate), concluded the burial service at the cemetery.

Bro. Jones, representing the Notional I.O. of Oddfellows, also read a portion of their burial service. Amongst those present were noticed Mr. J. K. Bateson, Mr. J. Carter (one of the oldest hands at the glasshouse), Mr. Martin, and Mr. Moody. The glass bottle hands were largely represented, marshalled by Messrs. Kelly and Senior,

Mr. Appleyard, of Church street, was the undertaker