South Yorkshire Times March 21, 1959
Mr. S. C. Urch
Conisbrough Local Government Pioneer
By the death of Mr. Sylvester Charles Urch, Conisbrough has lost one of its pioneers in local government. Mr. Urch, who was 86, died at his home, 31, March Street, Conisbrough on Wednesday.
He was elected to the first Parish Council of Conisbrough in 1907 and was a parish councillor until urban powers were granted and was chairman of the Parish Council for its last three years. He stayed on as an Urban councillor for two years and at the time of his death was the last surviving former parish councillor.
Mr. Urch served on the district Board of Guardians for nearly 20 years; Governors of Mexborough Grammar School for about 15 years; the local Education Committee for more than 15 years. He was one of the people responsible for the formation of Conisbrough Old Folk’s Treat Fund (Over Seventies) and the Over Sixties Club in Conisbrough.
He worked at Kilner Bros glass works in Conisbrough for nearly 40 years and became secretary of the local branch of the Glassblowers Association for about 20 years. He was a member for many years, and the first secretary of Conisbrough Independent Labour Party
A keen church worker, he was a sideman at the Parish Church for many years. In his younger days he was also a keen footballer.
Mr, Urch came to Conisbrough from Somerset when only a few months old. He left school at the age of 13 and went to work at Kilner Bros. He left the glassworks at the age of 50 and worked for the Council as an inspector in the Sanitary Department for more than 20 years, retiring at the age of 73.
He had also included in his activities the position of Librarian at Conisbrough and was the first public librarian when the library was situated in the Church Hall. He also acted ais part-time librarian at Denaby.
He and his wife, Mrs. Florence Edith Urch, celebrated their Diamond Wedding in August of last Y ear
In. addition to a widow, Mr. Urch leaves a son, Mr. Charles Urch who is a Deputy Engineer and Surveyor, to Conisbrough Urban Council, and a daughter, Mrs. P. M. Gething.
The funeral will take place at Conisbrough Cemetery on Saturday, following a service in Conisbrough Parish Church.
Tributes Miss to Mr Urch were paid at Wednesday’s meeting of Conisbrough Urban Council.