Mexborough and Swinton Times November 18, 1938
Packed Church at Denaby
Representative Parade
Biggest For Years
A Remembrance Day service Was held at the Denaby Parish Church on Sunday morning when one of the largest congregations since the early Post-War years assembled.
The church was full, the Lady Chapel was full, and extra seats were brought in from the Church Hall, and then many people stood at-the back of the church. It is estimated that about 600 people attended, and this was supplemented by a further number at the short service which followed at the Cenotaph. The Vicar, the Rev. S. Powley, conducted the service, and lessons were read by the. Lay-Readers, Messrs. S. G. Padgham.and T. Holcroft.
The Vicar read the list of 159 names inscribed on the War Memorial. The preacher was the Rev. T. B. Naylor, Methodist Minister of Goldthorpe, who stressed the fact that the-Armistice Day celebrations were increasing in religious fervour and atmosphere that one could almost say that it was a religious anniversary.
It was right that it should be so, we had much for which we should thank God. It might perhaps seem to some of us that in some of the years past, the works of the Devil had seemed to get to the fore, and we might ask why? Perhaps it was because we ourselves had not given God the chance to do His work in those years, but we could look to the future and be a great source of assistance in the work-that lay ahead.
Service at Cenotaph.
The choir led the processions to the Cenotaph where members of the local company of the K.O.Y.L.I. were on guard under the command of Sergt. Wright. The Last Post was sounded by Bugler. F. Rawson of the Ambulance Band. At the Cenotaph the Vicar read a short-prayer, then came the laying of the wreaths, the Last Post, and the singing of the National Anthem, led by the Ambulance Band.
Among those attending the service were Coun D Sheldon, JP (Chairman of Conisborough Urban District Council), and-Councillors H Gomersall A Wellings, B Roberts, J Humphries, R H Shepherd, G Oldfield and T Hill.
Other Public bodies attending and taking part in the-parade after the service, which was led by the Ambulance Band under Bandmaster R Whittington, were the Comrades and the women’s Section of, the British Legion, under the command of Mr T Oxley (secretary) the local company of the K.O.Y.L.I. under the command of Lieut Kinnear, the St John Ambulance Brigade under the command of Corps Secretary C J Pickett, with Ambulance Officers,-J W Cooke, R Ross, J, Halford and L Harvey, and the Nursing Division in charge of Lady Officer Cooke the Denaby Scouts under Scoutmaster Slater, and Cubmistress Mrs Parry AR; Volunteers of Mexborough, Conisborough and Denaby Main led by Sub-Divisional Warden, A Shaw of Mexborough Special constables of Mexborough, Denaby and Conisborough, under the Command of Sub-Divisional Commander E Andrews (Mexborough), and Assistant Sub Divisional Commander J Lines (Mexborough), and Commandant T Peters (Denaby) B: local police Denaby Garden and Horticultural Society Acting Captain A Smith in charge of Fire Brigade, and Mr G W Jepps, President of the Mexborough Chamber of Trade.
The tokens of remembrance laid on the Cenotaph were from the Denaby Comrades; the Women’s Section of the British Legion; the Officers, NCOs and men of Company of the K.O.Y.L.I. Officers— NCOs and men of the St John Ambulance Brigade; the Denaby Nursing Division B: Denaby Scouts and many private tokens . The collection at the service was devoted to the ex-service Welfare Society
A Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated at St.Alban’s Catholic Church on Friday, by Father ,C Lehane (senior curate) The Mass was sung by the choir, and Mr R Dunn was at the organ. A large number of- schoolchildren were present and also in the congregation were relatives of the fallen. The Mass was offered at the War Memorial alter.