South Yorkshire Times February 25, 1950
Dr. John McArthur
Striking Denaby Funeral Tribute
The funeral of Dr. John McArthur (78), of the Red House, Denaby Main (whose death was reported in our last issue), took place on Friday and Denaby Main paid a striking farewell tribute to one who had been a beloved friend and doctor.
Prior to the coining of the late Mr. A. M. Connell as consultant surgeon to the Fullerton Hospital, Dr. McArthur did good work there and he was proud of the local hospital.
The service at the Parish Church was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. A. V. Roebuck, and he, was assisted by the Lay Reader (Mr. T. ( Holcroft). Mr. Percy Webb was at the organ and several members of the choir attended and sang the hymns ” Jesu, Lover of my Soul,” Abide with Me,” and the Scottish hymn ” The Lord’s My Shepherd.”
As the cortege left the church the choir sang the Nunc Dimittis. The Vicar said: “Our neighbours over the Scottish border have provided us with many great men. Today we are met to pay our tribute of respect to one who was a great member of the medical profession, who had served this neighbourhood and given valuable service in the care of the sick and suffering. He lived a life of devotion and untiring energy in service to others. He had, indeed, lived the Christian life and displayed his granite-like qualities in the service he had given to the community over a period of 40 years. He has given his life in service.”
Mrs. McArthur was indisposed and was unable to attend the funeral. Dr. James McArthur has been ill in hospital and was unable to make the Journey to attend. Principal mourners were: Dr. John McArthur, Dr. Ian McArthur and Mrs. Hand- Bowman (sons and daughter) and Mrs. James McArthur (daughter-in-law)
The short service at the crematorium was conducted by the Vicar, again assisted by the Lay Reader. Mrs. Ethel Reed, of Sheffield (formerly of Denaby Main) attended the service.
Bearers were the’ following officers of the Denaby St. John Ambulance Brigade: Corps Officer J. Halford, Corps Supt. C. J. Pickett, Ambulance Officer J. W. Cooke and England Secretary G.Williams.
Other mourners were:
Doctor D.T.Clark also representing Dr W.J. McClure and Dr. D. M. Bell), Miss Brighton (Matron, Fullerton Hospital), Sgt. Evett (representing Denaby Police), Mr. J. Halford (Agent, Denaby and Cadeby Collieries), also representing the National Coal Board), Mr. C. Rich (representing Coun. R. H. Shephard. chairman of the Conisbrough U.D.C.), Mr. R. W. Birch (Clerk to the Council), Mr. A. W R. Taylor (Surveyor), Mr. G. R. Hill (Clerk to the Burial Board), Dr, J. Leiper (Divisional Medical Officer of Health), Mr. R. E. Ingleby (Sanitary Inspector), Mr, W. Urmson (Assistant Sanitary Inspector), Couns. D. Sheldon, J. T. E. Collins, A. Wellings, Gomersall, and ,A. Booth.
Nurse Wall, Nurse Randall, Nurse Atkins and Nurse Lambert (West Riding Council Midwifery Staff), Mrs. G Oldfield (also representing Coun. G. Oldfield), Denaby Parochial Council were represented by Mr. J. P. Engledow (Vicar’s Warden), Messrs. W. Coates, F. Wheatley, E. Sheldrake. Mrs. W. H. Mee and Mrs. Joyner.
Members of the Parish Church attending were: Mr. and Mrs. E.Dabbs (Conisbrough), Mrs. S Foster,* Mr. A. Swaby, Mr. and Mrs. E. Boot, Miss A.Dawson, Mrs. Sharpe, Mrs. T. Peters, (also representing Mr T Peters, People’s warden) Mrs. S. G. Burdett, Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick, Mrs. E Sheldrake, Mrs. H.Atkins, Mrs. W. Coates, Mrs. T. Morgan, Mrs Moxon, Mr. and Mrs. E. Robinson, , (Conisbrough), Mrs. C. R. Sanderson Mrs. K. Hibberd, Mrs J. Pikett, Mr Chadburn, Mrs. Gill, Mrs. H. Eyre, Mrs. J. A.Thorpe, Mrs. E. Hatton, Mrs. J. Snipes Mrs. Eyre, Eyre. Mrs. Hibberd, Mrs. R. Vine, Mr E. Atkins, Mr. N. Wilkinson, Mr. C. P. Milner E. Joyner, Mr. R. Swaby, Mr D. Stone, rand Mr. J. Downing. Others in attendance were Mr. W. Astbury , also representing Mr. J. Ford, Manager, Cadeby Colliery).
Mr. T. Holcroft represented the Doncaster Hospital Management Committee and also Mr. J. Burton, Manager, Denaby Colliery, and also present were Mr. and Mrs. T. Smith, (Denaby Over Sixties Club), Mr. and Mrs. J A. Cooke, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Wright, Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Hooley, Mrs. J. Hill (senr.), Mrs. Plant, Mrs. Dudhill, Mrs. Bellamy, Mrs. W Booker, Mrs. Bunting, Mr. B. Wall, Mr. R. W. Calderwood (Manager, Denaby Gas Works), Mr. J. Williamson, (Manager, Denaby Main Co-operative Society), Mr R L Easterbrook (Denaby Postmaster), Mr. H. Foster (representing Denaby and Cadeby Property Repairs Dept.) Mrs. W. Lawley, Mrs. G. Mellor, Mrs. Oakley, Miss Davies. Mrs. J. Pearson, Mrs. W. Holland, Mrs. Wordsworth, Mrs. Oakley Messrs. P. Harrison, A. Green, and C. R. Sanderson (representing Denaby United Football Club, for which Dr McArthur had been Honorary Surgeon), Mrs. J. Titley and Mrs. J. Roberts (representing Denaby Nursing Division), Mrs Higgins, Mrs. Rigby, Mrs. Wall, Mrs. JMrs. Keywood, Mrs. Thornton, Mr. R.Ross, (representing Ambulance Headquarters Club), Mr. J. Spruce (representing Denaby and Cadeby Miners’ Welfare Institute), Miss Earnshaw,, Mr. R. Drummond, Mr. J. Frost, Mrs. T. Roberts, Mrs. H Clerpson, Mrs. Lunn (Surgery Nurse), Mrs. Beevors, Mrs. T. Derringham, Mrs. J. Waterhouse, Mrs. R. H. Shephard, Mrs. H. Leevers, Mrs. Senior, Mrs. M. Weston, Mrs. H Eyre, Mrs. J. Foster, Mr. E. Roebuck (Rawmarsh), Mrs. M. Heeson, Mrs. Frost, Mrs. E. Atkins, Mrs.E. Moore; Mrs. L. Parkin, Mr. W. Rigby, Mr. J. Haigh, Mr. and Mrs G. Coy, Mrs. H. Cockayne, Mrs. Elstone, ‘Mrs. Hall, Mrs. P. Guest, Miss Soar, Miss Jones, Mrs.Jones, Mrs. Huggett, Miss I. Wordsworth, Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Sanderson, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. R. Smith, Mrs. Baynham, Mrs. G. Mason, Miss Crabb, Miss Webb, Mrs. R. Swaby, Mrs. J Pears, Mrs. H. Westwood, Mr. G. Herbert, Mr. David Stones, Mrs. Sellars, Mrs. Hannon, Mrs. W. Fletcher, Mr. J. Bradwell, Mr. W. Hingley, Mrs. Walker, Miss K Wray, Miss C. Kaye, Mrs. R. Pears, and Mrs. Ashton.
The Denaby St John Ambulance Brigade representatives were: Div. Supt. L. Harvey, Sgts. P. Murgatroyd, and S. Davies, Cpls H.Edwards, C. Jackson, and H. Jackson, and members of the Brigade, Messrs. J. Wall, A. H. Jackson, J. Utley, W. Kitchen, W Baxendale, A. Savage, F. Venables, R. Willis and L. Johnson. The Ambulance Cadets were represented by Div. Supt. H. W. Lambert, Sgt. J. Downing, Cpl. a Lambert, and Cadets H. Senior, W. Fletcher, A. Hunt, and J. Wall and the Nursingst. Cadets were represented by Nursing Supt. Mrs I Scott and Cadets M. Roberts, J Oliver, G Thomson, G. Chappell, and S. Gray
The floral tributes were from:
McArthur and family, Master Andrew and Miss Jane McArthur, Denaby St. John Ambulance Brigade, Denaby and Conisbrough Midwifery Staff, Mr. and Mrs. J. A.Cook, Mr. and Mrs. E. Robinson, Mr.S. G. Burdett, Past and Present Staff at Fullerton Hospital and a Denaby Ambulance