Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 25 January 1941

Friendly Wath

Vicar’s Parting Tribute

Presentation from Parish

The Vicar (left) receiving the presentation gift from Mr. A. T. Thomson.

Also in the picture (left to right) Mrs. Russell, the Rev. F. J. Mace. Coun. E. Morton and Mr. A. P. Ridge.

“I shall always remember the people of Wath as my friends, ” declared the Vicar of Wath, the Rev. Bertram Russell, speaking at a presentation to him at the Church House, Wath, on Friday, as a token of esteem and appreciation of his five years’ work as Vicar.

Owing to ill health Mr. Russell is going down South and has accepted the living of St. Nicholas, Newbury, Berkshire.

Mr. A. T. Thomson (Churchwarden), presided at the presentation ceremony, supported by Mr. A. P. Ridge (Churchwarden).

Memorable Welcome

Mr. Russell thanked everyone for the joy they had given him and the unbounded friendship which had been, and always would be one of the greatest features of Wath. His wife and himself were received in a manner which would always remain in their minds. Everybody went out of their way to welcome them. There had been further evidences of that friendship which means so much in life. Friendship was one of the secrets of church life in Wath which had definitely held a stronger place in public life than in any other parish where he had lived. He thought it was due to “keeping together.” The first duty of the church in its worship of God was to keep its people together. The moment one began to split the Church one was weakening it. Any man who was going to do good work in his parish had to keep it together, and one of the qualities of friendship was to make the work less hard. He thanked his parishioners for all they had taught him. He had learnt a great deal since he had been at Wath. He did not know what he would find at Newbury. It was rather an adventure. ”

What lies in front of us one can hardly say at the present time,” went on Mr. Russell. “Things have moved at a pace with which we can hardly keep up. The Church has a bigger part to play in the years to come than it has ever played in the Past. Religion is a basic principle in life; something which goes through everything. I trust that in education of all kinds in which children are affected religion will be there. The children belong to the People and not the State and it is for the people to see that they are brought up the proper way.”

Referring to the choir, the Vicar said he could not thank them enough. Whatever he had asked them to do they had done. Loyal was the only word with which he could describe the choir, and of course, the boys had been splendid. If ever anyone thought the children were troublesome they were wrong, for they were the best children he had ever managed in his life. He expressed appreciation of Mr. S. Hampshire’s services as organist. He had always been ready to fall in with him and loyally and steadfastly to produce music which had always been a sheer joy to listen to and which stamped Mr. Hampshire as a musician.

Praise for St. James’s

Speaking of St. James’s’ Church, Mr. Russell said there was a warmth about the place which one could not get in bigger buildings. Again this was due to the friendliness and kindliness which pervaded the church. He was filled with admiration for the church people for keeping up the work and assisting the churchwardens and other officials. They had done magnificent work and he trusted that it would go on. He was quite sure that there were few people who had more loyal support than he had from his colleagues since he had lived at Wath. He could go away from the parish with the feeling that the parish could he left in the hands of the Rev. F. J. Mace (curate at St. James’s’ Church) and the Rev. E. M. Turner (curate at St. John Baptist Church, Adwick) who would do everything that was required of them during the interregnum. Loud applause greeted the Vicar’s thanks to his wife for the way she had stood by him and helped him through his work. “If ever a man has cause to thank God for his wife, I have.” he remarked. Wath Parish Church had always been an example of what a church should he. Whenever things cropped up he had always gone to his churchwardens and the treasurer. Mr. G. Belles, for advice. One could not run a church with an annual turnover of £1,500 without help. His fellow clergymen in the Wath district said he was “spoilt to death,” because he did not know what it was like to be in charge of the financial side of the church. They argued that he had someone to do it for him whereas they had to do their financing themselves. He was grateful to the officials who had done their share of the work year after year and who had carried on magnificently. The Vicar concluded by appealing to his parishioners to show the same loyalty to the new vicar, whoever he might be, as they had shown to him. I look forward to a week-end at Wath with you and I will always remember you as my friends,” he concluded.

The Presentation

Mr. Thomson, presenting to Mr. Russell a cheque for £47 9s. 3d., said that still more money had to be handed in. An inscription on the envelope containing the cheque read: “On behalf of the congregation as a token of esteem and appreciation of his five years’ work in the parish, with a sincere wish that his work in Newbury will be blessed and that his health will be all that is desired.” Mr. Thomson hoped that in going down South Mr. Russell would regain his health and that he would soon be well again. If ever he thought of visiting Wath again the parish would be ready to welcome him. They would have liked to make the presentation much better to show how much they appreciated his work in the parish.

Mr. Ridge said one of the pleasing features of the presentation was the number of envelopes received, the donors of which had expressed sorrow that the district was losing Mr. and Mrs. Russell. From the time when Mr. Russell came to Wath, he felt he was the right man in the right place and furthermore he was a good business man. He had always taken them into consideration and had never done anything “off his own hat.” If ever there had been anything of a controversial nature he had always asked their opinion. The Vicar, in all his preaching and teaching had tried to impress upon his congregations that religion was one of the basic principles of life. Mr. Ridge thanked everyone who had supported Mr. Thomson and himself in organising the presentation. He concluded by saying that everyone hoped that Mr. Russell was taking the proper step, that he would be happy in his work at Newbury and that his health would soon improve.

On behalf of St. James’ Church. Coun. E. Morton, acting warden at St. James’s and Chairman of Wath Urban Council, said the Vicar had been thoughtful and helpful to the church. One could only think good of him. They appreciated his visits to the church and the help he had given and all at St. James’s wished him better health. All hoped that they would see him again and that he and his family would be happy and peaceful and Councillor F. Bailey paid tribute.