THE BRADFORD OBSERVER
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1896

Funeral of Mr. Abraham Mitchell

The remains of the late Mr Abraham Mitchell of Bowling Park, Bradford, were interred yesterday at Bowling Cemetery. The funeral was of a simple character but was very numerously attended. At eleven o'clock service was conducted at the house by the Rev. J T F. Halligey, superintendent of the Kirkgate Wesleyan Circuit, and the Rev. R Keenleyside, one of his collegues. The hymns sung were "Lead kindly light"and "Peace perfect peace". During the course of a short address Mr. Halligey said that through the door of death singly and at uncertain intervals, and it was incumbent upon us more diligently to culivate helpful and sympathetic friendship which should minister to our comfort when the fatal hour came. That day the mystery and pain of death were present. They did not exist in the region beyond ; they abided with those who were left behind. The departed was in the realm of unclouded day and everlasting peace, Mr Halligey continued ; By what method of induction do we reach a conclusion so definite and so satisfactory ? How did he die - I refer not to the particular circumstances of suddeness with shich the summons came - but what was his character, his relation to God when he died? The only way to answer that question is to ask, "How did he live?" Died he as a fool dieth - that was, lived he as a fool liveth?. Most decidedly not . The fool hath said in his heart, "There is not God". Mr Mitchell had the profoundest belief in God - the God who created and upholds all things by the word of His power. He was a great lover of nature. Some present will never forget last Whit Monday, when he spoke with eager speech and glowing heart of Devine power and wisdom and goodness, holding in his hand a blade of grass, a text by which he sought to lead from nature up to nature's God. In the word of God he was also deeply interested. He was keenly perplexed, as who of us has not been, when he came to some of the more difficult and obscure passages of Holy Writ - small credit to the man who can read his Bible without being perplexed! Who by searching has found out God? Said an old devine, "I would not worship a God that I could comprehend". But whatever difficulties he met in the perusal of the sacred pages, he revently accepted their teaching as the law of salvation for life on earth. For anything that was underhand, inconsistant, and unworthy he had a lofty scorn, but for all that was honest and of good report he had an active and tender sympathy. For some time past his most intimate friends have observed a gentle mellowing of his character, and though he naturally wished to abide here a little longer with his family, the fear of death did not hold him in bondage. Only a few days ago he observed, "I am not afraid to die". But why in this case do we use the word death at all? There is no death to the Christian. To him death is the escape of the soul from its clayey tenement - is the entrance into more abundant life.

The cortege was subsquently formed in front of the house. It was headed by a body of thirty policemen of the Bradford Borough Force, under Inspector Rawlins, after which walked several hundreds of workpeople employed by Messrs Mitchell Bros. Next came the Mayor and a number of magistrates, immediately preceding the hearse, which was followed by the mourning coaches and a long procession of private carriages. The mourning coaches were occupied as follows :- First carriage Mrs Abraham Mitchell, Mr Herbert Mitchell, Miss Annie Mitchell; Second carriage, Miss Edith Mitchell, Miss Sylvia Mitchell and Master George Mitchell; Third carriage, Mrs John Cordingley, Mr John James Cordingley, Mrs John Jennings, and Mrs S. Ackroyd; Fourth carriage, Mr and Mrs Rufus Mitchell, Miss Carine Mitchell and Miss Josephine Mitchell; Fifth carriage, Mr and Mrs Albert Mitchell and Mrs Joseph Mitchell; Sixth carriage, Mr and Mrs William Foster; Seventh carriage, Mr and Mrs Harry Mitchell and Mr Richard Moore; Eighth carriage, Mr and Mrs T. W. Westnerhead and Mr and Mrs William Sutcliffe; Nineth carriage, Mr and Mrs William Sutcliffe (Odsal); Tenth carriage, Mr and Mrs Alfred Illingworth and Sir Isaac Holden; Eleventh carriage, Mr and Mrs Anne Crabtree.

Among others present were Mr Hampden Illingworth, Mr Harry H Illingworth, Mr Norman Illingworth, Mr E.H. Illingworth, Mr F.H. Illingworth, Mr D.H. Illingworth, Mr Alfred H. Illingworth, Mr Holden Illingworth, Mr Isaac H. Illingworth, Mr Edward Holden, Mr and Mrs Thomas Cordingley, Mr Joseph Craven, Mr W. Gardiner, Mr George Lupton, Mr J.W. Lupton, Mr J.C. Rowbotham, Mr and Mrs E. Hustler, Dr., Mrs and Miss Mackenzie, Mr S.W. Smith,Mr S. Crabtree, Mr Bateman Briggs, Mr C.L. Atkinson, Mr A.C. Durant, Mr Mark Dawson, Mr W. H. Hutton(Eccleshill), Mr Francis Mitchell, Mr James Drummond, Mr John Drummond, Mr Percy Mund, Mr Arthur Rigg, Mr Victor Bichel, Mrs Jonas Whitley, Mrs Briggs, Mr J.Tye, Mr W. Stansfield,, Mr J. Abby, Mr Joseph Wade, Mr Thomas Arton, Mr Austin Meade, Dr. Rabagiati, Mr F. Whitehead, Mr A. Lange, Mr W Mortimer, Mr James Ackroyd (Messrs.Defus and Co.), Mr W. Fox ( Messrs Thomas & Cook ), Mr Swire Smith (Keighley), Mr J Clough (Keighley) Mr J.W. Garnett (Apperley Bridge), Mr J.H. Wood (Clayton), Mrs Bateman (Cleckheaton), Mr S.S. Blakey (Birkenhead), Mr Fred Lund (Keighley), Colonel Foster, M.P., Who had intended being present at the funeral was unavoidably absent. The Bradfrod Borough of Magistrates of which Mr Mitchell was a member, was represented by the Mayor (Alderman Willie Wood), Mr Isaac Smith, Mr S.P Myers, Mr W. Oddy, Mr J. Ambler, Mr G.J. Hoffmann, Alderman Moulson, Mr James Wright , Alderman Jonas Whitley, Mr Jacob Moser and the magistrates Clerk( Mr W. Greaves). The Bradford Liberal Unionist Association was represented by the President (Mr. Theo Peel) Mr F.D. Moore (Hon. secretary), Mr W. Firth. Other representitives of public bodies present were Mr S. Sykes (Bradford Temperance Society), Mr James Roberts ( Bradford Band Of Hope Union), Mr Hnery Hibbert ( United Kingsom Alliance), Mr E Constantine, Mr J Renmard, Mr J.R. Holtby (representing the trustees and stewards of Annesley Wesleyan Chapel).
Among the employess of Messrs. Mitchell Bros. who attended the funeral were: Mr John Knowles (cashier), Mr George Wright (Manager Weaving dept.), Mr J.L. Atherton (yarn department) Mr Loah Ormondroyd (wool department), Mr J. Slingsby (combing dept.), Mr Frank Holdsworth ( spinning dept.), and Mr J. Wilcock ( foreman of mechanics).

Carriages were sent by the following :- Mr. Tom Mitchell , Mrs Joseph Mitchell, Mr Rufus Mitchell, Mr Albert Mitchell (Bingley), Mr Harry Mitchell (Harrogate), Mrs Henry Illingworth, Sir Isaac Holden, Mr Alfred Illingworth, Mr A.H. Illingworth, Mr H.H. Illingworth, Mrs T.A. Watson, Mr James Bottomley,(Manorley Hall , Buttershaw), Mr James Lund, Mr J.E. Schunck (Leeds), Mr Briggs Priestley, M.P., Mrs Law, Miss Behrens, Mr Joseph Craven (Thornton), Mr T. Arton (Rawdon), The Mayor of Bradford (Alderman Willis Wood), Alderman J. Whitley, Mr Joseph Wade, Mr S. P. Myers, Mr J.W.Garnett (Greengates), Mrs Eli Foster (Denholme), Mr W. E. B. Priestley, Mrs S. Ackroyd, Mr W. Sutcliffe (Odsal), Miss E. Denby (Shipley), Mr George Dawson, Mr Emsley, Mr Joseph Benn, Mr W. Oddy, Dr. Meade, Dr. Mackenzie, Dr Goyder, Mr Isaac Smith, Mr Isaac Naylor, Mr W.H. Townend, Mr John Drummond, Mr F. Whitehead, Mrs Charles Priestley, Mrs Alfred Sharp (Bingley), Mr E.R. Waud, Mrs George Hodgson, Mr John Ambler, Mr F.C.Foster and Mr H.A. Forster.

The distance to the house to the cemetery is only a few hundred yards and a large number of people lined the road between the two places as the cortege passed. There was also a large gathering in the cemetery. The only further religious rites were those which took place at the graveside, where the same ministers officiated as at the house. The following employees of Messrs Mitchell Bros. acted as bearers of the coffin:- Mr J Knowles, Mr G. Wright, Mr N. Ormondroyd, Mr J.L.Atherton, Mr F. Holdsworth, Mr J. Slingsby, Mr James Bairstow, Mr Charles Holdsworth, Mr S. Ormondroyd, Mr P. Wadsworth, Mr R. Briggs, Mr J Wright, Mr G. Fowler and Mr J Wilcock.

The hymns sung were "Thine for ever, God of love", and "Now the labourer's taks is o'er". The singing was led by the choir of Annesley Wesleyan Chapel. The wreaths and other floral tributes were numerous. They included a double heart of red and white roses from Mrs Abraham Mitchell, a large hydrangea harp from Mrs Abraham Mitchell and Mr Tom Mitchell, a large hydrangea cross and anchor from Mr Herbert Mitchell, a ?eliotrope harp from Mr Herbert Mitchell, Miss Annie Mitchell and Miss Edith Mitchell; an Alpine memento from Mr and Mrs Tom Mitchell who are detained in Switzerland by the illness of their eldest daughter; a harp of white flowers from the Misses Elsie, Gwendolen, and Sylvia Mitchell, Master Illingworth Mitchell, and Master George Mitchell. Floral offerings had also been sent by Miss C. Mitchell, Miss Josephine Mitchell and Miss Constance Mitchell, Mrs Joseph Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Rufus Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Albert Mitchell, and Mr and Mrs Harry Mitchell, Mr and Mrs.W.Foster and Mr and Mrs Mitchell Sharp, Mrs Henry Illingworth, Mr. Harold Mitchell, Sir Isaac Holden, Mr Angus Holden, M.P.; Mr and Mrs Alfred Illingworth, Mr Fortecue Flannery, M.P.; Mr and Mrs P.Lund, Mrs George Hodgson, Mr. Joseph Wade, Mr and Mrs R Moore, Mr and Mrs F. D. Moore, Mr and Mrs Fred Lund, Mr and Mrs A.H. Illingworth, Mr and Mrs J. E. Schnuck, Mrs. W.E.B. Priestley, Miss Wood, Mr and Mrs Weatherhead, Mr Gordon, Mr. John Brigg,M.P.; Mrs Mark Wood and family. Mr and Mrs Amos Crabtree, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Townend and Miss Locking, Mrs Law, Mr and Mrs Joseph Wade, Mr and Mrs G.H. Hodgson, Mr John Knowles, Mr J. L. Atherton, Mr and Mrs William Sutcliffe, Mr Bernard Cohen, Mr A. C. Durant, Mr Joseph Clarke, Mr Walter Gardiner, Mrs Cordingley and family, Mrs G. Gilbert Thompson, Dr. Mackenzie and family, Mr and Mrs William Harker (Pateley Bridge), Mr and Miss Gillies, Mr G. Hoffmann, Mr H.H. Illingworth, Mr and Mrs Victor Sichel, Mr and Mrs James Charles, Mr and Mrs Alfred Quitsew, Mr and Mrs Fieldhouse, Miss Buckle, Mr Joseph Clarke, Mr and Mrs Hampden Illingworth, Mr. Marsland Tankard, Mr and Mrs Emsley, Mr and mrs A Jennings, Mr and Mrs Patterson, Mr Alexander McPherson, Mr and Mrs Miller, Dr. and Mrs Hanarhan, Mr. M.E. Billington, Mr and Mrs Hewitt, Mr and Mrs Taylor (Tourmakeady, Ireland), servants at The Park, Eccleshill, groom and coachman at The Park , Eccleshill, servants at Tourmakeady, chapel and society stewards, Annesley Wesleyan Chapel; Bradford Library Unionists Association, Bradford tenants of Messrs Mitchell and Bros., workpeople of messrs Mitchell and Bros., Messrs Mitchell and Bros. Mill Mangers and school children at Tourmakeady. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs John Holmes and Co.