Memorial Service Late King Edward May 20th 1910

This report from The Evening Express And Evening Mail, May 21st, 1910 doesn't leave out anything!

All business was suspended or curtailed at Newport. Not 1 per cent. of the shops was open, the licensed houses were closed from eleven a.m. till three p.m., and the tramway service was suspended in the middle of the day. More than 400 flags at half-mast had been hung from the date of the King's death.

Taking a lesson by the draping of the outside of the Town-hall, a number of trades people hung black and purple on the fronts of their establishments. From eleven a.m., when the civic procession began to assemble at the Town-hall, the streets were thronged with people. There was an enormous preponderance of black worn by both sexes and all ages.

There were memorial services in about fifteen of the churches at Newport. First, there was a great united gathering at the Cattle Market, where a short service was conducted by the Rev. A. A. Mathews (vicar of St. Paul's) and the Rev. T, Richards (pastor of the Tabernacle Congregational Church). It was a semi-military, semi-civic service. The Royal Field Artillery from the barracks, under Colonel Biddulph, the 4th Welsh Brigade Territorial Artillery, under Colonel D. Ellis Williams, the Headquarter Companies (A, B, C, and D.) of the 1st Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment, under Major Harold Berthan, the Boys' Brigade, under Mr. C, G. Williams, president, Church Lads' Brigade and Church Naval Brigade, under Captains J. V. Allen and J. Barnes Fraser, 40 veterans (wearing 80 medals). Boy Scouts, and the Newport Corps of the St, John Ambulance Brigade, commanded by Chief Superintendent Hamilton, occupied positions on the sides of a large square in the open space fronting Ruperra-street. Into this square the civic procession passed - after parading from the Town hall. It was led by the Post-office band, and was composed of mounted police, under Head-constable Sinclair, foot police (with crepe bands on left arm), under Superintendent Brooks, fire brigade, under Captain H. S. Lyne. Poor-law guardians, the ex-president (Mr. W. L. Goldsworthy) and secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, the vice-president (Mr. J Davidson) and secretary of the Trades Council, public officials, Pilotage Commissioners with their clerk, Mr. E. J. Summers, Harbour Commissioners, with the chairman (Mr. John Macaulay), the clerk (Mr. A. J. Phillips), and the harbour master (Captain Pugsley), the free library committee (with the librarian, Mr. Matthews), the Consular body, magistrates with their clerk (Mr. T. Summers), the mayor (Mr. W. M. Blackburn), town-clerk (Mr. A A. Newman), the ex-mayor (Mr. Graham White), the postmaster (Mr. F. W. Southern), and a large muster of the indoor and outdoor postal and telegraph staff, Mr. H. Longstaff (secretary to the Newport Conservative Association). Mr. J. P. Elms (secretary to the Newport Ratepayers' Association), Mr. W. Bush (art master), Mr. J. Stewart (head of the technical institute), and many others. The maces carried in front of the mayor were covered with crepe.

At noon a short service was conducted in the presence of about 6,000 persons. The hymn, "0 God, our help in ages past." was sung to the accompaniment of Gabb's Military Band, and at the close a verse of the National Anthem was rendered, the Territorial bands leading.

At the conclusion of the service the various units in the gathering proceeded to different churches according to prearranged plan. The civic body marched in procession along Commercial-road, Cardiff-road, and through Belle Vue Park to St. Woolos' Church, which was very much crowded. The appointed memorial service was conducted by the curates (the Revs. D. W. Davies and J. R. Phillips), and an address was delivered by the vicar (the Rev. D. H. Griffiths, M.A.) from the words "Behold He takest away, who can hinder? Who will say unto Him. What doest Thou?" In the course of his remarks the Vicar said there was a time in this land when it was necessary to preach loyalty. But it was not so now. Neither was there any need of a command to mourn. In the course of a very impressive service the choir, led by Mr. Gaccon, sang as the anthem, "Comes, at times, a stillness as of even." An offertory was taken on behalf of the Whitehaven colliery disaster fund.

The troops from the barracks went to St. Mark's, the Territorial Artillery to Holy Trinity, and the 1st Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment to St. Paul's.

PURPLE MASS.

At St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Newport, a Purple Mass took place in honour of the late King. It was largely attended. Father Mickey, the rector, was the celebrant, and he made an impressive reference to the deceased Monarch. The "Solemn Miserere" was sung with Madame Ada Thomas at the organ. It was also played on the bells.

THE FREE CHURCHES.

The Newport Free Church Council arranged memorial services at the Central-hall, Stow Hill Wesley Church, Victoria-road Congregational Church, and Victoria Wesleyan Church, Maindee, using at each the hymns "O God, our help in ages past," "Rock of ages," "Nearer my God to Thee," "Peace, perfect peace," and "Now the labourer's task is o'er." The "Dead March" (Handel) was played at the conclusion.