Yesterday morning a well known inhabitant of Rushden passed away in the person of Mr. Thomas Bromage of Grove Street. During the last few months Mr. Bromage, who was 50 years of age, had been suffering acutely from heart disease with complications, but only as recently as last Monday Dr. Baker, his medical attendant, had hopes of his recovery. About a month ago the patient underwent a thorough examination by Dr. Buszard,of Northampton, who said there was no reason why Mr. Bromage should not, with care, live to be an old man. During the last few weeks, however, Mr. Bromage’s condition had become much more critical, and at times it was only by vigorously fanning him that he was enabled to breathe. On Wednesday night he was in great pain and was very restless, and yesterday morning at about 5.45 he tried to get out of bed, but he collapsed and expired almost immediately.

On Easter Tuesday Mr. Bromage attended a sale of work at the Queen Street Sunday School, and proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs. Jaques who had opened the sale. Since that time he had been practically confined to his home.

The deceased was the son on the late Rev. Thos. Bromage, an Independent Wesleyan minister, of Wellingborough, and he was brother of the Rev. E. Bromage, of Sheffield, an ex-President of the Wesleyan Reform Union. The deceased had been three times married. Twelve months ago he was married to Hannah, widow of the late Mr. Charles Bull. By his first wife the deceased had one daughter - Clara, wife of Mr. W. Flawn, of Canada, and formerly of Higham Ferrers. Altogether he leaves two sons and four daughters, three of whom (Mrs. Flawn, Miss Emma Bromage, and Miss Nellie Bromage) are now in Canada.

The late Mr. Bromage was an ardent Liberal and took a prominent part in local and parliamentary elections. At one time he was a member of the Rushden Urban Council. For some years he was the local representative of the two Northampton evening papers. For the last 20 years he had been foreman of the closing-room at Mr. George Denton’s shoe factory, previous to which he lived at Wellingborough.

It was as a worker in connection with the Independent Wesleyan cause at Rushden that the deceased was best known. He was one of the superintendents of the Queen Street Sunday school and was the president of the Adult Bible Class. At one time he was a member of the choir. For a considerable period he acted as assistant organist in the chapel and also in the Sunday school. He was one of the leaders of the church. For several years he was a vice-president of the Rushden Adult School. Mr. Bromage was a man of lofty ideals and of high character, and he had gained the respect and affection of the whole town. In all good work he will be greatly missed, and his death is a very heavy loss to Rushden.

In temperance circles the deceased was a prominent figure. At religious and devotional meetings he was a very welcome and most effective speaker, his addresses being marked by deep feeling and by evident sincerity.

Mr. Bromage was a passive resister, and his goods were on several occasions distrained upon.

It is a pathetic coincidence that his death took place on his wife’s birthday and within a few days of the first anniversary of their marriage.

The funeral will take place tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at the cemetery at 3.30. A service will be held in the Independent Wesleyan Church at 2.30.