In the death, which occurred at the Royal Hotel, Kettering, on Saturday, of Mr William Alfred Evans, aged 64, the district (Rushden being associated) loses a familiar and genial resident. Until about four years ago, when he went to be landlord of the Royal Hotel, Kettering, Mr W A Evans was for about seven years landlord of the Queen Victoria Hotel, Rushden. This covering the time and following the war, Mr Evans was frequently in the limelight as caterer for dinners, etc., at which ex-Servicemen in particular gathered. Mr Evans would himself personally go among the “boys”, as he delighted to call them, to see that they were being treated as honoured guests, and he would delight the whole company with quaint anecdotes and sparkling humour. On Mr Evans leaving for Kettering, Mr C W Evans, his son, took over the charge of the Queen Victoria Hotel.

Mr W A Evans was native of Pimlico. At the age of 16 he was secretary and cashier of the East India Club, Pall Mall, and at 22 he held his first licence. He and his brother at one time held the licences of eleven houses.

Endowed with great physical strength, Mr Evans further increased his muscular powers, being one of the first pupils of the late Eugene Sandow, and was able unassisted to raise a barrel of beer above his head.

Mr Evans was a Past Master of the Albion (London) Lodge of Freemasons and was one of the founders of the Cytringham lodge, Kettering. He unsuccessfully contested at the Rushden Urban Council election a few years ago. Deceased’s first wife died in 1916. There are three sons and two daughters left. Deceased married his second wife in 1918.

The Funeral

Service was held in the Church of SS Peter and Paul, Kettering on Wednesday, The Rev F L Cattell, B.A., B.D., Vicar of St Andrew’s, Kettering, and the Rev H S Biggs, of Leicester, officiating in the presence of a large congregation, including many Freemasons. The chief mourners were Mrs Evans (widow), Mr C W Evans, of Rushden, Mr S R Evans, of Bedford (sons), Mrs G W Martin, of London, Miss Nellie Evans, of Kettering (daughters), Mrs S R Evans (daughter-in-law), Mr G W Martin (son-in-law), Mrs Blackmore, of Bristol (sister), Mr Harry Evans, of London (brother), Mrs Partridge, of Rushden (niece), Mr and Mrs W Coleman, Mr F E Woolston, of Kettering, Mrs Sears, Miss Dunkley, of Rothwell, and Dr Henderson. The Rev V F Honniball, former Curate of St Peter’s, Rushden, and a friend of the family, was present.

A short committal service was held at the Rushden cemetery, the deceased being buried in the family grave.

In addition to the mourners and representatives who came by motor-car from Kettering, there were present the following members of the Rushden Lodge of Freemasons: Wor. Bros. H O Miller, W W Rial, H Adnitt, and O Claridge, Bros. J White, Bernard Tomkins, F Tassell, E Catling, J Roe, I Haigh, and C Putnam. Northampton Freemasons were represented by Wor. Bro. G H Nelson, and Mr Louis F Dimery represented the Kettering Amateur Dramatic Society. Other friends present were Messr L Phillips, C W Wing, G Tailby, H Wills, A Thompson, E J Woolston and W Woods. The Rushden Licensed Victuallers’ Association representatives were Messrs F W Perkins (chairman), H W Rands, F Wilkins, sen. and F Wilkins, jun., A J Dyke, and E Perkins. As the Freemasons filed past the grave they dropped the usual emblem on the coffin.

[a list of 64 wreaths follows]