The death took place on Saturday at the old age of 79, of Mr. Clarke Smith, of High-street South, Rushden. Mr. Smith was a native of Knotting, and came to Rushden just before the 1887 Jubilee, and had lived in the town from then to the time of his death. Few people in the district may remember the Souldrop Church being pulled down and rebuilt on a different site. Mr. Smith was one of the workers who helped to remove the Church and to exhume the bodies in the old churchyard and inter them in the new burial place.

An old feature of Rushden, of which the late Mr. Clarke Smith often spoke interestingly was the town stocks, which used to stand on the Green. One amusing incident he has related was of the punishment of a local offender by placing him in the stocks all night for using obscene language. The rising generation at that time, not content with allowing the sinner to have such an easy time, prodded him with hat pins, for which they were treated to a string of horrible vituperation, than which nothing could have suited them better!

For 30 years Mr. Smith worked up to the time he had to retire through failing health, at Rushden Hall, being a valued servant of the late Mrs. Sartoris, and of the present owner of the Hall, Mr. Hugh Sartoris. During those many years Mr. Smith was entrusted with the management of the woods on the estate. Only last August, when the Prisoners of War fete was hold in the Hall Grounds, many people admired Mr. Smith's work in stacking and thatching wood in the form of a hay rick. He and Mrs. Smith celebrated their golden wedding at Christmas, 1914. Nearly six months ago Mr. Smith had to leave off work through heart trouble. Although he had never taken a very prominent part in public affairs, he was well known to many old Rushden residents, with some of whom he was fond of talking the old times of when the late Mr. Joseph Arch came to the district to organise agricultural labour, meetings at which Mr. Smith was mostly present. His death was heard of with regret. He leaves the widow, five sons, three daughters, 28 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Two of the sons and seven of the grandsons have served in the Army.

The funeral took place at the cemetery, and was conducted by the Rector of Wymington (Rev. C. L. Drew). The mourners were: Mr. W. Smith (son), Mrs. Gilbert (daughter); Mr. Charles Smith (son), Mrs. Holloway (daughter); Mr. J. Smith (son), Mrs. Walder (daughter); Mr. C. Smith (son), Mrs. Gibson (daughter); Mr. Allan Smith (son), Miss Hodby (niece); Mr. J. Harbour (brother-in-law), Mrs Hopper (niece); Mr. J. Gilbert (son-in-law), Mrs. C. Smith (daughter-in-law); Mr. G. Holloway (son-in-law), Mrs. J. Smith (daughter-in-law); Mr. S. Walder (son-in-law), Miss L. Smith (grand-daughter); Mr. W. Holloway (grandson), Mrs. Pettit (granddaughter); Mr. J. Smith, junr. (grandson), Mrs. Dickens granddaughter); Pte. A. Smith, L.R.B. (grandson), Mrs. Harrison (grand daughter); Miss Gilbert (granddaughter), Mrs. G. Denton (niece). The widow, Mrs Smith, was unable to attend through illness. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Whittington and Tomlin.

Mrs. Clarke Smith has received the following letter from Mr. A. H. Sartoris, J.P.:— "To Mrs. Clarke Smith,—I was so very sorry to hear, when I got back fopm Wales, of the death of poor old Clarke. I had been hoping at any rate with the summer that he might take a turn for the better, and I am wishing for Mrs. Sartoris and myself to offer you our most sincere sympathy. I am sure it must be a relief to you in your sorrow to know that he died peacefully, as indeed he could, with the knowledge that all the work he did was done well, and up to the time he began to ail there were few younger men who could do it as well. I did not know the funeral was to be yesterday, or I would have sent a wreath. Again with our sincerest sympathy, believe me, yours faithfully, A. Hugh Sartoris."