We regret to report the death of one of Rushden’s best-known residents and premier musicians, in the person of Mr. Joseph Enos Smith, who passed away early on Saturday morning, after a lengthy illness, at the age of 79.

He had not been in good health since January, and had been constantly attended by his doctor for heart trouble.

Mr. Smith was a native of Stanwick, and was a son of Joseph and Charlotte Smith, who died before his third year. He was early interested in music. A pianoforte that cost no more than £5 sufficed for his first music practice, and at the age of eight he was taking lessons in music at 5s. a term. Later on Mr. Charles McKerkell, of All Saints, Northampton, taught him to play the organ, and at Trinity College, London, he further studied the organ under Dr. Hoyte, the pianoforte under Sir Jules Benedict, and harmony under Dr. Gordon Saunders.

At the London Academy he studied the violin under Herr Pollitzer, and singing under Signor Bonetti.

In 1873 he was appointed to the position of organist at Souldrop (Beds) Parish Church, at a salary of £10 a year. For two years he walked each Sunday, and each choir practice night, from Stanwick to Souldrop – a distance of eight miles – and back. There were no vehicles by which the organist could travel to and from Souldrop and Mr. Smith had perforce to do the journeys on foot. Today that would not be so arduous as it was then because the main road is now superior to anything ever dreamed of in those days. In the mid-winters of nearly 60 years ago Mr. Smith regularly walked the whole distance through wind and storm – frequently through deep snow.

St. Mary’s Church, Rushden, had been closed for a year, but in February, 1897, it re-opened with a new organ, and at the invitation of Canon Barker, who was Rector at that time, Mr. Smith accepted the post of organist. He left Souldrop on May 23rd of that year, and played at Rushden on the following Sunday.

In May of this year, beset by illness and with no hope of renewing his labours he at length relinquished his task, and was succeeded by his cousin, Mr. Alfred Clarke, A.R.C.O.

Mr. Smith had managed by great effort to complete his 55th year as an organist, but to his untold regret he was too unwell to take active part in the celebration services of the 700th anniversary of St. Mary’s Church, Rushden, which services he helped to plan.

In the long time in which he was organist of St. Mary’s Church, Mr. Smith re-organised St. Mary’s choir to bring in boys, hundreds of whom he trained with skill and success. He played the organ for choral festivals, and many memorable services. He conducted the music at two Coronation celebrations, at the opening of Rushden Cemetery, and when the foundations of the Coffee Tavern were laid. He called the meeting at which the old Choral Society was founded in 1878, was appointed the first pianist and was for many years conductor. On 14 occasions he conducted the united choirs of the town. He was also for a time conductor of the last formed Rushden Choral Society. In past days Rushden was indebted to him for innumerable delightful concerts, at many of which his young pupils performed, and for years the maypole dances by young people under his supervision were an institution in the town and district.

Mr. Smith’s first organ pupil, Mr. Charles Edward Jolley, became a doctor of music and famous as the organist of St. George’s, Hanover Square, London. Dr. Charles R. Fisher, of Bournemouth and formerly of Rushden, the late Mr. George Fairey, Mr. Alfred Clarke, and Mrs. Reg. Denton were also among his pupils. By a previously expressed wish, one of Mr. Smith’s deputies, Miss Beryl Short, of Irchester, was the organist at his funeral.

J E Smith

In open competition he several times won prizes for composition. He set tunes to “Just as I am,” “Jesu, Lover of my Soul,” “Sun of my Soul,” and other hymns, and one of his tunes has as its basis the notes of St. Mary’s bells.

Few residents of Rushden were better known, and still fewer so active at his age. Until the last few months he walked with brisk movements, an example of physical smartness to many a younger man. He had also a ready wit – used always good humouredly against his protagonist in conversation

With memories of his own of so long ago, it was perhaps natural that Mr. Smith should become interested in the experiences of others whose memories went still further back. By many conversations with old residents of Rushden he had got together a valuable and interesting number of accounts of local events such as are usually outside the scope of ordinary records. Mr. Smith spent much of his time in the last few years of his life in co-ordinating these notes. They dealt with the origin of place names, gave such facts as the passing through Rushden of the body of the dead poet, Byron, recorded changes in the appearance and life of the town that would otherwise have been forgotten. When an old tombstone was found near the Vestry Hall during excavations for the construction of the Impregnable Boot Works near there, Mr. Smith was able to furnish a good deal of information about it, and to whom the stone had been erected. His many contributions to the local papers have always had great interest for Rushden readers.

Mr. Smith was a widower, his wife, who was a Miss Morris, of Stanwick, having died seven years ago. There is no family. Mrs. Smith had charge of a kindergarten school before she died.

Memorial services were held at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday, Mr. Smith’s favourite hymns being sung. At each service also the choir sand the Nune Dimittis.

In the course of references to the church’s loss, the Rector, the Rev. T. S. Stoney, said “Mr. J. Enos Smith passed away from us in a great storm about 1.30 a.m. on Saturday. He breathed his last as a great clap of thunder burst over Rushden. He had had two more heart attacks and had been unconscious for a couple of days.

“For 55 years he was organist of this Church. In the far-off days of the last century Canon Barker appointed him. How he toiled for the choir and tried to do his best for the Church. Even when he became deaf he still held on, striving amid increasing difficulty to make the musical parts of the services worthy of the church. Till his breakdown in the early part of this year he threw himself with boundless energy and amazing enthusiasm for an old man into the choir practices. He was bitterly disappointed at being unable to take his part in the 700th anniversary.

“He loved his profession. Many of the leading musicians in this neighbourhood, and elsewhere, were, years ago, pupils of his. He loved this town and neighbourhood and had collected large stores of local information. He loved every stone in this church. Everything concerning the history of the past or the benefit of the present was to him a matter of the utmost importance. He was a true and loyal son of Rushden, none more so, but others must bear witness to his work for the town, and the church in the past. I only knew him in his last days, and I found him a loyal and devoted colleague.

“He was spruce and active and wiry almost to the very end, with the figure, walk and energy of a young man. Now amid the music of the skies, and the light of nature playing round his bed, the old choir master in his 80th year has at last passed into the presence of his Master. We trust that everlasting light may rest upon him, and that his end may be peace.”

The cortege entered by the West door, the choir, in their surplices, lining the path from the gate to the entrance of the Church. The impressive service included two of Mr. Smith’s favourite hymns, “Christ is our corner stone,” and “Jerusalem, the golden,” while the 90th Psalm, a favourite of the deceased’s was also sung. As the coffin left the church the choir sang the Nune Dimittis, following which Mendelssohn’s “O rest in the Lord,” was played by Miss Beryl Short, who was at the organ by the special request of the deceased.

The family mourners were Mr. Alfred Clarke, Mr. Arthur Clarke, and Mrs. Lack (cousins), Mr. John Scott (friend), Mr. Wm. Bettles and Mr. Reginald Denton (executors).

Among those at the church or cemetery were Mr. George S. Mason and Mr. C. F. Tall (churchwardens), Dr. C. R. Fisher, Mrs. W. Bettles, Miss Olive Bettles, Mrs. Reginald Denton, Mrs. Mason, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Clipson, Mr. T. C. Clarke, Mr. J. Lindsay Clipson, A.R.C.O. (organist of the Park-road Baptist Church), Mr. W. P. Jolley (organist of St. Peter’s Church), Mr. F. S. Knight, Mr. A. Sargent, Mr. R. A. Wheeler, Mrs. H. S. Gates, and Mr. Amos Wright.

Wreaths were sent with the following inscriptions : “In remembrance, from the Rector, Churchwardens, Church Council and Congregation of St. Mary’s Parish Church, Rushden”; “In loving remembrance from Peg and Bert”; “In loving remembrance from F. and W. Bettles”; “Remembrance, Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Denton”; “In memory of a respected contributor and friend, from the ‘Rushden Echo and Argus’ “; from 2nd Rushden St. Mary’s Girl Guides.