Administrators. It is a fortunate state of affairs that we have a class of business men and women who take a pleasure in good local administration with regard to highways, sanitation, locomotion, water, education, the poor, the sick, and indeed all that makes up what we call civilization; and these persons spend many long hours and days in planning, and working for the public good without fee, or reward, and often without thanks, sometimes even with severe blame by persons who cannot, or will not, do the work as well. Yet the consciousness of duty well done fortifies the worker, who realizes that "That which is best administered is best." Some of these men have departed, and must be mentioned.
John Rushworth was quite a character. He was the first man to venture in the extension of Bridgford, is said to have negotiated for bringing water over the Trent, and was on the first Local Board. He died in 1909, aged 82 years. Matthew Doubleday was a builders' merchant. He was a member of the first Local Board, and took an active part in forming and working it, and afterwards in the proposed water scheme. He was for some years Churchwarden. He was an amateur musician and artist, a thoughtful and useful local worker. He died in 1900, aged 70 years. George William Jacklin was one of the first members of the Board, and so continued some years. He was connected with various commercial bodies, and highly respected. He died in 1914, aged 60 years. William Walker, senior, was for twenty-five years a member of the Basford Board of Guardians, Chairman of the Rural District Council, 1903-6, and afterwards Vice-Chair-man of the House Visiting Committee. He died in 1912, aged 80 years. Thomas Sutherns was at one time Chairman of the Council, a member of the Board of Guardians, was a very straightforward man, and although connected with the liquor business he never used his influence against the exclusion of licenses from Bridgford. He died in 1914, aged 60 years. John White, who resided on Bridgford Road, was for thirty-two years a member of the Nottingham Corporation, being made an alderman in 1905, and served on the General Purposes, Health, Asylum, Water, Distress and other committees. For thirty years he was Churchwarden at St. Mary's Church. He was unassuming, and kind to the poor. He died in 1913, aged 68 years.
William Lee.
William Lee was an engineer, tool merchant, and machinery valuer. He was apprenticed as an engineer to a large foundry at Mansfield. By years of hard work and study he made himself so fully acquainted with the thoretical and practical sides of the several branches of Engineering, that in 1870-1, before he was thirty years of age, he had commenced business in Nottingham, in partnership with Mr. William Hunt, which partnership continued twenty-nine years. He was a lineal descendant of the Rev. William Lee, the inventor of the stocking-frame, which was the forerunner of the lace machine, and has done more for the employment and comfort of countless millions of people throughout the world than almost any other invention. He took an active part in the building of Queen's Walk Congregational Church, where for thirty years he was the mainstay and Superintendent of the Sunday School, and the Band of Hope. During twenty years of that time he attended Sunday School twice each Sunday, and let no business interfere with his school service. In 1894 he was President of the Nottingham and Notts. Congregational Union. For some years he was President of the Band of Hope Union, and also President of the Notts. Sunday School Union. For eleven years he was a member of the Town Council, and in that capacity served on the Watch, Water, Public Parks, and other committees. He led the forces against the Corporation annually appointing a Race Committee, the result being that the Races were removed from the Forest Recreation grounds, thus putting an end to the anomaly of the Town Council (through the Race Committee) offering facilities and thereby encouraging men to bet in the betting enclosure, and, on the other hand (through the Watch Committee) agreeing to betting prosecutions. This, however, at the next election cost him his seat, he being defeated by ten votes. He was thereupon made a Justice of the Peace He was one of the first members of West Bridgford Urban District Council, and one of the founders of the West Bridgford Defence Association, and active in his efforts to keep the parish free from the liquor traffic. He was a man who held his principles very strongly, and enjoyed a good fight when he was sure that his cause was right, but he never let differences interfere with good will. He was invited to become a candidate for a seat in Parliament, but declined. His favourite recreation was fishing, for which purpose he visited some of the best fishing waters in the British Isles. He was well known in the commercial life of Nottingham, and in a large circle beyond, as an energetic, intelligent, straightforward, business man, with a keen sense of dry humour, and a high sense of public duty. He died in 1908, aged 67, and was buried in the General Cemetery.
"His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world: This was a man!"Jul. Caes. v. 5.
Albert Thompson, who died in 1913, was the manager of Boots Limited, and was the confidential servant of Sir Jesse and Lady Boot. In memory of his worth and services a stained-glass two-light window has been placed in the Lady Chapel of the parish church, the cost being provided by his business associates. It depicts our Lord as the Good Shepherd, and Melchisedek, the Old Testament type of Christ. Under the main figures is a representation of the Annunciation, showing the Archangel Gabriel appearing to the Virgin Mary.
Rev. S. S. Allsop.
The Rev. Solomon S. Allsop, who resided in Bridgford during the last ten years of his life, was the son of a Missionary in Jamaica, and was left an orphan very early in life. His father named him Solomon because he was born on the first of April. He commenced business-life as a draper, but very soon his remarkable preaching ability led him into the ministry, in which for fifty years he laboured with marked success. He was a man of strong personality, deep piety, and exceedingly generous. His broad Christian sympathies endeared him to all sections of the Christian Church. He held seven charges in various parts of the country, and by his untiring activity was instrumental in erecting three new churches: one at March, Cambs., one at Burton-on-Trent (popularly known as "Solomon's Temple"), and his last effort was at West Bridgford, where he became Honorary Pastor.
He died in 1913, a few days before his 90th birthday. He wanted the doctor to "patch him up" till he was ninety, but it could not be, so "he came to his grave in a full age, like a shock of corn cometh in its season."