6th March 1953 SA
Worked for Earl of Harrowby for 49 Years
Lord and Lady Sandon, tenant farmers and workers on the Sandon estate, and many people from the surrounding area attended the funeral at Sandon Parish Church yesterday , of Mr. Herbert Askey, for 49 years in the employ of the Earl of Harrowby and latterly clerk of works on the estate. Born at Sandon he followed his father into the service of Lord Harrowby.
Mr. Askey, who was 75, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. B.E. Toney, at Lichfield. Prior to working on the Sandon estate, he was for some time in the service of the Earl of Lichfield at Shugborough. He was a founder member of Sandon Cricket Club for many years.
Mr. Askey was associated with many village activities, and served in the Civil Defence during the last war. At one time he was also a member of Sandon Parish Church Council.
A correspondent writes of him: “Sandon Village and Estate have lost in Mr. Herbert Askey, Clerk of the Works (and incidentally one of it’s [sic] old school boys) not merely a linch-pin, but one who typified that code of conscientiousness, duty and loyalty which is not so common today and never could have been common to the degree in which these characteristics were found in him. For to him service was but the natural code of life, and as seen in him by others it was embossed with a divinity that was uplifting in the refinement of it’s [sic] meticulous interpretation. Self came last of all in his mind; would such a verdict strike anyone today as other than anachronistic—perhaps that is really the tragedy of our times.”
The Mourners
The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. Basil Buckland, vicar of Sandon, and Mr. W. Spinks was organist.
The family mourners were Mrs. Askey (widow), Mrs. B.E. Toney (daughter), Mr. A.E. Toney (son-in-law) Mr. and Mrs. A. Lloyd, Mr and Mrs. C. Colley brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law), and Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Brown (friends).
Among those present were the Countess of Harrowby (also representing the Earl of Harrowby), Lord and Lady Sandon, Mr. T.W. Knowles (estate agent, also representing Mrs. Knowles), Miss O. Shore, Mr. Britten Adams (representing Sandon Village Club), Mrs. L.J. Hine, Mr. and Mrs. T. Foster, Miss F.K. Bentley, Mr. and Mrs. A. Wood, Mrs. J. Wright, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Fowles, Mr. E. Green, Mrs. S. Myatt, Mrs. Alan Stott (also representing Mr. Alan Stott), Mr. G. Donaldson, Mr. G. Bailey (Enson), Mr. W. Potts (Enson), Mr. J. Whieldon (Stowe), Mr. and Mrs. E. Rollitt, Mr. and Mrs. H. Merrick, Mrs. J. Haines, Mr. G.F. Goodwin.
© Successor rightsholder unknown. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD
