Death of Mr Edward Morris
Published in the Berks & Bucks Advertiser 1st September 1922
We have to record the death of Mr. Edward Morris, a highly respected townsman of Reading and (after 1900) of Benson (Oxon) and for some seven years past of Shillingford. Some eighteen months ago, Mr. Morris had an illness from which he was little expected to recover, but he rallied, and was, though no longer able to take his usual and favourite exercise of walking, able to enjoy going out in a wheeled chair, and walking in his garden. During the last few weeks however, his health failed and on Sunday afternoon the 27th ult., he passed peacefully away at his residence, The Crossways, Shillingford, at the great age of 91 years and nearly three months.
At the age of ten, on his way to the famous Quaker School at Ackworth, he visited his paternal grandfather, then ninety years of age, it may be observed that these two lives spanned a period of 170 years, and his grandfather might have imparted to the young Edward as oral tradition, his impressions (at his auditor’s own age) of the accession of King George III in 1760 and his recollections as a grown man of Lord North’s administration and the loss of the “American Colonies”
Edward Morris was one of ten children (a younger sister alone survives him) of Thomas Morris, originally of Ampthill, Beds., whither an ancestor of his had fled from Pavenham to escape the persecution ensuing on his conversion to Quakerism.
Thomas Morris was Mayor of Reading, as was his son, John, brother, and sometime partner of the subject of this notice. Another brother, William, banker and barrister, was Mayor and Recorder of Maidenhead, another was Charles Morris a prominent and esteemed Reading townsman, another was Joseph Morris, the architect, while the youngest brother Alfred achieved some success in literature and politics and at one time was candidate for the parliamentary representation of Halifax. Mr Edward Morris sought neither parliamentary nor municipal honours, though he was approached as to the former and frequently invited to the latter. But his record of useful public service was considerable. His service on the Reading School Board extended over many years, and he was a Trustee of the Reading Church Charities for some sixty-five years, a Manager of the Reading Savings Bank for about the same period and a Trustee of that institution for forty years.
Mr Morris was in all things a liberal and tolerant minded man. His father left the “Friends” and joined the established Church when the subject of this notice was a lad in his ‘teens’. As in politics he was the most liberal of Conservatives so was he the most “bread” of Churchmen. It was simply the innate sweetness and tolerance of his nature expressing itself in terms of theology and politics. He was on occasion an ardent politician but never a bigoted “party man”: he was too honest to deny to others the freedom of opinion he claimed for himself. At heart he was a thorough Protestant as became his Quaker ancestry (his mother was a Shewell) and his political views were really those of a liberally minded Whig. He had some gift of expression in public speaking, but it was the simplicity and transparent honesty of the man that rendered him so acceptable to audiences and endeared him to his friends.
Of his private life this is hardly the place to speak but perhaps it may be permitted to one who enjoyed his intimate friendship for thirty-five years to record that in all his relations, domestic, neighbourly, none sweeter natured ever lived, nor any more simple, pious, benevolent broad-minded man.
Of a family of seven, six survive him, Dr E, Walter Morris (Commonwealth Government of Australia’s Chief Medical Officer in London). W S Morris (Solicitor and Barrister of Calgary, Alberta, Canada). Major J S Morris and three daughters, Mrs Darter of Cape Town, Mrs Haggart (Adelaide), and Mrs Boorne. Mr Morris married in 1863 Kate, daughter of the late Mr. Alderman Darter, JP., of Reading, an accomplished lady of exceptional charm and talents who died in 1885.
The funeral took place at Warborough Church on Wednesday, the Rev. A.H. Caldicott officiating. The chief mourners were Dr and Mrs W Morris (son and daughter-in-law), Major H.S. Morris (son) Mr and Mrs Boorne (son in law and daughter), Mr F. Morris, Miss Dora Nudds, Mrs Johnson, Miss Ada Marshal, Frederick Harwood; others present included Mr F Shrubb, Major E Palmer, Mr Ayres (Reading), Mr J. Bruce Simmonds (Wellington Club, Reading), and Mr F. Beisley.
The coffin was inscribed “Edward Morris, born 6th June 1831, died 27th August 1922”.
The floral tributes included the following: Dora and Walter and children; Ethel; Lilian and Jessie; Jessie and Ada, Reading; Mr and Miss D.F. Morris, Oakley Park; Mr and Mrs I J Morris, Sims Farm, Mortimer; Mr and Mrs Herbert May and family; Nurse Nudds; Ada Marshall; Frederick Harwood, Mrs W Greet and Miss Graves; Mr and Mrs Beisley; Polly and Bert; all at Shillingford Post Office.
