The funeral of Tommy Wood.

Glossop Advertiser 23 March 1923

FUNERAL OF LITTLE TOMMY WOOD.
Impressive Scenes : A Town’s Sorrow.
THOUSANDS OF SYMPATHISING ONLOOKERS.
Laid to Rest amidst a Bower of Flowers.


The funeral of Tommy Wood.
Heart moving and deeply pathetic, and one which will long linger in the memory, was the scene witnessed at Glossop on Saturday afternoon last at the interment of the remains of the little boy, Tommy Wood, who had been missing from home nine days and whose body was so sensationally recovered from the disused air shaft near Simmondley on the previous Tuesday afternoon.
The pathos of the tragedy had stirred everybody in the Borough, young and old, and especially parents who know the love, the winsome ways, and trustfulness of a little child.
And the town's sympathy and sorrow was expressed by the presence of thousands of sympathising residents when the mortal remains of the little fellow were peacefully consigned to their resting-place at St. James' Church, amidst a bower of flowers which spoke eloquently of hope and spring loveliness and typified the beauty of youthful life.
The day and surroundings were in vivid Contrast to a tragedy which was unfolding another sad chapter, and to the grief-stricken parents and relatives there must have come some consolation from the knowledge that they had the whole town’s sympathy with them in their great hour of trial and grief. The memory of their little child was being honoured silently and sincerely by thousands who were able to form some conception of the poignant loss, and probably a more touching and impressive scene has not been witnessed in the Borough's history.

The funeral was fixed for 3 o'clock, but long ere that time a large and respectful crowd had assembled in the vicinity of the home of the little boy’s grand-parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Wood, of 60, Wood Street, from whence the funeral took place. After the post-mortem examination the body had been convoyed to the address stated, and deeply drawn were the blinds of the residence, as they were also those at neighbouring houses and all along the line of route. In this and neighbouring streets the chubby, intelligent, and fair-haired little fellow was a great favourite. He was loved by all the neighbours, and used to run in and out of their houses just as he pleased, and naturally his tragic death had made a very deep and sad impression in the district named and grieved and shocked the many friends and residents by whom he was intimately known. In front of the home there was a dense mass of people, but the utmost decorum prevailed, and from tho point of vantage of the upper spacious Whitfield recreation ground there were also hundreds of sympathising onlookers.

A short service was conducted at the grand-parents' home by the Rev. J. Wilson, Minister of the Glossop Unitarian Church and Captain Nuttall, of the Salvation Array, and these touching devotional observances over, mourners and friends, carrying lovely
Flowers, began to file out into the sunlit street, many being visibly touched as the coffin, on which reposed several choice emblems from the immediate relatives, came into view. The homely yet large procession was marshalled in front of the residence by the undertaker, Mr. Joseph Howard, the flower-covered coffin was lifted on the shoulders of those who had been go closely attached to and loved their little friend, and the sad and mournful cortège then proceeded slowly along Wood Street, down Freetown, across Charlestown Road, and down Hollincross Lane to St. James’ Church. Following the relatives in the procession was a large contingent of Salvation Army members, who wore white sashes and carried
Flowers, and then came some hundreds of the public. Tenderly, very tenderly, were the remains carried; they passed through lines of bared heads and sympathising hearts; and all along the route to the Church were vast crowds of people, drawn from all parts of the district, whilst in the vicinity of the Church and the Churchyard was another very large and orderly throng of onlookers.

The remains were enclosed in a handsome English oak coffin, with massive silver plated fittings, and the engraved plate bore the inscription:
“Thomas Johnson Wood.
Died March 4th, 1923.
Aged 3 years and 11 months.”
At the Church the officiating clergy were Rev. W. M Martin-Ellis M.A., vicar, and the Rev. F. Whalley, curate; and there were many audible sobs and murmurs of sympathy as the solemn and beautiful Church of England burial service was gone through and the little fellow's remains were lowered into their last earthly home - amidst a profusion of spring
Flowers, chiefly daffodils, and within shadow of the hill from whence his lifeless body was recovered a few days previously.
The whole of the funeral arrangements were efficiently and becomingly carried out by Messrs W. Howard and Son, Hadfield Street, Glossop.
After the interment some thousands of sympathisers filed round the grave.
On the following day, Sunday, there were also numerous visitors to the grave, and hundreds of people made a pilgrimage to the vicinity of the pit shaft near Simmondley, from whence the little body was extricated on the Tuesday previous.

The immediate mourners present at the interment were: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Wood, Mr. and Wm. Johnson, Mr and Mrs. Arthur Wood. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wood, Mrs W. Wood. Mr. and Mrs Levi Mellor, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Parker, Miss E. Johnson, Misses S. and A. Johnson, Mrs Fred Wood, Miss Ethel Wood, and Miss Edith Hearsum, followed by a large number of friends and general public. The bearers were: Mr. James Wood, Mr. W. Wood, Mr. H. Wood, and Mr. L. Wood, uncles ol the deceased boy.

These were a magnificent collection, and included the following:—
Harp, “Heavenly Father, Keep our lost in Thy keeping till we meet again, in the home where there is no more parting, the home prepared for all.” from his loving Dada, Mamma, and little Willie.
Wreath, “To dear little Thomas,” from his Grandma, Grandad Wood, Uncles and Auntie Rosa, “Too dearly loved to be forgotten” “Safe in the aims of Jesus”
Wreath, “To little Thomas,” from one who dearly loved him, Uncle James.
Wreath, “To our dear little nephew, Thomas” “With heartfelt sorrow.” from Auntie Alice and Uncle Eddie, Canada, “Suffer little children to come unto Me.”
Cross, “To dear little nephew Thomas” from Uncle Arthur and Auntie Edith and cousin.
Wreath, “To our dear little nephew, Thomas,” from Uncle Thomas and Auntie Clara and cousins Edith and Herbert Wood (New Hey), “Suffer little children to come unto Me.”
Cross, “To our dear nephew, Thomas,” from Uncle Robert and Auntie Mary (Bury), “Rest in peace.”
Wreath. “With fondest love,” from Edith and Uncle Leonard Wood.
Spray, “To our dear little nephew” from Auntie Polly and Uncle Levi, and little cousins “Rest in peace”
Wreath. “With affectionate remembrance, to our dear little nephew Thomas,” from Auntie Bella and Uncle Harold and Auntie Lizzie, “Safe in the arms of Jesus”
Cross, “To our dear little nephew, Thomas,” from Auntie Ellen and Auntie Alice, “There is a friend for little children.”
Wreath, “To our dear little Thomas,” from Aunt Alvina, "Safe in the arms of Jesus.’’
Wreath. “To little Thomas,” “With deepest sympathy,” from Cousin Edith and Jim Bradbury and family.
Spray, from Uncle William and Cousin Lilian, Charlestown Road.
Cross, from Uncle Arthur and Cousin Ethel, Hadfield Square, “To dear little Thomas”
Spray, from Cousin Muriel and Sam.
Wreath, “To my dear little pal Thomas.” from Clara Jones, “Gone, but not forgotten.”
Spray, “To dear little Tommy,” from Miss Mary Harrison, “With love.”
Spray, “With deepest sympathy” from Mrs. Albert Harrison.
Wreath, “With love and deepest sympathy,” from all at 62, Wood Street.
Wreath, "In loving memory of little Thomas," from Cousin Gerty and Harry Moore and family
Spray, "To dear little Thomas," from his Godmother and Alice
Wreath, "In loving memory of little Thomas Wood," from Mr. and Mrs. Hammond and family
Flowers, from little Raymond Capper
Flowers, from Mary Ann Bond
Flowers, from Mrs. Walmsley
Flowers, "To little Thomas," from Mrs. Wood
Flowers, "With deepest sympathy," from Tom and Lizzie
Flowers, "To little Thomas," from little Eva.
Flowers, from little Fred Price.
Flowers, from Mrs. and Mr. Crowther.
Flowers, from Annie Kenworthy and children
Flowers, from Leonard Holt, “To dear little Thomas.”
Flowers, “With fondest love” from Lily Skelton.
Flowers, “With fondest love” from Lily, Bertie, and Alice Hill.
Flowers, “Deepest sympathy” from Lizzie, Thomas and Willie Riley.
Flowers, “To little Tommy Wood.” from Violet. Albert and Herbert Hodgkinson.
Flowers, “To dear little Tom,” from his schoolmates, Sam and Mollie Millward.
Flowers, “With heartfelt sympathy” from Mrs. and Miss Leonard.
Wreath, “In affectionate remembrance of little Thomas,” from Mr. and Mrs. Ryder and family.
Flowers, from his little playmate, Arthur Wellburn.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy, to dear little Thomas Wood” from Alice and Hannah Gully.
Flowers, “In loving remembrance” from his little playmate, Arthur Brent.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy,” from Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy,” from Mr. and Mrs, Bentley and family. Wreath, “In loving sympathy” from the Teachers and Scholars of Whitfield C. of E. Junior School, Glossop.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy,” from Mrs. Turner, High Street East.
Flowers, “Fondest love.” from Alice.
Wreath, “Fondest love,’’.from Polly and little Robert Mottram.
Wreath, “With fondest love, to Thomas” from Mr. and Mrs. Mottram
Flowers, “In loving memory” from Mr. and Mrs. Thornley and family, 12, Collier Street
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy.” from John, Marion and Sarah Moss.
Flowers, “In loving memory” from Mrs. Swann
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy” from Amy
Flowers, “Fondest love,” from Alice.
Flowers, “In token of love,” from his little friends Norman and Enid Hinchcliffe and Renie Wyatt.
Flowers, “With love,” from a friend.
Flowers, from Susie Carmichael, “With love”
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy” from Dorothy, Frank, Mary, and Phyllis Jones.
Flowers, “To dear little Thomas.” from Mrs. Waters.
Flowers, “In loving memory” from Annie and Lizzie Whittaker. Harp, “From his dear little playmate” Dorothy Harper.
Wreath, from his playmate, Walter Brooks, Manchester.
Flowers, from Lucy Hammond, “Gone, but not forgotten”
Wreath, “With deepest sympathy to dear little Thomas,” from Mr. and Mrs. T. Riley
Flowers, from his little play mates, Veronica and Wilfred Connor,
Flowers, “To dear little Thomas.” from Sonny Knott. “With all my love.”
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy” from Mrs. Walton.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy,” from Mrs. Evans. Wreath, “To dear little Thomas.” from Fitzalan Sunshine League.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy”* from Mr. and Mrs. Wilmot and family.
Flowers, “To dear little Thomas” from Mrs. Burrows.
Flowers, “With deepest sympathy” from Mrs. Evans.
Harp, “With deepest sympathy,” from the Members of the English Concertina Band. “To dear little Thomas.”
Flowers, “To dear little Thomas,” from Maggie Canning.
Flowers, “In loving memory” from Mrs. Ryder and family.
Flowers, “To dear little Thomas.” from a little pal, Sydney Porter, “With love,”
Flowers, from — Sharples and Harrop.
Flowers, from Gladys and children, “In loving memory”

Mr. and Mrs. Wood respectfully beg to thank all in Simmondley Lane and district who so kindly subscribed to the collection made on their behalf, amounting to £3. The above was collected by Miss M. Harrison.

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Last updated: 29 September 2023