Thursday 29 August 1935
POPULAR FARMER AND LANDOWNER.
WELL-KNOWN IN DEVERILLS.
MR. T.N. COLES’ DEATH AT WINTERBOURNE STOKE.
Many of his old friends in Warminster and the Deverills will have learned with regret of the death of Mr. Thomas Newbery Coles, of The Hill, Winterbourne Stoke.
Mr. Coles comes of a well-known family of farmers and landowners in South Wilts, being a son of Mr. John Newbery Coles, who was a farmer and landowner at Teffont and Brixton Deverill.
There were a number of people from the Warminster district at the funeral on Thursday 29 August 1935 at Winterbourne Stoke Parish Church.
Mr. Coles, who was 74 years of age, passed away on Monday 26 August 1935 in a nursing home in Aberdeen following a sudden illness and an operation.
He recently went up to Scotland, as he had done for several years, for the purpose of grouse-shooting, and it was whilst he was staying at Stonehaven that he was taken ill.
Mr. Coles had always enjoyed remarkably good health, and until a year ago, despite his advancing years, he was able to play a good game of tennis, participated in shooting, and busied himself about his farm with out showing signs of fatigue.
Quite recently he had been considering retiring from business, and had been in negotiation with Mr. J. V. Rank for the sale of his farm at Winterbourne Stoke. He had arranged to take a house at South Newton.
Earlier in his business career, Mr. T.N. Coles in conjunction with his brother, Mr. Carey Coles, farmed Manor Farm, Winterbourne Stoke. He also occupied and farmed for some years Manor Farm, Berwick St. James, leaving there in 1916 to take over his property, Hill Farm, Winterbourne Stoke. Prior to the war he was farming 2,500 acres in the parishes of Winterbourne Stoke, Berwick St. James and Stapleford. He also owned a large farm at West Knoyle.
He went in extensively for sheep farming and corn growing, and was a pioneer in the district in the adoption of modern scientific methods of cultivation. He was greatly respected, and his advice upon the branches of agriculture of which he had had life experience was largely sought and greatly valued. He was one of the most familiar figures in Salisbury market, having attended there regularly since he was ten years of age. In his early days he bred Hampshire Downs, but changed to other breeds during the war. He was a member of the South Wilts branch of the National Farmers’ Union, and took a special interest in the work of the Farmers’ Benevolent Association.
He took little part in public life as a member of secular authorities, but he was a devoted Churchman, and was churchwarden and a school manager at Winterbourne Stoke for many years. He was a Conservative in politics.
He married Harriett Louisa, eldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Mark Wallis, of Stapleford, and they had three sons and two daughters. One daughter died in childhood.
The funeral service was taken by the Rev. W.C.N. Coles, of Natal, South Africa (a nephew of Mr. T.N. Coles), assisted by the Rev. S.W. Wayet, vicar of Winterbourne Stoke. The service was choral, and the hymns were “Peace, perfect peace,” and “Abide with me.” As the cortege was borne from the church the organist (Miss Lockyer) played Handel’s “Dead March” in “Saul.”
The family mourners were:- Mrs. T.N. Coles (wife), Mr. and Mrs. G.W.N. Coles (son and daughter-in-law), Mr. D.N. Coles and Mr. G. Coles (sons), Miss J. Coles (daughter), Mr. H.E.N. Coles (brother), and Mrs. Alexander Baker.
Included in the large and representative congregation were members of the principal agricultural families in the district. There were present Sir James Macklin, Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Waters, Mr. G.C. Waters, Messrs. M. Egremont, D. Egremont, J.G. Egremont, B. Crook, W.H. Dean, F. Wallis, M.R. Read, S.S. Stiles, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Hayward, Mr. G. Combes, Mr. J.W. Miles, Mr. and Mrs. G.C. Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. G.R. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Hayter, Mr. and Mrs. G. Gauntlett, Mr. and Mrs. S. Dean, Mr. and Mrs. R. Long, Mr. G. Long, Mrs. Marshman, Mr. W. Marshman, Mr. R. Hayward, Mr. J. Coles, Mr. C. Coles, Mrs. R.E.N. Coles, Mr. and Mrs. C. Parrott, Mr. T. Talbot Taylor, Mr. F. Way, Mrs. D. Langford, Mr. J. Combes, Mr. L. Combes, Mr. P. Waters, Mr. H.J. Sainsbury, Dr. A.G.B. Lory, Mr. H.L. Pile, Mr. E. George (representing the National Farmers’ Union), Mr. F. Andrews, Mr. H.E. Vincent.
Brigadier O.S. Cameron, Group Captain M. Henderson, Mr. A. Long-Brown, Mr. J.J. Street, Mr. M.C. Street, Mr. and Mrs. T.W. Genge, Messrs. J. Swanton, P. Swanton, C. Sandell, C.F. Sandell, G.R. Read, P. Wallis, C.M. Leslye, C.H. Williams, F.W. Wallis, D. Wallis, E.R. Grant, E.W. Grant, Wilfred Dean, K. Hurst-Brown.
The Rev. R.W. Sutcliffe (Bishop’s Fonthill), the Rev. Arthur Robins (Shrewton), Miss Applin, Mr. W.D.C. Hayter, Mr. G.H. Barnes, Mrs. Robins, Miss M. Williams, Mr. G. Lee, Mr. A. Rigler, Mr. P. Sutton, Mr. I.B. Hankey, Mrs. H. Fry, Mrs. Maggs, Mr. G. Norris, Mrs. Grant, Mr. J. West, Mrs. Dyer, Mrs. Charlton, Mrs. Haines, Miss Petty, Miss Moody, Mr. H.J. Lockyer, Miss F. Crouch, Mrs. Dawkins, Mrs G. Sanger, Mrs. W. Fry, and Mr. B. Fry.
In addition to the floral tributes from members of the family and friends, the employees on Mr. Coles’ farm sent a beautiful wreath, on which was a verse composed by one of the employees. It read as follows:- “Dear Master, Thou hast taken The one we loved so well, For ever to be with Thee; In Thy blest home to dwell. His pilgrim journey’s ended; He rests in Peace with Thee, Where tears and death and sorrow And pain shall never be.” Also amongst the wreaths was one from the Committee of the Shrewton and District Nursing Association.