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Jennypeg
Researcher

Cocker House
replied on: 5/6/2005 4:45:52 PM

Hi,
I hope this is in the right place? there's so much info in this death report I just had to post it.
Jenny

Ripley and Heanor
15th Feb 1924
DEATH OF MR. A. W. BRENTNALL
In Harness at Ninety
The passing of a notable Eastwood Gentleman
Ripley and Heanor 15th Feb 1924
We are called to record the demise of Mr. Alfred Wolstan Brentnall, which sad event took place, not unexpectedly, at his residence, Cocker House, Eastwood, about 5.30 pm on Saturday evening, in the presence of the members of his family. The deceased gentleman celebrated his 90th birthday in the early part of January of this year, and was up to that time discharging his daily round of duties at the offices of Messrs Barber, Walker & Co, but about three weeks ago he contracted a chill, and remained indoors, and subsequently had to take to his bed, and passed away as stated.
Deceased was the son of Mr. Henry Brentnall, of Dunstead House, Heanor, whom a few old people in the district still remember with reverence and affection and to whom a monument was erected in Marlpool Cemetery by his admirers. Large numbers of men owed all the education they obtained to Henry Brentnall, for summer and winter for over forty years he devoted himself in those far away days, when there was no education for the poor, to conducting free school classes on week nights and Sundays. He lived at Eastwood when his family was born, and where he acted in the same capacity to Messrs Barber, Walker and Co as his son just deceased. He used to walk from Eastwood to Marlpool Chapel, where his Sunday and night school was carried on, and it is related that one night as he was returning home he was stopped by footpads, who demanded his money, but on discovering who it was they allowed him to depart unmolested.
The late Mr. Alfred Brentnall possessed a good many of his father’s characteristics. He was for the latter half of his life an enthusiastic supporter of the temperance cause and a great supporter of foreign missions. When he was seventy he said he would add £1 per annum to his annual subscription to the London Missionary Society for every year he lived over the allotted span, so that for some years he must have been one of the most generous subscribers to that great society.
Like his father before him he was an ardent Congregationalist and Liberal, and took a great interest in politics. He was no believer in the policy of the Labour Party, and even within a day or so of his death was greatly interested in the present phase of politics. No man knew more local history than he did, and he might have filled a volume with his reminiscences of old times. For instance, his grandfather remembered seeing the heads of Prince Charles’s rebels on old London Bridge. When the Pentrich rebels were marching through Eastwood to burn Nottingham Castle and the population in the parish fled to High Park Woods, his father stood at the entrance to the Coach Road to Lamb Close and watched them march by.
In his young days Mr. Alfred Brentnall was a great cricketer and played with Squire Walker’s famous team, indeed he and the Squire were close friends, and it was characteristic of his loyalty that for the past half century no one saw him on the anniversary of Mr Walker’s death except in a suit of black, and he never failed to send a wreath to lay on the Squire’s grave in Eastwood Churchyard on the same day.
Until well over middle life he took great interest in local affairs. Before there were local Councils he was a member of the Road Board, and it was due to his prompt action in going post haste to London to appeal to a committee of the House of Commons then sitting that tollbars were abolished on the Nottingham Road. He took an active part in establishing Eastwood Cemetery, just as his father before him was the leading spirit in making Marlpool Cemetery. He was one of the original members of Eastwood Parish Council and of the Urban District Council. He was one of the founders of Eastwood Congregational Church, and one of its most faithful supporters, and in this again he was like his father, who was the mainstay of Marlpool Congregational Church for half a century.
Right up to his ninetieth birthday he was as straight as a gun barrel, and although “stout and scant of breath” enjoyed good health, and for several years had not missed a day at his desk at the offices of Messrs Barber, Walker and Co with whom he had been for over seventy years. In summer time he played a game of croquet, and until he was over eighty a quiet game of tennis. Up to this year he enjoyed a game of billiards or bridge before he when to bed. His hand was steady, as his numerous business friends can testify, his eye was clear, for he had during the last few years given up spectacles, and his mind was vigorous and alert up to the end. In addition to his duties in the colliery offices, he acted as steward to Mrs Walker Munro, of Eastwood Hall estate, and had thus many duties to take up his time and attention and his interest in business never flagged. Some years ago he took his part in developing local industries, and acted as director of various local concerns.
He leaves two sons and six daughters to mourn his loss.
Mr Brentnall was one of the founders of the Robin Hood Lodge of Freemasons, and was the second worshipful Master in 1875,and was believed to be the oldest freemason in the county of Notts. He was one of the founders also of the present Mechanic’s Institution, having held the position of treasurer the whole of the time, and was re-elected to the position only last Thursday. His father before him started the library in Bam ford’s Row. Deceased was one of the first members of the trades Guild, and had been a vice-president of the Ambulance Training Corps from its inception.

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