Real memorial obituaries – Combe Down, Monkton Combe, Midford

In memoriam et celebrationem

In memorial and celebration

DIED WHILE ON HOLIDAY

COMBE DOWN VICAR'S SUDDEN PASSING AT NEWQUAY, CORNWALL

While on holiday at Mawagan Porth, Newquay, Cornwall, the Rev. Frank Last Bedwell, vicar
of Combe Down, died suddenly after tea on Monday.

Authentic details are not available, but it is understood that he had spent the day on the sands with his wife and children, and collapsed and died while walking on the cliff, through a heart seizure. He was about 57 years of age.

A post-mortem which was made on Tuesday, disclosed signs of heart- disease and it was announced that an inquest would probably be unnecessary.

The suddenness of his passing is indicated by the fact that he sent a post- card to a friend of his, which arrived at Combe Down by first post next morning.

The recipient of the card left his house, and the first person he spoke to told him of the Vicar's death.

Mr. Bedwell leaves a widow, a son, who is at Monkton Combe School, and two daughters, the elder of whom is at Bristol University, while the younger attends Bath High School.

During his comparatively short stay of three and a half years at Combe Down, Mr. Bedwell had made himself very popular in the parish, and had carried out much useful work. He was responsible for the restoration of the organ, and the addition of the new vestry.

Before coming to Bath he held two chaplaincies in Switzerland, one of which was Christ Church, Montreux. He was inducted by the Archdeacon of Bath (the Ven. S. A. Boyd) on January 19th, 1934.

He was educated at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge, taking his B.A. in 1896, and proceeding to the M.A. degree in 1900.

In 1905 he was ordained deacon, and he was priested in the following year. From 1905-7 he was curate of Holy Trinity Church, Leicester, and from 1907-10 curate of Christ Church, Leicester. For the next three years he was curate of St. Jude, Wolverhampton.

Religious Tract Society Editor.

From 1914-1917, while he was chaplain at Davos Platz, he was district secretary of Religious Tract Society. After spending eight years as vicar of Emmanuel Church, Paddington, he became Home Superintendent and Tract Editor of the R.T.S., a position he held for six years.

At Combe Down he succeeded the Rev. A. B. Lloyd on the latter leaving for the Belgian Congo to inaugurate a mission among the wild forest tribes.

FUNERAL SERVICE

Combe Down Mourns A Much Loved Friend

At the funeral service, on Thursday, at Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down, brother clergy, parishioners and friends from outside united in a sincere tribute to a valued minister and true friend, and in genuine sympathy with the irreparably bereaved wife and children.

The coffin arrived at Bath from Cornwall on Wednesday and was received into the church by Preb. F. E. Murphy and the Rev. E. Roberts, who had the temporary care of the parish during Mr. Bedwell's vacation.

Officiating at Thursday's service were the Archdeacon of Bath (the Venerable S. A. Boyd), Preb. Murphy, the Rev. D. Taylor Wilson Rector of Bidborough, Kent), and the Rev. A. B. Lloyd (Vicar of Stanstead Abbots), formerly Vicar of Combe Down.

Other clergy present included the following: The Revs. E, Roberts, G. Ruck (Rector of St. Mary's, Bath- wick), H. Cameron McNeil (Rector of St. Michael's), G. L. Fitzmaurice (Vicar of St. Stephen's), P. E. War- rington (Vicar of Monkton Combe), W. S. H. Samler (Vicar of South- stoke), F. A. Pollard (Rector of Claverton), R. Butler, G. W. Monk (Vicar of Christ
Church, Clevedon).

The service included the Psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd," and the hymns. "Jesu, Lover of my soul," "How bright these glorious spirits shine!" and "Thine for ever! God of Love"; and closed with the Nunc Dimittis.

The opening voluntary was played by the late Vicar's brother, Mr. A. G. Bedwell, organist of Clacton-on-Sea Parish Church. "O Rest in the Lord," after the service, was played by another of his organist brothers, Mr. A K. Bedwell, organist at Oxted Parish Church, Surrey.
The organist of Combe Down Church (M.r W. A. Bishop) accompanied the remainder of the service.

FORMER VICAR'S TRIBUTE.

In the course of a short address, Mr. Lloyd said that they had lost a true friend, a loving brother, a dear husband and a great saint of God.

He first knew Frank Bedwell many years ago, when he was curate at Holy Trinity Church, Leicester. He was then at the very commencement of a ministry which was full of promise, and very soon he endeared himself to the hearts of young and old alike.

His bright, cheery spirit and deep, spiritual insight into the needs of the young people of that
day quickly made his ministry one of great power.

Since those days he had had a wide and varied experience, first in London parish and afterwards as one of the secretaries of the Religious Tract Society, finally acting as Chaplain in Switzerland, where he spent several years of his life among the English residents.

Three years ago he was called to Combe Down, and the people of that parish would always thank God for sending him among them. His never-failing anxiety to aid those in distress, his sympathy and untiring energy to bring help to those in need, made a
great impression on all who had come in contact with him, and all would cherish his memory with deep affection.

Those who knew him more intimately in his private and home life would always be grateful to God for his witness in the home, and their hearts went out in deepest sympathy to his wife and children who had been so suddenly bereft of one whom they loved so dearly.

The immediate mourners were: The widow, Joyce, Michael and Betty (children), George and Douglas (brothers), Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd (brother-in-law and sister). Tom (nephew), Alice (niece), Norman Papprill, Rev. E. H. Holden (Vicar of Frome)