Harry Clasper - His Final Journey Newspaper Announcement, July 12th 1870 This morning, Henry Clasper, the veteran oarsman, died at his residence, the Tunnel Inn, North Shore, Newcastle-on-Tyne, after a short but painful illness, of congestion of the brain, at the age of 58 years. The deceased had been ailing for some few weeks, but had been able to attend to business. He gradually, however, became much worse, and was compelled to take to his bedroom; but the illness was not considered by his wife and family to be very serious, and Mrs. Clasper therefore thought it unnecessary to call in the assistance of a medical man at that time. Convulsions having set in, Dr. May, the deceaseds regular medical adviser, was at once sent for; and, on his arrival, found his patient in a low, nervous state; but the indisposition was not so serious, in the opinion of the doctor, as to cause alarm to the family and friends of the once-famous oarsman. He became considerably worse, and, gradually sinking, passed quietly and peaceably to his rest, in the presence of his wife; Mrs. Eliza Kyle, Mrs. Strong, Mrs. Waterston, Miss Susannah Clasper, his daughters; Mr. Robert Clasper, his son; and messrs. Davis and Morrow, two old and intimate friends. On the 17th, the interment took place in the beautiful burying ground attached to Whickham Church, amid such a demonstration of popular respect and good feeling as is seldom accorded to any man. No sooner was it known that the noble old veteran had passed from the scene of his many triumphs, than a very laudable desire was expressed to do fitting honour to his obsequies; and as Sunday was considerately selected for this purpose, in order more effectually to meet the convenience of the numerous bodies of working men with whom he had for years been on terms of the greatest friendship, it was naturally expected that vast numbers would be in attendance. Never for a moment, however, did the promoters of the ceremonial anticipate such a display as was witnessed on the occasion. The invitations extended to watermen and other supporters of aquatics were, as calculated upon, very generally accepted; but, in addition to these, the townspeople themselves turned out en masse to show their regard for the hero of so many fights. Although the time for moving the body was announced for a quarter to three oclock, the spectators began to assemble in the neighbourhood of the Tunnel Inn at least two hours previously, and established themselves on every eminence from which a view of the funeral cortege could in any way be obtained. A little before three oclock the coffin was carried to the door, and conveyed on the shoulders of six stalwart men to the hearse. The pall-bearers-Mr. James Renforth, Mr. James Taylor, Mr. Thomas Winship, Mr. John Martin, Mr. Thomas Taylor, and Mr. Edward Winship - having ranged themselves on each side of the profusely-plumed hearse, the vehicle advanced a little in order to allow the relatives an opportunity for taking possession of the four mourning coaches provided for them. Everything being at length in readiness, the grand and impressive music of the Dead March in Saul was commenced by Stephensons band, and the procession then moved onward in the following order:- Local oarsmen and members of rowing clubs; the hearse, containing the coffin; first mourning coach, containing Mr. J.H.Clasper, Mr. Robert Clasper, Master Henry Thomas Clasper (sons of the deceased), Mr. Robert Clasper, Mr Richard Clasper and Mr. Thomas Clasper; second mourning coach, containing Mr. George Strong, Mr. John Waterston, Mr. John Waterston, jnr., Mr. William Sadler (sons-in-law of the deceased), Mr. Thomas Clasper, Mr. Robert Clasper, and Mr. Edward Clasper (nephews of the deceased), third mourning coach, containing Mr. Joseph Clasper, Mr. Joseph Snowball, Mr. Thomas Clasper, Mr. John Clasper, Mr. John Hawks (Walker), Mr. John Hawks, jnr., Mr. Edward Hawks (Newcastle), and Mr. Ralph Grey; fourth mourning coach, containing Mr. Robert Snowball, Mr. Thomas Henry Ellis, Mr. John Clasper (Gateshead), Mr. John Hawks Walton, Mr. George Middleton, Mr. George Henry Walton, and Mr. Roger Middleton. Mourners three abreast. The following gentlemen, among others, joined the procession at Derwenthaugh:- Mr. John A Cowen (Blaydon Burn), Mr. Richard Bennett, Mr. E. Martinson (Blaydon), Mr. James Wilkinson, Mr. George Parker, Mr. Thomas Walker, Mr. Joseph Armstrong, Mr. Douglass, Mr. Win. Lawson, Mr. J. Wilson, Mr. T. Daglish, Mr. J. Taylor, Mr. Isaac Johnson, Mr. James Duff, Mr. J. Bagnall, sen., Mr. J. H. Reed, Mr. Lance Jobling, Mr. Thos. Home, and Mr. Henry Gascoigne. Private carriage, containing Mr. Joseph Cowen, jun., Mr. R. B. Reed, and Mr. R. S. Bagnall, jun. Eighteen carriages, containing gentlemen of the neighbourhood, the general public bringing up the rear, walking indiscriminately. The route taken by the procession was considerably changed from that which was first proposed. It was originally intended to convey the body by the Quayside, Collingwood Street, and Scotswood Road, thence across the Suspension Bridge to Swalwell, and so on to the church at Whickham; but as it was at the last moment deemed more appropriate to convey it some part of the distance by water, arrangements for that purpose had rather hastily to be made. The thoroughfares to be traversed were Tyne Street - on a sloping bank, on which was situated the inn occupied by the deceased - New Road, Gibson Street, New Bridge Street, Grey Street, and Dean Street, and so on to the river, where the company were taken on board tug-boats to Derwenthaugh. From this place the path was over cinder heaps to Swalwell, and then by a long ascent leading to the west end of Whickham - a distance of seven or eight miles. Notwithstanding the great extent of ground to be traversed, the route was lined with sorrowing spectators throughout, most of whom, despite the almost private life which Clasper led prior to his death, retained a warm remembrance of the virtues and achievements of the deceased. It was truly a grand and impressive sight to witness, and such, in fact, as poor Clasper never dreamt of during his lifetime. Not fewer than 100,000 or 130,000 persons took part in or witnessed the proceedings. On the procession reaching the Sandhill, it was seen that the people were so densely crowded as to render any further advance almost impossible. Strong detachments of police being brought to the front, the obstacles were removed, and an opening made along the close to the Corporation Quay, where the body had to be removed from the hearse for conveyance over that portion of the old Tyne course which Clasper had formerly traversed so frequently to victory. The proceedings were closely watched by thousands of people who had assembled on the high and low bridges - both of which revealed unbroken lines of faces from end to end - and also by many others who had congregated on the hillside, beneath the tower of St Marys Church in Gateshead, and upon the quays and wharves bordering both sides of the river. Many hundreds having been taken on board the steamtugs Louise Crawshay, Mary Jane, Joseph Cowen, Margaret, and the Prince of Wales, they proceeded, in the order named, towards their destination. Passing the end of the Mansion House, a hymn was wafted across the waters from a party of choristers who had stationed themselves on some timber at the rivers brink. In due course the boats ran up to the quays at Derwenthaugh, were Clasper spent many years of his life as a coke burner, and the body, being taken on shore, was carried over, the dusty cinder heaps behind the ovens to the hearse in waiting on the road, the path being admirably kept by a party of Durham County police. The procession, on being re-formed was here joined by the keelmen belonging to the Stella Coal Company, Messrs. Cowen and Cos works, and others generally employed at Stella, Blaydon, and Derwenthaugh, and was accompanied by them for the remainder of the distance. The procession reached the gates of Whickham Church precisely three hours after its departure from the Ouseburn. The pretilly situated churchyard was thronged wherever a view of the vast procession could be secured; the church tower, from which, perhaps, along the whole route, the most extended and complete survey of the sight could be had, being also occupied by spectators. The people preserved the deepest silence as the funeral party entered the building; and during the time occupied by the Rev. Mr. Taylor in reading the lesson, which he did with deep earnestness, with a clear enunciation, and in a manner calculated in a high degree to impress upon the large body of mourners a right and full appreciation pf the solemnity and the reality of the service in which they were taking part, a mournful and devotional feeling appeared appeared to pervade the whole congregation. The grave was reached with considerable difficulty, though, as far as possible, considering the density of the crowd, a path was made for the relatives and more immediate friends of the deceased. But few beyond those at the graveside obtained a glimpse of the coffin. Immediately the relatives departed, the grave was closed, and those who had hoped to have an opportunity of reading the inscription passed on to the adjoining graves, there to read, as hundreds did, the verses inscribed upon the skiff-shaped stone which marks the resting-place of his mother and his brothers:- Beneath this unassuming stone Lies one, when living, loved by all; Its thus we dwindle, one by one, Obedient to our Makers call. His little skiff, his sole delight, Is now deserted-cast away; His sculls he plied with skilful might Are all now hastening to decay. As friend, he was beloved by all; As brother, none had stronger ties; But now hes fled this busy world- Hes safely moored beyond the skies. His match with time was ended soon, The stakes were banded oer with tears; His death has caused a sudden gloom, Which nought can dissipate but years. It was a gratifying fact that nothing transpired during the afternoon that in the slightest degree interfered with the observance of due order and decorum. The utmost propriety of conduct was observed by everyone; few, if any, of the assembled thousands exhibited other than symptoms of sorrow and dejection, or uttered anything but expressions of regret at the loss of so well loved and respected a friend, and of sympathy with the relatives in their bereavement. The career of Clasper was an eventful one. He was born at Dunston-on-Tyne, in the year 1812. While young, his parents removed to Jarrow, and there young Harry was sent to work in the pits. After a time, he returned to Dunstan, and worked as a cinder burner at the Garsfield coke ovens; and later on, when about twenty years of age, he became a wherryman for the same firm. From this period his aquatic career may be said to have commenced. At this time racing boats were heavy and unshapely, and the mechanical genius of young Harry was at once directed to their improvement; and such genius and perseverance did he bring to his favourite pursuit, that it is a question whether his fame as an oarsman, or his renown as the inventor of the modern racing boat, is the greatest. One of his earliest attempts at boat-building was the Five Brothers, which he built at nights, after his days work was done. To this boat, so appropriately named, the crew, consisting of Harry, William, Robert, Edward, and a younger brother as coxswain, he, for years, was victorious at the annual gala on the Tyne, commonly known as Barge Thursday. On December 18, 1844, his victorious career was interrupted, he being defeated by R. Coombes, in a skiff race on the Tyne for £100; and in the year following, with his brothers, William and Robert, and his uncle, Edward Hawks, he won the champion prize of £100; and, for the first time, the Championship of the World was wrested from the Thames: one of the defeated crews being Robert Coombes, J. Phelps, T. Goodman, T. Coombes, and D. Coombes (coxswain). On the 29th September, he defeated Thomas Carroll on the Mersey; and, on November 25, defeated W. Pocock on the Tyne, each match being for £200. Early in the following year, 1846, he was defeated on the Tyne by Robert Newall, in a match for £200. In 1848, in the celebrated St. Agnes, he and his brothers, with J. Wilkinson, again won the champion prize on the Thames. On the Tyne, in a match for £100, on the first day in 1853, he, with his brothers, were defeated by the celebrated Elswick crew, viz.:-Oliver, Bruce, Winship and Spoor. On July 22, 1858, Harry won the Championship of Scotland, defeating Robert Campbell, on the Clyde, in a match £200; and again defeated him, on October 6th, in another match for £200, on Loch Lomond; but, on November 9th, 1858, he was beaten by Thomas White, on the Thames, in a match for £200. The races mentioned are but a few of his principal ones. He was engaged in several afterwards, but age began to tell upon him, and, meeting younger men, success did not crown his efforts, notwithstanding his great abilities as stroke in four-oared craft, in which he was generally victorious. Thomas Fordyce - Local Records volume 4
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 10:38:01 +0000
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