Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 21 October 1932
A Changing World
Mexborough Veteran’s Sage and Sad Reflections
58 Years a Preacher
Mr. Edward Schoram, aged 89, has been a local preacher for 58 years; never been to a theatre, only once to a cinema (three years ago); never smoked and never been in a public-house. That, briefly, is Mr. Edward Schorah, of 45, Kirby Street, Mexboro’, probably the oldest local preacher in this district.
Born at Hemsworth, one of a family, of twenty-two, he received a meagre education, and at the age of eight was helping his father, a tailor. When in his ‘teens he travelled around to various tailors at Foulby, Alfreton, Ripley, back to Foulby, Clayton West, and Wakefield, to gain experience. At that time tailors did not sit in shops, especially in the country villages, people bought their cloth and called in the tailor to make the garment. A fee of 1s. 6d. and meals was good; 2s. 8d. for making a pair of trousers excellent.
Having gained experience, Mr. Schorah found use for his services as manager of tailors’ shops. He had positions in Nottingham, Ackworth, Tadcaster, and Utley. At the latter place he opened a business for himself and kept it for 24 years. He then went back to Ackworth to a similar business for twenty years or so retiring fifteen years ago and coming to live with his nephew at Mexboro’.
Throughout his life he has been a fervent Wesleyan Methodist. He has held all appointments connected with Sunday schools, and at present is a class leader at the Mexboro’ church. On Dec. 10th, 1863, he was admitted on trial as a local preacher in the Pontefract Circuit, passing his examination at Wakefield. Since that time he has preached in the Pontefract, Wakefield, Tadcaster, Nottingham, Otley, Denby Dale and Wath circuits, and is still on the plan of the Wath circuit. Though he does not go out preaching Sunday by Sunday, as in his younger days, he is ever ready to “fill a gap,’ and was recently called out to Greasbro’. In 1929, he was awarded the long service certificate of the Connexional Local Preachers’ Committee. At that time Mr. Schorah had been a local preacher for 56 years.
He holds strong opinions on the keeping of the Sabbath. “What is wrong with the people of to-day? It is their indifference to religion and to the Sabbath. They will not keep the Sabbath. I think it is wrong to do anything on the Sabbath that can be done on another day. What we want today is to keep the Sabbath according to the Scriptures; keep it holy.”
Asked what he thought of the young people, Mr. Schorah said, “The young to my mind are trusting more to education than to goodness. They need more work and less pleasure. Nowadays youngsters get as much money for an hour’s work as we got for twelve. They are learning without the grace of God, and it is of little benefit.
“My recipe for long life? Live on plain food and keep from doing wrong. Don’t abuse yourself. I have never smoked; only drunk porter and stout because my doctor ordered me to, and I stopped that eighteen years ago. I am not expecting to live to a hundred, but I shall do right while God spares me. I don’t know that I want to live to be a hundred, but I shall enjoy my time while I am here, according to my way.”
Mr. Schorah’s health is remarkably good. He is quite active and can read without glasses. His only “defect” is bad hearing. As has been already stated, he has never visited a theatre, and only once a cinema. He says, “Pictures are the same as everything else, It is what we make of them.” And he does not like women to have bare necks nor to show too much leg.
Mr; Schorah is a cousin of Mr. Daniel Hammerton, of Darfield, who is in his 94th year.