Mexborough and Swinton Times March 22, 1929

Obituary – Mr J.D.Perkins
Former Mexborough Schoolmaster
A Grand Old Man

We greatly regret to record the death, which occurred on Tuesday, following a. short illness, of Mr. James Dash Perkins, of Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, aged 86, for many years headmaster of the National School at Mexboro’. Only a fortnight earlier, Mr. Perkins was bereaved of his sister, Mrs. Smythies, with whom he had lived throughout his retirement, and. to whom he was greatly devoted.

Mr. Perkins was born in Leicester, the son of a farmer, but left that county as a child. He was for 55 years a member of the teaching profession, and was trained at St. John’s College, Battersea.

His first headmastership was in a Church school in Montgomery, built by the Earl of Powis, a grandson of the celebrated Lord Clive. He held this appointment for two years, and during that time was organist at the parish church.

He then moved into Yorkshire and took an appointment at Dewsbury, and from theren went on to Newport in Shropshire. Eventually he became headmaster of St. Jude’s, Moorfields, Sheffield, and held that post for several years.

He came to Mexboro’ as headmaster of the National School in 1886, in succession to the late Mr. James Ackroyd, and retired in July, 1909. During his stay in Mexboro’ he made his mark on the educational, religious, and social life of the town, and won esteem and respect from every party and sect. At the close of his career as a schoolmaster striking tributes from many quarters to the value of his life and teaching and the influence of his personality were paid. He was for ten years organist and choirmaster at the Mexboro’ Parish Church, and for eleven years was lector.

After his retirement from teaching he held the office of churchwarden. He  stayed in Mexboro’ for some years after his retirement, and eventually settled with his sister and an old family friend, practically an adopted sister, in Sheffield, where he continued to take the liveliest interest in all that went on around him, particularly in the public and religious life of the city, with which, owing to his long previous residence at St. Jude’s, he was very well acquainted.

Mr. Perkins lived the Christian life in all its fullness and richness. He was a devoted son of the Church, and served it with all his might. At Mexborough he served under two vicars, the Rev. Henry Ellershaw and the Rev. W. H. F. Bateman, and with both established a close bond of affection. He was deeply convinced of the value of religious instruction as an essential part of education.

On his retirement, in the course of an interview with a “Times” reporter, he said: “In the whole of my experience, the lesson that the children like best is the scripture lesson, and it is the most valuable of all the lessons they learn. I think it is a mistake to exclude it, and the nation would find it so if ever they did. There is no religious difficulty in this school. Half of my children are the children of Nonconformists, but I have never heard any objection to the religious instruction given.”

Mr. Perkins was quite a “character,” with a sense of humour highly developed. He was fond of music, was a capable organist, and took a great interest in the church choir. He belonged in all respects to the “old school,” and, though tolerant a modern ideas, believed the old ways best.

On his retirement the managers, teachers and scholars of the National School presented to him an illuminated address and a purse of gold, this ceremony taking place on July 23rd, 1900.

During his long stay in Mexborough Mr Perkins Main A. Friends. There are hundreds of people, some of the grandparents still resident here who were taught by him, and remember him with pride and affection.

Mr Perkins’s lifetime expressed a wish for cremation, which will be carried out at the City Road Cemetery, Sheffield, today (Friday) at 11 a.m.