Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 15 February 1941

Obituary – MR. J. E. Cliff

Notable Citizen of Mexborough

Councillor and Preacher

A long record of distinguished public service was closed by the death at his home, 9, Cliff Street. Mexboro’, on Sunday of Mr. James Easton Cliff, who was twice chairman of Mexborough Council, and after whom the street in which he lived was named.

Mr. Cliff, who was 78, and Mrs. Cliff would have celebrated their Diamond Wedding in two years’ time. Born in a little cottage at Oakham, near Rutland, at a time when workmen’s wages average 12s. a week, that being the wage on which his father brought up ten children, the man who was later to become one of the leading figures in local government in South Yorkshire, learned to read from a blackboard in a Primitive Methodist Sunday school. One of the ministers then guided him in his reading. He was then 12 years old and had been working for four years.

Mr. Cliff came to Swinton with his parents at the age of 14, began studying the following year and became a local preacher in the Primitive Methodist connection soon afterwards. His first experience in preaching was at the age of 16 at Denaby. At 21. Mr. Cliff was elected to the School Board and the Local Board and was the first Nonconformist to be elected to the Burial Board. Mr. Cliff was the soie surviving member of these three committees.

Since his entry into public life Mr. Cliff had served on nearly every committee connected with local administration in Mexborough. He had twice been chairman of the Urban Council, chairman of the old Local Board and the School Board. After being on the local Council (or Local Board) for nearly 50 years he lost his seat several years ago. He sat for 47 years on the School Board, and later on the Education Committee, and was one of the first Governors of Mexborough Secondary School. Mr. Cliff had served for nearly 48 years on the sanitary authority and been a member of the Doncaster Board of Guardians, a member of the Doncaster Union Assessment Committee, and an Overseer of the Poor.

In recognition of his public services the ratepayers of the town in 1901 presented him with an illuminated address and Mrs. Cliff with a beautiful present.

Preaching Record.

He had been a local preacher for over 54 years and had been delegate for his church to the Sheffield district meeting four times, to the Methodist Conference twice and had been sent eight times to the Synod.

Mr and Mrs. Cliff were married in March, 1883, at the Mexborough Primitive Methodist Church by the Rev. John Scrutton, then resident minister. Mrs. Cliff was formerly Miss Agnes Bond, youngest daughter of the late Mr. Thos. Bond, who was for many years Clerk to the Swinton School board.

Mr. Cliff, from his early youth, retained a keen interest in the younger members of the church. He was secretary of his Sunday school at the age of 13, and in addition to his preaching conducted a Bible class for 16 years. One of the outstanding points in his public career was the great battle over the Free Libraries Act in the same year as the big strike at Denaby, when after a free fight, in which Mr. Cliff lost all but his trousers and braces, the crowd decided to accept the Act and Mexborough’s Free Library came into being.

Mr. Cliff leaves a widow, three daughters and one son, in addition to three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The funeral took place at Mexborough on Wednesday following a service at the Central Methodist Church. The Rev. J. H. Barker, who conducted the service, paid tribute to the work of Mr. Cliff saying he had lived a full life devoted to the service of other people.

Mourners included Mrs. J. E. Cliff (widow). Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Cliff. Mr. and Mrs. C. Cuckson. Mr. and Mrs. J. Thompson. Mr. and Mrs. J. Rouane. Mr. and Mrs. C. Cuckson, Mr. and Mrs. F. Cuckson, Mr. J. Thompson, Mr. Peter Rouane , Mr. Brian Cuckson, Mrs. A. Mitchell, Miss M. Mitchell, Mrs. A. West. Mr. H. Bond, Miss F. Beasley, Mr. and Mrs. J. Cliff. Superintendent L. Heeson and Mrs. Newton, Mr. and Mrs. W. Taylor, Mrs. K. Dyson, Mrs. J. Glennon. Mr. and Mrs. E. Schofield, Mr. and Mrs. D. V. E. Dodsworth.

Representative mourners were: Mr. P. A. Sutton (Mexborough and Swinton Free Church Council); Mr. 0. Beech (Mexborough Central Methodist Church); Mrs. M. Davies (Denby Lowfield Methodist Church): Mr. W. A. Lewis (Mexborough Montagu Hospital): Mr. C. Marks (Mexborough Chamber of Trade): Mr. S. Worrell ‘Midland Bank. Mexborough): Coun. J. H. White. Coun. A. C. Rowson and Mr. F. E. Hall (Mexborough Urban Council): Mr. C. E. Bayes, Coun. J. Kelly. Coun. J. Walton, Coun. W. Johnson and Coun. J. T. Lewis (Public Assistance Committee): Mr. F. H. Harrop and Nurse Crawley (Mexborough Nursing Association): Mr. J. E. Ward (Swinton Bridge Methodist Church): Mr. M. Guest (Mexborough Methodist Circuit): Mrs. J. Haigh. Mrs. J. Stunnell. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Green (Mexborough Old Folk’s Treat Committee): Mr. J. Ford and Mr. S. I’. Parr (Oxford Road Church): Mr. and Mrs. C. Law (Mexborough Trinity Methodist Church); Mr. C. Auty. Mr. A. Hardy and Mr. A. Taylor: Miss M. Beaumont represented Mr. W. P. Turner.

The bearers were Messrs. R. J. Soaven. F. Lewis. W. C. Thompson and H. Sharp. There were wreaths from the widow: Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Cliff: Mr. and Mrs. E. Cuckson: Mr. and Mrs. J. Thompson end Jack: Mr. and Mrs. J. Rouane and Peter: Mrs. Mitchell and family; Mr. and Mrs. W. Rouane: Mr. and Mrs. F. Ward (Wath): Mrs. Dyson and family: members of the Central Methodist Church: Mrs. F. Long and family and Mrs. Hallford: Mexborough Methodist Circuit: Mexborough Old Folk’s Treat Committee Jim, Florrie, Annie and Mice: W.R.C.C. Public Assistance Board Committee and Staff: Mexborough Nursing Association: Mr. and Mrs. E. Cuckson and Brian: Mr. and Mrs. F. Cuckson: Mr. and Mrs. A. Sinclair: neighbours from Cliff Street: Superintendent and Mrs. L. Heeson.

Funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs White Undertakers, Bank Street. Mexbornugh. Tel.3133