“Some old Newman memorabilia found in my Mum and Dad’s loft…”, writes Richard Newman. Building is in his blood – thanks to his Mum and Dad having a rummage in the rafters he’s learned that his great grandfather was a builder in Enfield London, and a Freemason. The photo on the obituary shows that Richard also bears a remarkable likeness to his ancestor, Edward William Newman.
The funeral service was held at St. Matthew’s Church, Ponders End, Enfield on the 9th January 1945. Fittingly E.W. Newman had built the Chancel at St Matthew’s, which remains the oldest part of the church still standing today.
On the back of the obituary are 6 verses from ‘The Builders’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
All are Architects of fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme….
Taken literally, the last line of the opening verse fits quite nicely with this story too, as those who know Richard know he is a master wordsmith with a knack for penning amusing limericks.