DEATH OF MR GEORGE GRAHAME
On Tuesday evening last week Mr George Grahame retired from the joint Treasureship of Berwick Infirmary at the annual meeting, after taking a keen interest in the institution for many years. Speaking of the financial position of the Infirmary, he described himself as an optimist through and through. “As certain as I am a Berwick man, “said Mr Grahame, “the people of Berwick will give us the money if we tell them what we want.” On Thursday Mr Grahame was himself seized with sudden illness, necessitating an immediate operation. He was taken to Berwick Infirmary. Where the operation was performed on Friday. His strength, however, was not equal to the shock, and one of the Infirmary’s best friends died there on Saturday evening.
Mr Grahame was the only son of the late Alexander Grahame, gunsmith and jeweller, Hide Hill, Berwick, was born in Berwick, and except for a few years in Alnwick, has spent the greater part of his life in the town. He retired exactly a year ago from the mangership of the Berwick Branch of Barclay’s Bank, after 48 years’ service with the bank and their predecessors, Messrs Woods & Co. He succeeded the late Mr William Miller as manager some fifteen years ago, and last year, on his retiral, was appointed Local Director of the Bank at Berwick.
He has all his life been prominently associated with various organisations in the town. As stated above, he acted for many years as Honorary Treasurer of Berwick Infirmary. He has acted as Secretary of Berwick and Tweedmouth Savings Bank since 1900, when he succeeded the late Mr G. L. Paulin in that office. He was a director of Berwick Salmon Fisheries Company and the Corn Exchange Company.
During the war he acted as Honorary Treasurer of the War savings Committee and was a tireless worker, although at the time he had to carry on with a depleted bank staff. He also acted as Honorary Treasurer for Berwick War Memorial Fund. He was a member of Wallace Green Church, and has been a trustee since 1890 and an elder since 1900. He was very musical and took an active part in the activities of Berwick Choral Union, holding the office of Honorary President for many years.
Mr Grahame married the younger daughter of the late Mr John Stoddart, Tweedside Villa, Tweedmouth, who survives him with one daughter and two sons. His only surviving sister is Mrs S. Riddle, London, Mrs W. Paxton, another sister, having died recently in Edinburgh.
Mr Grahame was a man who did an untold amount of good by stealth and did not like to have it made known. He was consulted by his many friends on all sorts of matters, financial and personal, and always gave helpful advice. Besides being kindly and helpful, he had a way of getting to the bottom of a difficult situation, and his wide experience and thoughtful and impartial outlook made his advice well worth acting upon.
He has done a good deal of social work in the town, and some yeasr ago carried on a very successful young men’s temperance club with the late Mr Matthew Ross. This was at first held in the old Hall, Hatter’s Lane, and later in the old Infant School, College Place. Mr Grahame used to spend every night of the week there and had the satisfaction of looking round the town on many sturdy townsmen who have made their positions- thanks largely to the guidance and advice which they got from him. He also ran a very successful Bible Class in connection with it.
APPRECIATION IN WALLACE GREEN CHURCH
On Sunday morning reference was made to the death of Mr George Grahame by the Rev. W. Jardine before the intercessory prayer, and after the prayer the congregation sang in sympathy the hymn “Now the labourer’s task is o’er.” Mr Jardine preached from the 112th Psalm, 6th verse- “The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.”
Mr Jardine’s appreciation of Mr Grahame was:- We are met this morning under the shadow of a great loss. Last night there passed away at the Infirmary Mr George Grahame. It is not for me, a comparative stranger, to speak of his service to this community; those are known to you all. The town is poorer today by the loss of one of its leading citizens, a man honoured and loved by all men for his kindliness of nature and charm of his personality and his public services to our many public institutions in this town with which his name is inseparably connected and in which his devoted work will long be gratefully remembered.
But it is fitting here, in this House which he loved, to speak of his work for the Church of Jesus Christ. For over thirty-one years he has been a trustee and for over twenty-one years an elder, and to these offices he brought that ability which distinguished him in every walk of life and that loving kindness which was a special trait in his character. He could rejoice with those who rejoiced, and sympathised with those in sorrow, and was a very present help in time of trouble to many a sorely distressed man. He was a grateful hearer of the “Word” and a faithful doer of the “Will.” He kept the feast with us last Sunday and heard the Resurrection message, and expressed his joy in these services. Now he realises that communion and the fulfilment of that promise of which they were the earnest. We thank God in this House today for may years of faithful service, for the strength he was to the Kingdom of God in this place and for the example of his brotherly serviceable life. Blessed are the dead who die in the lord; they do rest from their works do following them. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
We give expression tour sense of heavy loss the Church has suffered through his passing, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to the sorrowing family and friends, commending them to the consolation of God, and praying they have the strength and peace of the great Christian assurance.
FUNERAL
The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon from his residence Tweedside Villa, Tweedmouth, to Berwick Cemetery, and was most largely attended by friends from Berwick and district.