Extract from Local Newspaper. 

REV. C. HARRISON - DEATH OF THE VICAR OF SELSTON (1916)   

We regret to announce the death which took place on Friday morning of the Rev. Charles Harrison, Vicar of Selston.  The deceased clergyman who was 61 years of age, had been in failing health for some time.  He had been Vicar of Selston for 29 years, and was widely known and highly respected, the esteem in which he was held throughout the district in which he lived and laboured being most marked.  He was active, earnest, and thorough in all the work he undertook, and the open air harvest festival services, which he inaugurated – addressing the large congregation which usually assembled on the occasion from the tower of the church – became exceedingly popular.  Twelve years ago he undertook the restoration and enlargement of the parish church at a cost of £5,000.  For many years he was an exceedingly useful member of the Basford Board of Guardians. 

Mr Harrison graduated at the London College of Divinity in 1877, and was ordained deacon three years later, proceeding to priest’s order in 1881 in the diocese of London.  His first curacy was at St Jude’s, Kensal Green, where he remained from 1880 to 1882.  For the following three years he was at St Matthew’s, Brixton, and for two years prior to his appointment at Selston in 1887, he was curate at Holy Trinity, Bordesley, Birmingham.  He leaves a widow, three sons, and one daughter. 

The Funeral. The whole of Selston was in mourning on Monday, when the remains of the Rev. Charles Harrison, vicar of the parish for some 29 years, were interred in the churchyard, and the esteem in which the rev. gentleman was held, not only in the village, but in a wide district around, was seen in the large concourse of people which assembled to pay a last token of respect to one who was a true type of the faithful parish priest.  Long before the hour for the funeral ceremony the approaches to the church were thronged by the village people, and very many of them were unable to gain admittance to the building. 

Headed by the churchwardens, Messrs CF Massey and J Rawson, carrying their staves of office, the funeral procession, on leaving the vicarage, passed through lines formed by the Westwood St. Mary’s Boys’ Brigade, carrying rifles reversed.  The opening sentences were read by the Rev. V Odam (Worcester, formerly of Norton Lees, Sheffield),  the Rev JS Callister (curate-in-charge of Underwood) read the lesson, and the Rev FJ Kahn (Westwood) the prayers.  The combined choirs of Selston, Westwood and Underwood led the chanting of the Psalm “Lord, Thou hast been our refuge,” and in the church the hymn “For all the Saints” and the “Nume Dimittis” were sung.   

Could the boys above be The Boy's Brigade who lined the route of Rev. Harrison's  funeral possession ?
If you have any further information please let us know ?

The Ven. WJ Conybeare, Archdeacon of Nottingham, then delivered a brief address in which he described the late vicar as a faithful parish priest, one of a great company of men to whom England owed more than words could express.  For 29 years their vicar had served his Master in Selston, and he left behind him outward signs of his work in the restoration * of the parish church and the building of two other churches, as well as his keen interest in the children’s school.  But in the hearts and souls of his people there was a more lasting record of what he had done.  The bishop desired to have been present, but he was prevented from attending, and he desired him (the archdeacon) to represent him, and wished it to be known that the death of the one whom they mourned was a loss not only to the parish and the locality, but to the diocese as a whole. 

As the organist played the Dead March in “Saul” the body was removed to the graveside, where the hymn, “Jesu, Lover of my soul,” was sung, and the archdeacon recited the committal sentences.   

The grave of the Reverend C Harrison in Selston Churchyard.  His wife Dorcas Ann died in December 1936    

Mourners. The chief mourners were:- Mrs Harrison, Mr HC Harrison, Mr RS Harrison, Mr RC Harrison, Mr and Mrs Elliott, Mr K Brown (Wallasey),  Mr C Brown (Swannington),

Mr T Brown, Mr W Brown snr, Mr W Brown junr (Birmingham), Miss A Harrison (Walsall), Dr Verver, and Nurse Richards.  Many clergy were present, these including the Revs. TG Barber, RD (Hucknall), W Lilley (St John’s, Mansfield), FN Bestwick (Huthwaite), FW Cobb (Eastwood), WP Mahoney and FC Hughes (Somercotes), THJ Eling (Kirkby Woodhouse), F Callister (Douglas I.O.M), AB Reid (Linby), FB Wardle ( Bestwood), JH Lewis (South Normanton), J Nutbrown (Annesley), FE Christian (Riddings), HJ Stamper (Skegby), LJ Stamper (Stanton Hill), DG Smith (Ironville) and WJ Wilkinson (representing the Rev. J Butterwick of Kirkby). 

Amongst the large and representative company of the general public were Mr & Mrs GR Oakes, Mr CH Oakes, Mr LO Hubble (Earl Cowper’s estate agent), Mr JHW Laverick, Mr R Barber (Nottingham), Mr W Oldershaw (representing the Basford Rural Council), Mr GV Hutton (Nottingham), Mr J Bentley (Eastwood), Mr Rawson (Mansfield), Dr Verver, as well as members of the Selston Parish Council, the Church Council, the Selston and Desborough Cricket Club (of which the vicar was president), representatives of non-conformity, and others.  

There were many beautiful wreaths, those from the family being composed of choice roses, the inscriptions being “From his loving wife, in joyful hope of re-union” and “ In ever loving memory, from his dear children.”  Other wreaths were sent from the Vicarage Sewing Party, Mr & Mrs FE Lowe (Underwood Schools), Mr & Mrs J Bentley (New Eastwood), the Rev JS and Mrs Callister, Clarence & Ray, St Helen’s Bible Union, the Churchwardens and members of the Church Council, Mr, Mrs & Miss Laverick, the Mother’s Union, Members of the Church at Station Road, Westwood St Mary’s Church Council, Mr & Mrs Gerard Oakes, Teachers of the Sunday School, scholars of the Sunday school, Mr & Mrs J Elliott and family, Dr Verver, Mary Cook, one of the old choir boys, Arthur Gilkes, Teachers and Scholars of Underwood Schools, the Rev and Mrs FB Wardle , the Rev and Mrs FJ Kahn (Westwood) and the Rev and Mrs Jos. Kahn (London), Mr & Mrs Tomlinson, the Booth Family (Pinxton), Mr & Mrs A Shooter, Selston Desborough Cricket Club, Miss Gibbs (Leicester), Mr J Smith and family (Langton Colliery), Doris, Mr & Mrs J Dobbs and family.  Messrs W Wood, J Booth, J Leivers, F Clayton & EH Wylde represented …  (end unknown)  

Extract from “The Story of Selston Parish Church”  by the Rev. Edward Dunnicliff, M.A.

“The Church had a chequered history from commonwealth days onwards until the end of the nineteenth century.  It was neglected, and fell slowly into ruin, but the energies of the Rev. Charles Harrison saw its restoration in 1905-1906.  Mr Harrison was instrumental in securing the return of the Norman Font, which had been ejected by the Puritans, and which had served as a drinking trough as well as a sharpening block for butchers’ knives; it had been away for over two hundred and fifty years”

Recruiting at St Helen's during WWI - under the supervision of Rev Charles Harrison.

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