Redruth Wesley Young Men’s Bible Class Orchestra, winners of the 1911 Cornwall Music Competition for Orchestras from Large Towns (Photo: courtesy Garry Tregidga)

Redruth Wesley Young Men’s Bible Class Orchestra, winners of the 1911 Cornwall Music Competition for Orchestras from Large Towns (Photo: courtesy Malcolm Mc Carthy)

Redruth Wesley Orchestra 1938 (Photo: courtesy Malcolm Mc Carthy)

 

Sudden Passing of Mr Harry Rich

Heavy Loss to Redruth

Widespread regret was expressed in Redruth when it became known that Mr Harry Rich, of Lenfred House and also of Pill Wood, Feock, one of the town’s best-known residents, had died suddenly in London, on Thursday.
Mr Rich, who would have been 83 on Friday, had continued very active, with his mental faculties unimpaired. He was on one of his frequent business visits to London, where he had spent three days attending various mining company meetings After lunch on Thursday he was travelling in a taxi with Mr D D Belcham, (Redruth general manager of South Crofty Ltd.) to Paddington Station to return home, when he expired suddenly while in course of conversation.

A native of Redruth, Mr. Rich was one of the five sons of Capt. and Mrs. William Rich, of Pednandrea House. While he had retired several years ago from the business with which he had a lifelong association, Mr Rich continued to lead an extremely active commercial and public life, and few men of his generation had made a greater contribution to the welfare of Redruth and district.

In the passing of Mr Rich, Redruth Wesley Church has lost its most prominent member and senior trustee. For long he had been senior chapel steward. Mr Rich’s greatest interest lay in the welfare of young people, and this led him in 1903 to form in connection with the Sunday school, Wesley Young Men’s Bible Class which developed into one of the largest bodies of its kind in the West of England and of which he was up to his passing the senior leader.

During this long period Mr Rich had rendered unstinted service not only as leader of the class, but in the general interests of the members he had consistently endeavoured to assist
young men to the utmost of his ability and many former members of the class to-day holding responsible positions in various parts of the world, have much to thank Mr. Rich for.

Mr. Rich maintained a correspondence with them and some of his most cherished possessions were letters from his “old boys.” who greatly revered their former class leader.

For more than 40 years Mr. Rich, who for long was hon. Treasurer of Wesley Sunday-school, had arranged. at his own expense in connection with the Sunday school anniversary, a large orchestra to lead the singing, and this had made the event unique in Methodism and always an outstanding attraction with crowded congregations

He had arranged details for this year Sunday event in July, and throughout the long period of its existence he had played a clarinet in the orchestra.

Mr. Rich had a great love for, and an intimate knowledge of music and at his passing he retained the presidency of Redruth Choral Society

(West Briton / David Wilson, May 22nd 1952)