Update of the PAST NEWS........26th January 1884

Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS...........

*Henry Basil Boag and Mary Redfern –

Henry Basil Boag was born in 1853 at Crich in Derbyshire.  He was the son of Robert and Jane Boag.  Robert was a lime burner and was born in Northumberland. 

At the young age of 27 years old Henry was employed as a manager at the lumber works.  A few years after in 1884 Henry married Mary Redfern at Matlock Parish Church.

Both Henry and his father Robert were successful and prominent members of the village of Crich.  They were both overseers of the poor and involved in the everyday running of the village.  Henry presided over the opening ceremony of the Crich Reading Rooms which were built in the Market Place at Crich in 1889.  Henry was recorded as saying that he “hoped the institute would be a resort for the working men and the youths where they could spend their leisure time in reading or playing games”.

Henry was one of the founding members of the Matlock Bath (Arkwright) Lodge of Freemasons.  In October of 1893 Henry was appointed the Worshipful Master of the Arkwright Lodge after Bro. T Cooper-Drabble retired.  In 1894 Henry was elected as a local councillor standing for the Independent Party. 

Henry was also a keen sports man and was especially fond of the game of cricket.  He was captain of the local cricket team, which was known as “Mr H B Boag’s Eleven”. 

Henry and Mary did not have any children.  They lived at Bank House in Crich, which was Mary’s family home.  Mary was the daughter of James Redfern a farmer, he died on 10^th August 1882 and left an estate to the value of £6496 8s 10d. 

Henry’s mother Jane died on 15^th July 1887 aged 63 years old.  On 20^th July 1904, aged 87 years old her husband Robert died also.  They are buried together in Crich Parish Church graveyard.  Robert's obituary in the Sheffield Independent tells that he was the manager of the Clay Cross Company at Ambergate and that he was “very widely known and highly respected”.  In his will Robert left his estate of £1797 15s 1d to two of his sons; Henry Basil Boag and Willie Willis Boag a draper.

Mary wife of Henry died aged 79 years old on 22^nd March 1924 she is also buried in the graveyard at Crich Parish Church.  Three years on Henry Basil Boag also passed away on 18^th May 1930.  He was 76 years old.  In his will he left his estate to his younger brother Willie Willis Boag.  He left the grand sum of £9383 0s 3d.

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