Northampton Mercury 16 May 1930

Hanslope parishioners on Monday received the news of the death at Cheltenham of the Rev. W. Harkness. who was Vicar of Hanslope with Castlethorpe for 37 years till last October, and the same day the new Vicar, the Rev. J. Taylor, was inducted the living.

LATE HANSLOPE VICAR’S DEATH.

His Successor Inducted.

News reached Hanslope on Monday of the death the Rev, Wm. Jardine Harkness, who was vicar of Hanslope with Castlethorpe for 37 years, and on the same day the new vicar, the Rev. James Percy Taylor, M.A,, was inducted to the living.
Mr. Harkness, who was much respected by  the parishioners, retired last October and went with Mrs. Harkness to live at Cheltenham, where he died on Sunday. He was 76  years of age. In tribute to his memory, a half-muffled peals were rung on the bells of Hanslope Church before and after the induction the new vicar Monday evening.
The induction the Rev. J. P. Taylor was performed by the Bishop of Buckingham (Rt. Rev. P. H Eliot), the Rural Doan (Canon W. L. Harnett, of Wolverton St George) conducting the service and presenting the new incumbent. The large congregation included parishioners of Cuddington (Mid Bucks), where Mr. Taylor ministered for the past nine years.
The Rev. R. F. Bale. R.D, (Buckingha) acted Bishop’s chaplain, and there were also present, robed, the Rev. E. J. Fenn (Castlethorpe), Rev R. Gee (Olney), and Rev. C. L. Wanstall (Stoke Goldington).

REV. W. J. HARKNESS.
Funeral of Hanslope’s Former Vicar.
A CROWDED CHURCH.

The Rev. William Jardine Harkness, M.A., who died on Sunday week at Cheltenham, where he was living in retirement, was buried on Saturday afternoon in the shadow of Hanslope Parish Church, where, he had ministered so faithfully for 37 years. The church was crowded.
The coffin was conveyed by motor hearse from Gloucestershire earlier in the day, and upon its arrival at the churchyard gate was met by the choir and robed clergy, who were; The Rev. Canon W. L. Harnett, M.A., Rural Dean (Wolverton. St. George), Rev. D. J. Thomas, O.B.E. J.P, (Wolverton Holy Trinity), Rev. E. J. Payne (Wolverton St. Mary), Rev. B. Barford (Wolverton St. George), Rev. Conway Davies (Bradwell St. Lawrence), Rev. W. C. Penn (Loughton), Rev. J. P. Taylor (vicar of Hanslope), Rev. E. J. Fenn (curate of Hanslope and Castlethorpe), Rev. J. L. Martin (Astwood), Rev. G. R. Tidmarsh (Calverton), Rev. C. C. Dawson-Smith (Nash), Rev. Fawkes (Leicester), Rev. Stock (Yorks), and the Rev. Davis (Ticknall, Derbyshire).
The service opened with the singing of Psalm 26. followed  by Psalm 90, and then the Rural Dean read the lesson from I. Cor. xv., 20. The hymn, “Let Saints on Earth in Concert Sing,” was followed by prayers offered by the Rev. Fawkes. A short address was given by the Rev. Stock, who had been a personal friend of the late vicar for 44 years. The Nunc Dimittis and the hymn, “Now the Labourer's Task is o’er,” were sung, and Mr. H. I. Middleton, the organist, played the Dead March in Saul. At the graveside in the churchyard prayers were read by the Rev. F. Davis, and the committal rites were performed by the Rev. E. J. Fenn. Before the closing benediction was pronounced by the Rev. J. P. Taylor, the hymn, “Praise, my Soul, the King of Heaven,” was sung.
The family mourners were: Mrs. Hartness (widow), Mr. John Harkness, Cheltenham (brother). Dr. T. Harkness, Derby (brother), Mrs. William Harkness (sister-in-law), Miss Beck and Miss Thomas, Cheltenham (friends), and Mrs. Stock.
Before the mourners left the graveside they dropped hunches of lilies of the valley on to the coffin. A muffled peal was rung upon the church bells.
The were officers of the Parish Churches of Hanslope and Castlethorpe; Messrs. E. Branson, L. Smith, E. T. Dickens, R. Holt, H, Cook, G. R. Hillyer, E. Geary, and J. Rawlinson.
Among those present were; The Rev. J. Varney (Canning Town), Mr. J. Frost, Dr. F. B. Hinde, Mr. C. H. Battle (who represented the. Northamptonshire Hospital Week Committee), Mr. Mark Poore (Hanslope Lodge), Major Anderson (Castlethorpe). Sir. James Ruff, J.P., C.C., Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Greenwood (Stony Stratford), Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Whiting (Cosgrove), Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Whiting, and Mr. B. S. Whiting (Castlethorpe), Mr. A.  Sawbridge, Miss Sawbridge, Mr. W. J. Nichols (Wolverton), and others.
There was a magnificent collection of floral tributes from Hanslope congregation and personal friends. The seating arrangements, in the church were carried out by Messrs. S. Whitbread and H. T. Geary (churchwardens). R. W. Dickens. A. Smith, S. W. Platten, W. Beesley, and F. Mills (sidesmen). A memorial service was held in the Parish Church on Sunday evening, conducted the Rev. E. J. Fenn.