MRS. LEILA JOYNSON-WREFORD

SESKINORE AGAIN IN

MOURNING.

The gloom which descended on the district of Seskinore a little more than three months ago by the lamented death of Colonel John Knox M’Clintock, C.B.E., DL., was intensified in a marked degree on Saturday last by the announcement of the death, after four days’ illness, of Mrs. Leila Joynson-Wreford. Only daughter of Mrs. M’Clintock and the late Colonel M’Clintock.

Mrs. Joynson-Wreford was in the prime of life, and her sudden and tragic demise is rendered all the more poignant and melancholy by the fact that she and her husband. Captain Tony Joynson-Wreford. formerly of the Royal Artillery, and a native of Surrey, had just arrived at. Seskinore three weeks earlier and were busily engaged putting their charming residence in order. They were looking forward to a very happy future in Seskinore with their little baby daughter. aged 17 months, and it is understood. contemplated maintaining the ancestral home of the M’Clintock family in all the dignity, charm, and attractiveness associated with same in the past.

Mrs. Joynson-Wreford had not resided at Seskinore since her girlhood days. but there were many residents of the village and district who loved her in early life and speak of her bright and winsome and happy disposition. Many of such were pleasantly anticipating a renewal of her acquaintanceship, and to them her death after such a very brief illness, came as a profound shock.

The people of Omagh. Fintona. and. Seskinore deeply mourn her death and sympathise with her husband, mother, baby daughter. and all other relatives in the very severe bereavement they have suffered.

The deceased had been wintering in Switzerland when her father passed away and was unable to be present at the funeral, but was represented. She was in excellent health until Tuesday, 26th, when she became seriously ill. The services of Dr. Bradley. Fintona were requisitioned. And he had her conveyed to Tyrone County Hospital, where she passed away, the fatal malady being meningitis.

PRACTICAL SYMPATHY

The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon. When all the people of the district as well a many from Fintona and Omagh showed their sympathy in the only practical way open to them, by marching in the sad procession from the house to the beautiful little church on the outskirts of the estate and thence to the grave. A striking feature of the funeral was the very large attendance of women-folk, who lined the avenues along which the sad procession passed.

The remains were enclosed in a solid oak coffin, hermetically sealed, and bore the following simple inscription, ‘‘Leila Joynson-Wreford 30th January, 1937.”

Amongst the most prominent people at the funeral were—Mr. W.E Orr. Clerk of the Crown and Peace: Mr. R.H M’Coy, Under-Sheriff; Major H. T. Stack.O.B.E. Captain R. A. Chambers, J.P., Dr. James Chambers. Dr. F.Bradley. Mr George Sproule. Mr R.F. Forbes. Armagh; Rev. W. B. Naylor, MA.. Fintona: Rev. W.J. and Mrs. M’Askie, Seskinore; Major and Mrs. Carleton. Raveagh : Mr. R. Bratton. Mr. J .J. K Johnston. Mr. Thomas Dick, J.P., Mr. W. Dick. Mr. W.J. M’Clelland, J.P., chairman of Omagh Rural Council: Mr. Thomas Johnston. J.P. chairman of Omagh Urban Council : Mr. John Dickie. solicitor: Mr. M. Johnston, Fintona; etc.. etc.

The coffin was conveyed to the church and grave on the simple one-horse lorry used at all funerals of the M’Clintock family for generations, while employees of the estate acted as pall-bearers and carried the coffin from the house, and also at the church, and the graveside.

Mr. W. F Wood, organist of St. Columba’s Church, Omagh, presided at the organ, and several lady members of St. Columba’s choir assisted the local church choir in the musical portion of the solemn funeral service. The hymns were “Abide With Me,” which was sung as the funeral procession was passing into the church; “Peace, Perfect Peace,” which was sung with the congregation kneeling, the 23rd Psalm, and the Nune Dimittis.

A TOUCHING TRIBUTE.

Rev. R. Dougherty, B.A.., rector of Clougherney and Seskinore, conducted the service, and in the course of a short but touching address, said:—Once more, in what seems more tragic circumstances, we are assembled to pay a last tribute to the memory of a member of the family of Seskinore House. A little more than three months ago we laid to rest the remains of our beloved friend, the late Colonel J. K. M’Clintock. To-day we perform the same sad service for his only daughter, and the dearly loved wife of Captain Joynson-Wreford. Some of us remember her for only a very short time, but there are many here, and in this part, of the country, who knew her in the earlier part of her life. From them we have the pleasing testimony that she possessed one of those gifts of heaven, which it, seems, God bestows only upon the few: a happy and unselfish disposition. We, in this part of the country, who are more familiar with the history of the kindness of this house of Seskinore, and who, in many ways, had learnt to rely upon that kindness, had looked for it to be fully maintained, in the affectionate and maturer deeds of this life which God has so unexpectedly removed. And we are satisfied that no disappointment should have been ours.

The legacy of the traditions of the family, and of her unfulfilled life, she leaves to an affectionate and distracted husband. In him we place a sympathetic undiminished confidence. Together with him and her mother we all mourn, and to God we commend them and the child.

From here we go to the grave, peculiarly fitting as her last resting place. For, as a little girl, she made a garden on this site. With her own little hands she planted flowers here, and with childish interest and delight, looked after them. That spot, made sacred by her associations with it when she was a child is now to be sanctified by her abiding presence. Here we shall leave her in hope and peace.

AN APPROPRIATE RESTING PLACE.

The grave is situated in a delightful part of the demesne, not more than 150 yards from the front entrance of Seskinore House, and overlooking the lawns and residence. In this charming spot she loved to wander in her schooldays, and there was probably no other place on earth which could have been more appropriately selected far her last resting place. The grave was beautifully lined with moss, with 300 bunches of violet and a little number of bunches of snowdrops.

Rev. R. Dougherty also conducted the funeral service at the graveside. and said the committal prayers.Hundreds of people afterwards paid a visit to the open grave which was later filled in and covered with upwards of fifty beautiful wreaths.

The following were the chief mourners:—Capt. Tony Joynson-Wreford (husband); Mrs. M’Clintock (mother), Mrs. Stoney (aunt); Mrs. Sugden; Mrs. J Wilder, Mrs. Hugh Stewart. Mrs. Ray, Mr. Raymond Browne-Lecky (cousins); Major C. A. M. Alexander, M.C., Mr.A. M. Alexander. high Sheriff (relatives); Mr. T. F. Maddocks, solicitor, London; Mr. and Mrs. Nichols, London; Mr. J. Hutchinson Strachan, Edinburgh; and Mrs. Stranach, Newmarket, close personal friends.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. W. T. Quigley, J.P., funeral undertaker, Omagh. [sic]

(Tyrone constitution 5th February 1937)

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