[Footnote 44:  cf. Notes and Queries, Tenth Series, ii., 10 September, 1904, p. 215.]

In Shenley churchyard the following remarkable epitaph appears to the memory of Joseph Rogers, who was a bricklayer as well as parish clerk: 

     Silent in dust lies mouldering here
     A Parish Clerk of voice most clear. 
     None Joseph Rogers could excel
     In laying bricks or singing well;
     Though snapp’d his line, laid by his rod,
     We build for him our hopes in God.

A remarkable instance of longevity is recorded on a tombstone in Cromer churchyard.  The inscription runs: 

     Sacred to the memory of David Vial who departed this life the
     26th of March, 1873, aged 94 years, for sixty years clerk of
     this parish.

At the village church of Whittington, near Oswestry, there is a well-known epitaph, which is worth recording: 

     March 13th 1766 died Thomas Evans, Parish Clerk, aged 72.

     Old Sternhold’s lines or “Vicar of Bray”
     Which he tuned best ’twas hard to say.

Another remarkable instance of longevity is that recorded on a tombstone in the cemetery of Eye, Suffolk, erected to the memory of a faithful clerk: 

Erected to the memory of George Herbert who was clerk of this parish for more than 71 years and who died on the 17th May 1873 aged 81 years.

This monument Is erected to his memory by his grateful Friend the Rev. W. Page Roberts Vicar of Eye.

Herbert must have commenced his duties very early in life; according to the inscription, at the age of ten years.

At Scothorne, in Lincolnshire, there is a sexton-ringer-clerk epitaph on John Blackburn’s tombstone, dated 1739-40.  It reads thus: 

     Alas poor John
     Is dead and gone
     Who often toll’d the Bell
     And with a spade
     Dug many a grave
     And said Amen as well.

The Roes were a great family of clerks at Bakewell, and the two members who occupied that office at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century seem to have been endowed with good voices, and with a devoted attachment to the church and its monuments.  Samuel Roe had the honour of being mentioned in the Gentleman’s Magazine, and receives well-deserved praise for his care of the fabric of Bakewell Church, and his epitaph is given, which runs as follows: 

To The memory of SAMUEL ROE Clerk of the Parish Church of Bakewell, which office he filled thirty-five years with credit to himself and satisfaction to the inhabitants.  His natural powers of voice, in clearness, strength, and sweetness were altogether unequalled.  He died October 31st, 1792 Aged 70 years

The correspondent of the Gentleman’s Magazine wrote thus of this faithful clerk: 

     “Mr. Urban,