The funeral of the late Lady Howard of Glossop took place on April 23rd, at Hadfield. On Friday evening the remains were carried in solemn procession to St. Charles’s Church, Hadfield, where they were placed on a catafalque in front of the high altar, which, as well as the sanctuary, was draped with black. The coffin was covered with a velvet pall edged with a fringe of gold, and bearing down the centre a large Latin cross, in cloth of gold, while on a velvet cushion was placed the coronet of the deceased. The bier was surrounded with beautiful wreaths and crosses. Upon the lid of the coffin were a raised brass crucifix and the following inscription : “Clara Louisa Howard of Glossop. Born 13th November, 1852; died 17th April, 1887. R.I.P.” Vespers for the dead were chanted by choristers from St. Mary’s, Sheffield, under the direction of the Rev. Canon Walshaw. At nine o’clock on Saturday morning a solemn dirge was sung, followed by solemn Mass of Requiem. The celebrant was the Rev. Bernard Vaughan, S.J., of the Church of the Holy Name, Manchester, assisted by the Rev. J. Rowe, of the Oratory, Brompton, London, as deacon, and the Rev. J. Norris, of the Oratory, Edgbaston, Birmingham, as sub-deacon ; the Right Rev. Dr. Bagshawe, Bishop of Nottingham, assisted pontifically, attended by the Very Revv. Canon Tasker and Canon Scully (Glossop). The Right Rev. Dr. Macdonald, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, occupied a faldstool in the sanctuary. Many priests, relatives, and friends were present, including Lord Howard of Glossop, Winefride, Lady Howard ; Mrs. Greenwood (mother of the deceased) and her sons, Captain Greenwood, Mr. Hubert Greenwood, and Mr. Wilfrid Greenwood ; Ladies Mary, Philippa, and Margaret Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord and Lady Edmund Talbot, the Countess Loudon the Marquis and Marchioness of Bute, Lord and Lady Herries, Lord and Lady Ralph Kerr, and the Rev. H. S. Kerr, S.J. The Gregorian music, unaccompanied, was well rendered by the choristers of St. Mary’s, Sheffield. The Absolutions were given by the Bishop of Nottingham. The remains were then carried to the Lady Chapel, where they were solemnly interred. During the procession to the grave the choir sang the  In Paradisum  and chanted the Benedictus. The coffin having been placed in position, the procession withdrew, the Bishop of Nottingham reciting the De Profundis.

On the following day (Sunday), Father Bernard Vaughan, S.J., preached the funeral sermon in the presence of the Howard family, the Duke of Norfolk, and a large congregation. He contrasted the different views of death taken by the children of God and the votaries of the world ; he referred in moving terms to the two illustrious ladies whom Catholics were now mourning, dwelling especially on the love of her family and of the poor ever shown by the late Lady Howard of Glossop.

The above text was found on p.25, 30th April 1887 in “The Tablet: The International Catholic News Weekly.” Reproduced with kind permission of the Publisher” The Tablet can be found at http://www.thetablet.co.uk .