Emma White (buried 1917)

Emma White Worthing Gazette 4 Jul 1917 “Death of the Mayoress” Loss to the Town Valuable Record of Useful Public Services The news that was published last week seemed to offer little hope of the ultimate restoration to health of the Mayoress (Mrs James White), so that the townspeople were not surprised when they learned on Saturday night that she had passed away that afternoon. Nevertheless, the intelligence was received with widespread regret for it has been universally recognised that Mrs White has performed most useful service to the community and the remembrance of her many public activities will endure. For twelve days she had remained in a state of unconsciousness at her residence Bank House, Rowlands Road and about a week prior to her death, her condition was regarded as so serious that the members of her family were summoned to her bedside. It was realised on Friday evening that the patient was slowly sinking, and the end came, as we have stated above, in the course of the following afternoon. Mrs White was seventy-one years of age and among the members of her family is Mrs Olliver, the widow of an officer who lost his life in the course of the War. To the Mayor and his sons and daughters, the greatest sympathy will be extended in their great bereavement. It was in November last, that the Mayor and Mayoress celebrated their Golden Wedding and as the event was unique in the history of the Borough, it would doubtless have been recognised by a presentation of a commemorative gift from the Corporation, but for the serious times through which we are passing. To Mrs White, the distinction belonged of having occupied the office of Mayoress of the Borough on five occasions, representing two separate periods of office. Alderman White was first prevailed upon to accept the Mayoralty in November 1904, and was re-elected in the following year. In 1914, the honour of election to the chief Civic office was again bestowed upon him, and it was in November last that he entered upon his third successive year as Chief magistrate, making five years in all. Throughout that period, he has had the energetic aid of Mrs White who has ever been most enthusiastic in the discharge of the many duties that devolve upon the occupant of such an office. The manifold claims imposed by the War have made the work extremely arduous and the deputy Mayor (Alderman Denton) in the course of his sympathetic speech last week, duly reported in the Gazette, declared his belief that devotion to duty on behalf of the Borough and also the nation had something to do with the somewhat serious condition in which she was at the moment lying. There would seem to be no question that Mrs White had over-taxed her strength in the many tasks she had undertaken. She was at the head of many movements of a charitable nature, by which large sums of money had been raised for various purposes; and although she had the willing assistance of many active workers, the responsibility of direction could not but impose a severe strain on her. Withal she was ever cheerful, kindly and courteous with a ready response to any appeals the representatives of the Press might make to her to assist them in the performance of their task; and whilst the Mayoress suffered in health by the unremitting work which her responsible position entailed, she had the gratifying consciousness that her labours were crowned with success.