RECTOR OF TARLETON FOR 37 YEARS
Funeral of the Rev. L. N. Forse

Rector of Tarleton for 37 years, the death occurred in the early hours of Friday morning of the Rev. Leslie Napier Forse. Mr. Forse had been confined to his room for the past eight weeks and was taken ill when about to officiate at the morning service at the Parish Church at Tarleton on the occasion of the harvest festival. He remained in the vestry, his place being taken by a visiting clergyman. In spite of this, Mr. Forse mustered up enough energy to preach that afternoon at a harvest service at Mawdsley Parish Church, and take the service at a Southport church in the evening.
Mr. Forse, who was about 80 years of age, had a distinguished academic career, both in London and Cambridge Universities, and he graduated from Corpus Christi College, a foundation he always held in the highest regard and paid a visit every year. As a scholar he was entitled to certain privileges. These he claimed and he stayed in his old rooms for a few days.
Mr. Forse was ordained at Manchester Cathedral and server curacies at Blackpool, Fleetwood, London, St-Annes-on-Sea and at Liverpool, and during the first world war was a padre, being taken a prisoner and removed to Germany. He did not waste his time there, for he managed to study at Heidelberg University and gained a diploma. It was from St. Agnes Church, Liverpool, that he was preferred to the living of Tarleton, and during his stay has not only beautified the church to a remarkable degree, but has added dignity to the church services.
The living of Tarleton when he was appointed was in the gift of the trustees, but since then it has been transferred to St. Peter’s College, Oxford.
The son of a schoolmaster, Mr. Forse was born at Englefield Green, near Windsor, and attended St. Edwards School, Winchester. He had a brother who was a Canon of Southwark Cathedral, and leaves a sister, a few years his elder, who still lives in the family house in Surrey. His nephew, who is the rector of Rowlands Castle, near Portsmouth, on hearing of the Rector’s illness, came over and officiated for the first Sunday. Since then he has kept in touch with Tarleton Rectory. Every care has been shown to the late rector by his medical and nursing staff, and many of the parishioners have by their kindly acts shown a genuine concern for his welfare. Tarleton, indeed, has lost a faithful pastor, who single-handed kept alive three churches in the district. As a preacher, Mr. Forse had few equals in his day and was in great demand at other churches in the neighbourhood. Mr. Forse was unmarried.
The present rectory has fallen into a state of disrepair, but a fund has been started to build a new one in the grounds.

Visited by bishop
Mr. Forse was a former member of West Lancs. Rural Council, the old Board of Guardians, and a vice-chairman of Tarleton Parish council.
In the last War, Mr. Forse took great interest in the welfare of serving men and sent out weekly news-letter to about 300. In all 78,000 copies were dispatched.
He joined the Mayor of Preston’s “get you home” scheme for Service men who were arriving in the North on leave. When Mr. Force’s old car, used in the scheme came to the end of its useful life in 1953, his parishioners gave him another.
During the illness of Mr. Forse he was visited by the Bishop of Blackburn, and the services have been maintained by a retired clergyman of Southport, the Rev. W. Chipping who will continue to officiate until the appointment of a new rector.

A Parish Tribute
The funeral service on Tuesday morning was well attended and was a parish tribute to one who had served Tarleton for so many years. Their late rector had chosen his grave in St. Mary’s Old Church cemetery and had prepared his tombstone - leaving only the date to be added.
The coffin was taken to church on Monday evening, and prior to the solemn Requiem there had been two celebrationsa of Holy Communion. At the request of Mr. Forse the Rev. Arthur N. Longworth, of the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield (Yorks.) celebrated the Requiem, and also officiated at the committal.

Never sought advancement
He was assisted by the Rev. E.J. Forse (rector’s nephew) and Cannon A. Hodgson (Rural Dean of Leyland and vicar of Adlington). The Bishop of Burnley (Rev.G.E. Holderness) took part in the Communion service.
Mr.E. Ashcroft at the organ played the hymns “How sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” and “Praise to the Holiest in the Height,” also the 23rd psalm.
Canon Hodgson said that Mr. Forse never sought advancement, putting service to his people above the many honours he was offered during his lifetime. Cannon Hodgson added that Mr. Forse was the sower, the shepherd hearing the sheep and a steward of God.
Clergy from all parts of Lancashire were present, and walked in procession to the cemetery, along with the choir and schoolchildren, and teachers, were also present.
The servers at the Requiem included Mr. A. Parkinson.

Family mourners were: Mrs.V. Hardcastle (sister). Miss Audrey Forse (sister), who won the Military Medal in the first World War. Mr. C. Forse, Rev. E.J. Forse, Mr.I. Forse (nephews). Mrs. Forse and his nieces the Misses V.and A. Hardcastle.

Others present were: Mr. and Mrs. S. Rutter. Miss G.A. Wiggins. Mrs.A. Webster. Mrs.A. Dawson. Mrs.V. Marsden. Mrs.J. Fowler. Mrs.M. Fowler. Mrs.R. Ashcroft. Rev.W. Chipping. Mrs.W. Wilcock. Mrs.A. Hodge. Mr.R. Farrington. Mr.P. Rimmer. Mr.J. Webster. Mr. and Mrs.H. Suthers. Mr. and Mrs.K. Howard. Mrs.M. Rutter. Mrs. Salthouse. Mrs.A.R. O’Hara. Mrs.M. Blackstone. Mrs.J. Stazicker. Mrs. Fazackerly. Mr. and Mrs.R. Wignall. Mr.G. Sutton. Miss.H. Williams (Oldham). Mrs.N. Ashcroft. Mr.I. Rimmer. Mrs.J. Forshaw. Mrs.M.E. Whittle. Mrs.E. Cookson. Mr.and Mrs.H. Webster. Mrs.E. Ashcroft. Mrs.J. Newhouse. Mrs.R. Rowland. Mrs.H. Rowland. Mrs.R.A. Burns. Miss.P. Burns. Mrs.A. Wareing. Miss.N. Wareing. Mrs.H .Cross. Mrs.M. Sutton. Mrs.J. Sutton. Mrs.A. Shepherd. Mrs.S. Barron. Mr. and Mrs.H. Andrews. Mrs.R. Rogers. Mrs.G.E. Stephens. Mr.S.H. Davenport. Mr.and Mrs.D. Southworth. Miss.L. Mawdsley. Miss.C. Coulton. Mr.O .Smith. Mr.H.S uthers. Mrs.R. Melling. Mrs.T. Barron. Mrs.H. Rawcliffe. M. Harrison. Miss.S. Parkinson. Mrs.A .Barron. Mrs.M. Marsh. Mrs.T. Hague. Mrs Ashcroft. Mrs.A. Melling. Mrs.M. Wright. Miss.M. Wright. Mr.F. McNulty (representing Catholics). Mrs.E. Wright. Miss. Wright. Mrs.M. Golifer. Mr.D. Golifer. Mr.W. Ball. Mr. and Mrs.D. Stazicker. Mrs. Williams. Mrs. Halsted. Mrs. Ascroft. Mrs.R .Cottom (Croston). Mrs.M. Farrington. Mrs.J. Coulton. Miss.B. Farrington. Mrs.F. Ariery. Mrs.A. Main. Mrs.E. Ball. Mrs.W. Wallbank. Mrs.R. Baxter. Mrs.H. Gillyard. Mr.D. Gillyard. Mrs.J. Taylor. Mrs.R .Parkinson. Mrs.J. Parkinson. Mrs.M. Foster. Mr.R.K. Ball. Mr.B. Ball. Mrs. Howard. Mrs. Sewell. Mrs.A .Rawsthorne. Mrs.R. Baybutt. Mr.C. Hambilton. Mr.S. Barron. Representatives of the Mere Brow Church of England School. Miss.P. Walsh. Miss.K. Robinson. Miss.G. Walsh. Mr. and Mrs. Vickers. Mr.J. Taylor (chairman of Tarleton Parish Council and fellow councillors. Coun. J. Hunter (representing West Lancashire Council). District Nurse. Mr.H.Silcock (Showman’s Guild). Mrs. Ball. snr. Mrs. Ball. jnr. Mrs.E. Robinson. Mr.J.R. Billington (a former schoolmaster at Mere Brow), and Mrs. Billington. Mrs.J. Stazicker. Mrs.H. Cookson. Miss.E. Harrison. Mrs.C. Ball. Mrs.M. Latham. Mr. and Mrs. Heathcote (St.Annes). Mr.T.C. Newhouse. Mrs. Baker. Holy Trinity Sunday School Teachers. Mr. Mayor. Mr.W. Mayor. Mr.D. Barron. Mr.D. Channing. Mrs.T. Dyson. B. Price. Mrs.S. Moss. Miss.E. Johnson. Miss.W .Johnson. Mr.K. Bridge. Mr.J.S. Cross (Preston). Mrs.E. Ward. Mrs.N. Sutton. Mrs.A. Prescott. Mr.R.E .Griffith (representing the staff and scholars of Tarleton County School). Mr.H. Bruce. Major H. Lonsdale, M.C. of the 1st and 4th Loyals (Broughton). Jane Forshaw. Mrs.T. Ashcroft. Rev.B.J. Wright (Methodist Minister of Croston). Mrs.A. Newhouse. Miss.Bolton. Mr.J. Robinson. Mr.C. Sutton. Mr.I. Evans. Mr.F. Newhouse. Mr.W.E. Hind. Mrs. Hull. Mrs.J. Howard. Mr.W. Parkinson. Mr.F. Freeman (manager of the District Bank, Hesketh Bank). Mr. W. Sutton. Miss.J.A. Barron. Mr.G. Barron. Dr.M.F. Hendron.

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