The Tumut and Adelong Times 10 May 1932
OBITUARY MARGARET JANE CLAYTON By the death of Miss Margaret Jane Clayton, aged 83 years, on Monday of last week. Campbelltown lost a beautiful woman loved by all who knew her, a woman whose life was spent seeking out relatives and other people in need, so that she might administer to their needs, a woman whose great point was that she gave and assisted voluntarily and silently, a woman who was constantly sending gifts of money so that a ray of sunshine should enter the hearts of those in despair and in want. Margaret Jane Clayton, a woman unfailingly good and full of christian teaching. Born at Gunning, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Clayton, and her mother was a daughter of the late Commissary General Broughton, one-time Governor of Tasmania, and who came out to Australia with the first fleet, and who later at the request of Governor Macquarie took up land at Appin under a grant, the land being the farms so well known of to-day—;Lachlan Vale' and 'Macquarie Dale.' The late Miss Clayton's father, Dr. Benjamin Clayton, was practicing his profession at Guning when the subject of this obituary was born ; Dr. Clayton was educated at the Dublin University, and after leaving Gunning purchased a farm at Appin, in close vicinity to those of Commissary-General Broughton's, the farm being called 'Rockwood.' Dr Benjamin Clayton died at Windsor when the late Miss Clayton was a child, and after her father's death she and other members of the family went to live permanently at 'Rockwood', Appin. Prior to going to Campbelltown to reside with her sister, Miss Ultima Clayton, those two ladies travelled for two years throughout the world, and upwards of ten years since their return they engaged a suite of rooms at the Club Hotel, Campbelltown, there to write and seek out people and charitable institutions in need, so that cheer and goodness might be handed out. Never an institution, association, or society in Campbelltown has existed but what the name of the deceased lady has been engraved in the list of contributions, and as far as monetary assistance to friends and relatives goes, only those who so benefited by her open purse knows what she has done—her help was unsparingly, and unfailingly and silently given. The late Miss Clayton was a wonderful reader, and never a book of worth-while character ever entered the Campbelltown School of Arts that was not read by that lady. It was only the previous week that the late Miss Clayton complained of any ill-health overtaking her, and on Saturday week last she was taken to "Milby" private hospital, and on the following day underwent an operation. The nature of her illness and her wonderful age were such that her physical strength failed, and she peacefully passed away early the following afternoon. The burial of her frail body took place on Tuesday after, when the funeral (from the Club Hotel) was largely attended, every institution and church in the town and district being represented. Before proceeding to the grave a short service was held in the Parish Church, St. Peter's, at which Rev. E. J. Merchant officiated. Her body was laid to rest under a ever-green tree in St. Peter's cemetery. Following the service at the graveside by Rev. Merchant, the Heralds of the King (of which the late Miss Clayton was an active member), delivered the Heralds' prayer. The wreaths which were later placed over the sacred mound were numerous and most beautiful, among which were noticed :— From Mr. Bland Clayton, and Mr. and Mrs H. Webb (Minto) ; Miss N. Clayton (Minto) ; Mr and Mrs W. B. Clayton (Epping) ; Mrs J. C. Ratliff (Tumut) ; Misses Rene and Coral Clayton (Harden) ; Mrs Hays (Bathurst) ; Mrs McKenzie and Miss Jean McKenzie and Mr Colin McKenzie (Nowra) ; Mrs Woodall and daughters (Sybil, Maude and Winnie) (Greenwich) ; Miss Hume (Appin) ; Mrs Natham (Manly) ; Mr and Mrs E. A. Carruthers and Jean (Camden) ; Mrs and Mrs D. Pap0 worth (Appin) ; Mrs R. Darlow and Miss Jessie Clayton Mr. and Mrs Frank Chapman (Beecroft) ; Mr and Mrs Arthur Benson ; Mr and Mrs J. Vernon and family (Ingleburn) ; Mr and Mrs H. Wentworth Brown ; Mr and Mrs A. Munnery and family ; Mr and Mrs A. A. Walker ; Mr and Mrs R. A. Sidman ; Mr and Mrs W. J. Harris and family (Minto) ; Misses A. and C. Tibbits (Beecroft) ; Mr. and Mrs J. Hartigan (Minto) ; the staff of the Campbelltown telephone exchange ; Mrs Hunter and Miss Hunter ; Heralds of the King ; 1st Campbelltown Group Boy Scouts ; Campbelltown Agricultural Society ; Campbelltown Golf Club ; the Associates of the Campbelltown Golf Club ; Mrs Murray and son ; Miss D. Kitching. The surviving members of the Clayton family who mourn the loss of their beloved sister are Mr. Kennedy Clayton, of Yass, and who is now 86 years of age ; Mr. Bland Clayton, of Minto 84 years ; and Miss Ultima Clayton, Campbelltown, who will be 80 years of age in August. |