The old churchyard of Clewer has witnessed many strange and touching scenes during the long roll of centuries that is has borne the designation of "God's Acre", still, perhaps never one so unusual or pathetic as that which occurred on Wednesday, when the ocean-laved remains of a Clewer laddie, rescued from the surging billows of the Atlantic, were laid to rest in that quiet and peaceful burial ground. Owen George Allum was 17 years old and was a Clewer St. Stephen Old Boy. His was one of the bodies afterwards recovered by the SS Mackay Bennett and taken ashore where his father, who had awaited a living son, could only identify and claim his dead body. The steamship company offered to convey the remains back to England. Mr. Allum therefore decided to leave his position in the States and accompany his son's body back to Clewer, so that it might rest beside that of a little sister. The beautiful burial service was impressively read by the Reverend G. Budibent (Curate at Clewer) and the solemnity of the scene was further increased by the felt stillness of the hundreds of people surrounding.
[Also the Bucks, Surrey & Middlesex Journal; Ascot & District Advertiser - May 25, 1912]
[An oral tradition says that the boy's parents did not speak to each other at the funeral!]
[Also the Bucks, Surrey & Middlesex Journal; Ascot & District Advertiser - May 25, 1912]
[An oral tradition says that the boy's parents did not speak to each other at the funeral!]
