Obituary: Augustus Alfred Arnold, F.S.A Arthur Randall Davis

Al'G{;STUS AU"RED ARNOLD, F.S.A. 1835-1932. (f'l,oto(Jrrt]Jh hy Elliott &: Pry, Ltd., 55 Baker Street, W.) ( 303 06ituat􀀉. AUGUSTUS ALFRED ARNOLD, F.S.A. THE somewhat sudden death of Mr. A. A. Arnold at Cobhambury on llth June 1932, has removed from our midst one who, until his retirement in comparatively recent years, was one of the best known and most highly respected inhabitants of Rochester. He was the survivor of four brothers, all of whom attained distinction by their intellectual capacity, the others being George Matthews Arnold, Sir Edwin Arnold, the poet, and Sir Arthur Arnold, M.P., the first Chairman of the London County Council. Born on the 4th March 1835, he entered the King's School at Rochester in 1847, a year later than his brother Edwin. He proceeded to the study of the law, and immediately on attaining the age of twenty-one years was in 1856 admitted a solicitor. After some years in an office at Yeovil and a short experience of parliamentary procedure with a firm in Westminster, he came to Rochester in 1859, and together with the late Mr. G. H. Knight joined the firm in The Precinct, already a century old, which then became and was for many years afterwards lmown under the style of Messrs. Essell Knight and Arnold. His accurate mind, keen application, and unusually retentive 'memory served him in good stead ; the business of the firm prospered, and in the course of his long career he held many important public positions, including the Clerkship to the Dean and Chapter of Rochester, to the Governors of the King's School, Rochester, to the Wardens and Assistants of Rochester Bridge, and to the Presidents of Cobham College (of which he was also Paymaster), and the Registrarship of the Diocese of Rochester. On the 1st July 1910, Mr. Arnold, whose health had for some time been somewhat impaired by his arduous work, and who had been gradually relinquishing his public appointments (with the exception of his connection with Cobham 304 OBITUARY. College), retired from the firm in The Precinct of which he had been so long a member and which had undergone many changes since his accession. Mr. Arnold was an earnest student of archreology. In 1860 he became a member of the Kent Archreological Society, and remained so until his death, a period of over 72 years, being then its senior member by no less than fifteen years. He became a member of the Council in 1882, and held that position until 1912 when he was elected a Vice-President. In January 1891 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He brought his great antiquarian knowledge to bear in many ways connected with his various appointments, and spent much time in arranging the ancient documents relating to the Cathedral Church of Rochester, to Rochester Bridge and Cobham College (in the muniment room of the then lately erected Bridge Chamber), and to Sir John Hawkins' Hospital, all of which were then in a somewhat neglected condition: On all of these and on the ancient possessions of the Bridge Wardens he contributed from time to time valuable papers to Arckceologia Cantiana. He was invariably kind and helpful to students of archreology, from whom he received a constant flow of enquiries. He had a keen sense of humour, and a fastidious use of language. He was a devoted admirer of Samuel Johnson, and was always averse to the employment, if by any means avoidable, of any word not having the authority of the great Dictionary. To give an instance of his retentive meciory : enquiry was made, only recently, as to a family which was supposed to have lived in Rochester nearly a century ago, but which could not then be traced there. Mr. Arnold on being applied to replied that he thought that he remembered the name in connection with some tablet in the Cathedral ; and on investigation a gravestone was found, with an inscription almost illegible through age and wear, but giving the necessary information. On the 19th April 1852 he married, at Cheltenham, Ann, daughter of William Haggett Richards of Stapleton, Martock, Somerset. On coming to Rochester they lived for a time at the Old Vicarage on Boley Hill, then at Borstal Manor, then OBITUARY. 305 at a house in The Precinct near the Prior's Gate, and ultimately at Cobhambury, Cobham, Kent, where Mrs. Arnold predeceased her husband in 1915, and where he died. He leaves two sons and two daughters,and anumber of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By all who had the privilege of knowing him he will long be remembered for his great attainments and his willingness to place them at the service of enquirers, and his keen sense of humour and unfailing integrity of purpose. He was buried on the 16th June 1932 in the peaceful churchyard of Cobham in the grave where his wife was buried, and in the presence of his family and of many of his friends who had survived him and who honoured and respected his memory. Sympathetic reference to him was made by the President, during the Council Meeting of the Society, which, as it happened, was being held at Allington Castle on the day of the funeral. F.H.D. ARTHUR RANDALL DAVIS. AGAIN we have to note the passing of one of the oldest members of the Council, Dr. Arthur Randall Davis of " Oaklands ", Hythe. Qualifying from the :Middlesex Hospital in 1878, he came a year or two earlier as assistant to the late Dr. John Hackney of Hythe. M!l-rrying in 1882 Miss Taylor, he soon became partner with Dr. Hackney, remaining in practice till about ten years before his death. During the War he acted as surgeon to the Bevan House Hospital at Sandgate. He filled many posts besides those of professional offices : Chairman of The National Citizens' union, of the local branch of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men's Society, Regular Lecturer to the Voluntary Aid Detachment and many other beneficent bodies. He purchased "Oak.lands" in 1902 and he and his wife, who predeceased him by a few years, took much pleasure in their house and beautiful gardens, always being willing to lend them for any public occasion of a benevolent or useful kind. This house and garden he left to the town of Hythe, with some of the valuable furniture, hoping that the 306 OBITUARY. Corporation would use the house as a local Museum and the grounds as an addition to the amenities of the town. A keen archooologist, he was always on the spot to note any fresh discovery in his neighbourhood, and was a constant and diligent attender of the Council Meetings. A good musician, he furthered in any way the advance of that art, being Chairman of the local Choral Society, and as a keen churchman he supported and encouraged the organist and choir of the Parish Church. But it is of the man, my friend, I would speak. Calm, courteous, with a winning smile, of a most excellent judgment and kindness itself, making no difference of the station in life of his patients, the poor loved him and the well-to-do also, for he was a tower of strength in the time of trouble ; and, a comfortable man when times were easy, he had a fund of quiet humour. None of us but can feel that he is not the poorer for his going, and all of us, his friends, are the better for having known him. F. WILLIAM COCK.