Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 18 February 1927

LATE MRS. S. J. DERRICK.

Seventy-one Annual Licenses Taken Out.

Death has robbed the village of Paulton of one of its best known personalities in Mrs. Sarah Jane Derrick, who passed peacefully away at her home at the "Rising Sun," Newtown, Paulton, on Monday last at the great age of 96 years. Had she lived, Mrs. Derrick would have celebrated her 97th birthday next April. The deceased was the wife of the late Mr. Jehu Derrick, who predeceased her in April 1914. Mrs. Derrick has resided in the house in which she died for a period of 70 years last November. Upon the death of her husband in 1914, the licence of the Rising Sun was transferred to Mrs. Derrick, and Mr. and Mrs. Derrick have taken out between them no less than 71 annual licences for this same beer-house; the last licence being taken out in the name of Mrs. Derrick as late as last Tuesday week.

The late Mrs. Derrick was an exceptionally active person and right up to a period previous to her fatal illness could be seen indulging in her usual stroll in the vicinity of her home. Through the medium of the newspapers she took a deep interest in current local and national affairs and was even able to read without the aid of glasses. Of keen business instincts Mrs. Derrick was always able to conduct her own affairs until some few years ago.

The deceased retained the whole of her faculties up to the time immediately before her death, which came quite peacefully on Monday morning. The deceased leaves a family of three daughters and one son, and there are 13 grand-children and five great-grandchildren.