JAMES SHANKS 229 



and with a fiery, fighting Irish churchman 

 like Dr. Carr, he could be on the best of 

 terms. He did much good service in in- 

 structing the working classes in habits of 

 thrift by promoting and assisting the St. 

 Helens Permanent Building Society. 



James Shanks was twice married, but 

 never had any children. It cannot be said 

 he wore himself out prematurely by his most 

 active, industrious, and energetic life. Still, 

 probably had he been less lavish of his 

 powers of work he might have been amongst 

 us some years longer ; his heart gave way, 

 and with this came a complication of disorders ; 

 the bright intellect became dimmed, the 

 retentive memory failed, " the windows 

 were darkened," and on the I3th August, 

 1867, "the silver cord was loosed, the golden 

 bowl was broken, the pitcher was broken at 

 the fountain, and the wheel broken at the 

 cistern," and the merry countenance, the 

 vivacious manner, the ready thought, the 

 liberal hand, were seen no more, and St. 

 Helens mourned the loss of a man of sterling 

 worth, who had done much to advance her 

 trade, and who left behind him an example* 

 of a master who ruled with diligence, but 

 who was a sympathetic friend to all working 



