GEORGE FREESTON'S   "PARISH CHURCH HISTORY NOTES"
that were published "4-weekly" in the Church News Letters

The notes are of value in terms of a picture that one may develop, close to matters involving the church, of life in the village from about 1780 to 1948.  George's talent was to cover many human details that some historians might overlook, or simply be unaware of.  The whole series was edited in two parts.  The first in MS Word format and the second transferred to HTML so that hyperlinks to the remainder of the website could be formed.  The whole amounts to a 64000 word rambling essay.  It was meant to be read in small doses and now, collected together, it may be used in that way but also used as a reference source as useful as there is skill in picking the best key search-words.

The number at the beginning of some text paragraphs below is the issue number of George's Notes.  The assemblage of notes are divided into the years of their writing from 1963 to 1975, approximately 12 to 13 notes each year.  Below there are hyperlinks to the issues and the year of writing.  An incompleted link implies that the issue is missing.

In fact, some of the first part is the less interesting as it goes over material about the physical features of the church and churchyard which are mostly present on the website already.  The reader is recommended to begin at issue no. 57 for an interesting "rector-by-rector" historical account of the church and village.

The second part is transcribed using scanner and OCR software, being a process that will generate a few unedited spelling slips, for which I apologise.

Note there is a helpful index for the entire series and word search maybe used for the parts that appear as text here.  Word search may also be used in MS Word for each of the nine sections.

Please note that historical additions, hyperlinks to entries in the Archive Website and any corrections have been added in italics.  All lines stating "to be continued..." (and the like) have been erased, as have most instances of a  zealous use of commas, multiple periods and capital first letters, being examples of a textual Victor-Borgesque style.  Also, George's few errata for any previous issue have been acted upon and the reference then omitted.  Everything else remains!

PART II - 1970

(89) As I remarked in the October notes, the Rev. John Ambrose, who came to Blisworth in 1797, had much to occupy his time. Apart from the affairs of the village, he had concern for some of his parishioners who were away on Militia duties. The Parish Constable had already completed the census of all men available for the Militia: the Rector and his Wardens were responsible for the cash payments to the wives and families of the serving men.

One man called away during this period of the Napoleonic war was John, a member of the ancient Gibbs family. His wife and three children received an allowance of 2/6d. each per week,  (At this time a ploughman's wages were 6/0d. per week, and his working year was fifty-two weeks.  Eggs were 6d, per score, beef and mutton. 4d. per lb., a goose was 3/6d. and a hen could be bought for l/1d.) Many a family was unable to pay for the burial of their loved ones - these were buried "on the Parish" together with the dreaded word "Pauper" alongside their name in the Burial Register.

Then there was the Rector's Tithe Collection - this system worked against the introduction of improvements to husbandry, while at the same time it was attended with very disagreeable consequences, both in religious and political points of view. It created a division between the Parson and his Parishioners as to render the religious instruction of the former of little avail.

In 1808 the Blisworth Tithe system was abolished, the Rector being allocated land instead, which became his Glebe Farm. Mr. P. Gulliver's land on the Towcester Road is still so named, although it no longer belongs to the Church.

Together with the Tithe System, so went another ancient village custom whereby our Parsons had been obliged to keep and provide for the village use a Bull and a Boar! This service he no longer had to give.

In the midst of all this change the canal was also completed.  The tunnel had been opened in 1805.  I like to think that our Rector was amongst the thousands who flocked to "view the stupendous works, the Band played and there was great rejoicing".

It was reported that the canal had brought a respectable trade to Blisworth where there were erected an extensive wharfage and warehouses for goods.   If the trade was respectable, many of the 'navvies' evidently were not so.  Most probably at the invitation of the Rector, the Magistrates of the Division of Towcester and Northampton were duly called upon to settle the disputes between masters and labourers employed at Blisworth (1793-1805). "And more especially in enforcing the more decent observances of the Sabbath."  The Magistrates commenced to meet at the "Grafton Arms" on the 19th November 1800, with further meetings as circumstances required.  Many navvies and their families must have lived rough, for the village cottage accommodation was overcrowded.  It was in 1804 that the Rev. John Ambrose made this entry in the Baptisms:-  "Aaron, son of Abner & Sarah Smith was born (in the open field) Jan. 25 and baptised Jan. 29 1804".

(90)  The Church throughout the past centuries has been the willing mouthpiece of many diverse civil appeals.  Through the Pulpit, together with the Office of the Vestry Meeting, and the Church Wardens, monies were regularly collected and redistributed to the poor, the workless and also to road and bridge improvements, etc. One of the most frequent appeals, came from villages or towns which had suffered from a major fire. Our past Rectors were often called upon to read such appeals from the pulpit.  From the 17th Century Church Warden's Accounts, we see that the sum of 3/7d. was collected and sent to Bridgenorth following the great fire there: the sum of 3/7d was sent to Oxford on another occasion. Great Draiton received 8/4d, while the collections for fire damage at Condover in Salop was 3/9d.  Pontefract Castle received the sum of 3/8½d, etc.

In 1797 our new Rector, the Rev. John Ambrose, probably stood at his Old Rectory wall and surveyed the totally thatched village of Blisworth, together with numerous farmsteads all packed tightly together.  (As yet there were none of the present outlying farms.)  Little did he think that soon it would be his turn to send out a 'Fire Brief ' instead of receiving one.  On the morning of May 28th, 1798, around 11am a servant girl incautiously threw out some hot ashes into the farmyard situated in High Street, which falling upon some straw set fire to the same. Almost instantly the fire caught the thatch of the surrounding buildings. The fire began at Mr. Hedge's farm, whose whole house together with eleven others was in a short time consumed, besides stacks of corn and hay, grass, flour, pigs and poultry. The fire spread so quickly up the High Street and Stoke Road that the unfortunate inhabitants were only able to save but a small part of their household furnishings, etc.

So, too, went the farms of Francis Gibbs and of Cornelius Gudgeon, also the dwelling house etc. of Mr. Joseph Westley the Baker and numerous cottages.  None of the properties or contents were insured, although it must be noted that, the whole village belonged to the Duke of Grafton. And so to the Rev. John Ambrose and Committee fell the job of sending out the following appeals-

"Contributions of the Inhabitants in and near the County of Northampton trusting that when the distressed situation is considered, then friends and neighbours will cheerfully contribute towards their distress. The Minister and Churchwardens in the Different Parishes are requested to collect from house to house the Contributions of the Benevolent."

The total sum appealed for was £1394. 0. Id. which seemingly came in, and was distributed to the Sufferers from the Committee meetings held at the "Grafton Arms".  So concluded yet another task of assisting the suffering.. Much of this work fell upon the Rectors and Churchwardens of the County, together with the assistance of our own John.Ambrose, Rector of Blisworth, 1797 to 1839.

(91)  The Rev. John Ambrose, our 46th recorded Rector, 1797-1839, together with his 730 parishioners (1801 census) certainly saw more changes in the village than any of his predecessors. In his first year there were sixteen burials and thirteen baptisms; there were only two burials in 1798, these being a GIBBS and a WHITLOCK, but there were sixteen baptisms. In 1799 there were ten burials and fifteen baptisms. Many of the new babies belonged to parents who had come to Blisworth to seek work on the new canal. At the close of the Rev. Ambrose's term at Blisworth the resident population had risen to 882, and it is interesting to note that around two thirds of the brides at that period were described as "lacemakers."

In the great village fire of 1798 the village school was also destroyed, the ancient Wake Endowed Free School had been founded around 1500. As a trustee the Rector would have had much to do in arranging the building of the new school (which building is now the 'Old School'). A portion of the school ground was sold to Mr. William Westley, the Miller, who built his new tall stone house adjoining the school, and which carries the date 1799 together with the initials of himself and his wife.

The Rector would also have been involved in the rating of the village, some of which was for the poor. Added income would come from the new turnpike and the canal and railway proprietors. Then there would be the Church Vestry Meetings, and the Court Leets which were held at the Royal Oak. These meetings were the ancient seats of Government between villagers and their landlord, the Duke of Grafton, at which rents and land allocations were annually administered, etc.

No sooner had the canal become an established service when the next great parish upheaval, greatly affecting the Rector, was the enclosure of the open field system. This formation of the fields, together with the hedge planting, took place between the years 1808 to 1815.  The Rev. John Ambrose also faced the growing competition of the Baptists. In 1807 their Sunday School attendance was approximately sixty pupils, and later, in 1825, they bought a plot of land for £10 on which they built their first Chapel (previously meetings had been held in a barn.)

One outstanding jollification for the Rector and his Parishioners was on 25th December, 1809, this being the celebration of the Jubilee of King George III. The morning was ushered in by the ringing of the Church Bells and the flag was displayed on the Tower. A fat sheep was roasted whole, and a great number of women were provided with cake and tea in the street. By 5pm the sheep was distributed among the poor people, with bread and butter in equal portions to each family. A Supper was afterwards provided at the "Grafton Arms" where several of the respectable inhabitants assembled and harmony and convivial mirth crowned the festivities of the day.  In 1820, January 29th, George III died - and the Rector would have pencilled the name of George IV in his Prayer Book as a reminder of the change in Kingship in his prayers for the Royal Family.

The last and greatest parish upheaval which our Rector was to witness was the construction of the London to Birmingham Railway. When in 1832 an Act was passed, little did the people of Blisworth realise that soon many hundreds of rough 'navigators' would be around the village digging out the great Blisworth Cutting (now called Roade Cutting) together with the great embankment across the lower end of the Parish. Many parsons and land owners protested against the coming of the new railway.  The "navvies" brought trouble to the village in many ways, but the Rev. John Ambrose (some time absent, see later) lived to see the new wonder of the day passing through the Parish i.e. the Steam Railway Engine.  I wonder what he thought about it? My guess is that he simply hated it, much preferring his pony. Some 3000 barrels of gunpowder were exploded during the construction of 'Blisworth' cutting.  I wonder if the Rector protested against the vibrations damaging the Church Tower? His Parish Church though and Rectory had remained unchanged, the Church with its box pews etc. and his brown stone tudor rectory adjoining.

He died in 1839 after forty-two most eventful years at Blisworth during which he had seen the coming of the canal, the turnpike, the railway and the Baptist Chapel, not to mention the great village fire and the Napoleonic wars 1793-1815 to which some of his Parishioners had gone. He also saw the great changes in the systems of agriculture and industry.

1971

(92)  In the Northampton Mercury of September 28th, 1839, the following brief announcement appeared:  "On the 20th last the Lord Bishop of Peterborough instituted the Rev. George Barry to the Rectory of Blisworth vacant by the death of the Rev. J. Ambrose, on the presentation of the Trustees of the Will of John Barry Esq."  Recorded on our Parish Church List of Rectors and other official documents the new Rector's name is given as WILLIAM (was the name George a reporter's error?) William Barry M.A. was a product of Trinity College Cambridge having obtained his BA in 1825 and his MA in 1828. By the will of his Father he also was the Patron of the Living.  It is generally understood that the Barry family were of Whitby or Hull stock; many Church monuments in that north-eastern area carry the name of Barry, and they were certainly connected with the sea either as shipbuilders or ship owners.

I am sorry that the Rev. Barry did not leave us a record of his method of transport to Blisworth in 1839.  He had three alternatives: the ancient road system of horse and coach on roads much improved since the previous century, the successful canal transport a main link of which actually skirted the new Rector's paddock and there was the "new fangled" steam railway, which had a station at Blisworth, and was in direct communication with London and the North. I often wish too that our past Rectors had contributed to a continuous journal of their own attitudes, together with the villager's views on all these changes within the Parish.

The London to Birmingham Railway was not completed when Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837 - the two major bridges in our Parish, the stone arch and the iron bridge over the canal, were near to completion. The new Rector and Villagers would have celebrated the young Queen's marriage in 1840, but I wonder if the Rev. Wm. Barry agreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury who maintained that "unpopular" Albert could not be included in the customary prayers for the Royal Family.

The ancient Rectory to which the new Rector came in 1839 was undoubtedly a little dilapidated and draughty - it could well have been thatched in keeping with the other buildings of that period. It was probably built around 1610 and it stood alongside the Churchyard wall. The Rector would have seen and heard the passage of the horse drawn coaches and other vehicles as they negotiated the tedious Towcester Road Hill - then called West Bridge Hill. He would have seen the coaches pulling into the yard of the relatively new "Duke of Grafton's Arms" Coaching Inn, while just over the road nearer to the Rectory stood the "Half Moon Inn".

The Turnpike from Towcester to Northampton had been established as such in 1794 and the Rector would have noticed the ever increasing traffic which was now running to the new Blisworth Station. This station was the nearest and most convenient one to the town of Northampton.  Mails, even at that early date, were brought out from Northampton and District to Blisworth Station for despatch by train. Those new trains, in 1840, took approximately three hours to travel from Blisworth to London, while the total journey from London to Birmingham took 5½ hours. Maps of the first quarter of the 19th century show the Toll Gate in line with the Church. In 1840 the Turnpike Trustees met at the "Duke of Grafton's Arms" to view and negotiate with the new Rector for ground in the vicinity of the Toll Gate and the Canal Bridge in an effort to speed up and improve the difficult road approach to the village from Towcester. The Rector agreed to exchange land lying near to the Turnpike Gate for a lesser quantity on the side nearest to the Canal Bridge.  Mr. Barry also agreed to build (or rebuild) his boundary wall on a new line as staked out.  This deal could well explain the present piece of land on the old "Sun Moon and Stars" side which still belongs to the Rectory.   It certainly appears that with all this sudden change around his old Rectory within his first three years of coming to Blisworth prompted the Rector to build the new Elizabethan style Rectory a little further to the southwest of the old building. Although the Parish had a first class Stone Works and Quarry on the Stoke Road established in 1821, he chose to procure his stone from a quarry opened up on the Towcester Road at the Rectory Farm. (surely not)  So it was that in 1842 the fine new Rectory was built and the former Tudor Rectory was demolished.  There is no evidence that that slate-ish limestone quarry in Rectory Farm could have provided the good blocks of stone for the 1841 Rectory building.  The new line for rectory land would take in a new coach-house which protruded further into the High Street than the old coach-house and this looks as though the main road was been planned to take the by-passing route.  The old High Street would then join the main road at a T-junction.  Land in all four quadrants around the bridge was rendered glebe land in 1808 and as such seemed to encircle the aforesaid "Sun, Moon and Stars" known then as the Half Moon Inn.

(93)  Prior to the Induction of our 47th recorded Rector, the Rev. Wm. Berry, M.A. (1839-1884) there had not been a long interregnum, for the previous Rector, the Rev. John Ambrose, had been buried on June 6th, 1839 at the age of 71 years, and the new Rector commenced duties on September 28th, 1839.  A Curate, the Rev. E.R. Butcher, officiated during the three months break. During the next 45 years the Rev. Wm. Barry was supported by a host of Curates, some of whose names were C.J.S. BOWLES, W.H. BENGELLY,  T.W. OWEN,  WALTER LOWE CLAY, EDWIN PUCKLE, WILLIAM STEPHENSON, MONTAGUE PAIN, W.L. HENDERSON, W.HAWKER HUGHES, E.T. BLOSSOME, RICHARD LONGWORTH, J. LUCAS, E. ELLWOOD, and W. SCOTT. Of these Curates we know little without considerable research, but I guess that they carried happy memories of Blisworth to all corners of the world.  One name, however, has recurred for in 1966 a Commander R.N., Mr. Walter A.C. Dickson of Leeds, returned a souvenir of Blisworth to the Blisworth Church. This unexpected gift was a fine silver salver which had been presented by the Rector and people of Blisworth to the Rev. W. L. Clay, who was one of those long forgotten Curates back in the 1850's. The inscription of this salver, which is now used in the Church, reads as follows:-

PRESENTED TO THE REV. WALTER LOWE CLAY BY THE RECTOR & PARISHIONERS OF BLISWORTH AS A TOKEN OF THEIR ESTEEM AND GRATEFUL APPRECIATION OP HIS KINDNESS DURING HIS RESIDENCE AMONGST THEM 10.AUG. 1858

On October 8th, 1839 the Rev. Wm. Barry conducted his first marriage at Blisworth, between George Watson, a Miller from Norton, and Sarah Sheppard, whose father was a village farmer; their ages were not recorded other than the customary word "FULLAGE". The Rector's fifth marriage ceremony was in November 1839 between Benjamin Young, a Baker from Moulton, and Elizabeth Gudgeon, whose father was a village farmer. We still have the name YOUNG in our midst, but the name GUDGEON died out early this century.  There were seventeen marriages during the year 1839 - ten Brides were described as lacemakers, which was a thriving village industry; one was a dressmaker and one was a Gentlewoman. Of the husbands there were labourers, stonemasons, farm servants, a contractor miller, engineer, victualler, blacksmith, hatter, carpenter, boatman, and a new named occupation caused by the railway - A PLATELAYER.  His first Baptism was on October 16th, 1839 (held in private) the baby being John the son of Richard Goodridge who was named as a blacksmith. During the following twelve months he conducted thirty-six Baptisms - many of those children being the ancestors of our present village families.  The population for 1841 was 442 Males and 440 females - total 882, an increase of 186 since a previous count in 1821.  Of the Rector's first ten Burials, the average age was twenty years.

(94)  And what of the Church building which the Rev. Wm. Barry accepted in 1839? I am sure that he found it very much in need of repair. The shallow lead covered roof probably leaked, resulting in the rotting of the ancient oak timbers. Windows of plain glass would have been in need of restoration. Inside there would have been the musicians' gallery at the West End, squared box pews, presumably a double decker pulpit, no organ, candles for illumination. There is evidence too that much of the stonework was painted.

Of the village - although the new Railway had a local station, which served Northampton, and was briefly called "Northampton and Blisworth Station", many important local people, including the Turnpike Trustees, considered the Station inconvenient and totally inadequate, perched as it was on the high embankment next to the Stone Arch. Local meetings were held from 1840 pressing for a "first class" station on level ground, for the better accommodation of vehicles and passengers. A bypass for the village was also mapped at this period!  It was not until 1845 that the new Station was opened serving the new branch line from Blisworth, via Northampton, to Peterborough. Thus our Rectors from then on could go to the Bishop and the Cathedral by steam train instead of by a jolty horse coach.

Although science had produced the new wonder - the Steam Engine - the village domestic conditions would not have been too good. Cottages were low, damp, dark and overcrowded. Newspapers told of local men being transported for up to fourteen years for stealing a lamb worth 2/6d, or three months hard labour for poaching.

In all probability the Rector went to Northampton in July, 1840, to see the ascent of a "Silk Balloon" which, when it reached a considerable height, a living animal from the Balloon descended by a PARACHUTE - all this for l/- admission.

(95)  The Rev. W. Barry (our 47th recorded Rector) 1839-1884, having built for himself and his family the fine new Rectory in 1841-2, must have very soon afterwards decided to tackle the restoration of the Church. As stated previously, the Church, although then much in need of repair, must have been very beautiful in its overall rusticity, for little work had been done on the fabric since the 17th Century.

The mid 19th Century proved (often regretted now) to be an over zealous period of Church restoration. Squires and Parsons alike destroyed many fine early features in their efforts to produce a "clean sweep" structure. Plans were drawn up in May 1855 and soon the great flat lead covered roof, together with the medieval timbers, was removed from chancel and nave. The north aisle and porch were similarly treated.  Inside, the singing gallery was removed and the tower arch was thrown open. The west-end doorway was restored with the present window, the seats were remodelled, and the dark paint was removed from the stone pillars and arches. The total wall area was treated with a coat of stucco.

The Church took on a completely new look, for the chosen plan was one of a steep pitched roof covered with Westmorland slates. During the restoration, the Church was closed for worship and Services were continued in a barn which stood on the opposite side of the High Street. The Christmas early Communion of 1855 in the barn was described as most beautiful and moving.  It is written that the stars could be seen peeping through the cracks in the great doors.

The great day soon came, for on Thursday, January 17th 1856, in the afternoon, the Church was re-opened. The cost of the restoration was £868.17. 9d.  The Service was well publicized, with the chief attraction being the sermon, which was preached by the Rev. W. Wales, M.A., Chancellor of the Diocese. This announcement was followed in very small print stating that the "Service would begin at 2.30 p.m. after which a collection will be taken in aid of the Restoration Fund which is very considerably deficient."  This collection produced £44.4.7d.  Prayers were said by the Rector, Rev. W. Barry, and the lessons were read by the Rev. Wm. Clay, Curate. The two proud wardens officiating at this memorable service were William Worster and C.E. Roper. Mr. Worster was the landlord of the "Grafton Arms" and Mr. Roper was a Farmer and grazier.

Meanwhile the village was moving ahead. The new 1845 Blisworth Station was now well established, together with the adjoining hotel and pleasure gardens attached. The long row of 'Railway Cottages' and the Westley tenement block in Stoke Road had been built. Population was on the increase with the majority of children going to the Wake Endowed School in the village whilst the sons of the Traders and Farmers would more likely go over to the Courteenhall Grammar School.

In the year 1855, prior to the re-opening of the Restored Church, twenty-nine Females and twenty Males took Confirmation at Towcester.

(96)  Incidentally, the first contribution to this History appeared in June 1963 and many of my friends thought that I would run out of subject matter quite quickly - but my remark then was "How can anybody ever tell a complete story of 800 years of village history in a series of notes." And so these History notes will go on.

Our Parish Church was begun around 1280 - followed by additions including the tower in the 14th Century. An early mention of the bells states that there were "three greate belle and a Sanct. (sanctus) bell."  Two bells were added in 1624 when the bell frame also was reconditioned. All of our present five bells carry interesting inscriptions and dates.

It is well to remember that until comparatively recent times, the officers of the Church were the local 'civil servants', for it was the Rector and Wardens who collected and administered the parish monies which went for the assistance of the poor and needy. Thus from our Church Records we find that the Wardens paid 3/- for 6lb of mutton for "John Fretter when in distress", l/8d was paid for a person to sit up with a sick parishioner, the money being spent on a candle, some bread, sugar, tea and butter, for refreshment.  Lettuce Gibbons was given l/6d for a pair of stockings, 1/-  for shoes, and 2/- for stays. In fact, the Church and the village people were "part and parcel of each other."

June is the month in which our Patronal Festival falls. Our Patron Saint is St. John the Baptist whose day falls on June 24th. This occasion has always been marked as a period of worship, festivities and feasting - hence it is still called "Blisworth Feast."  To mark this year's 'Feast' we are holding a Church/Village Exhibition (1971) at which you will see many items from the past history of the Church and Village, together with many tools once used by village craftsmen.  So do please come along to the Exhibition. There is something of interest for the whole family - besides which as a member of Blisworth it is in part your history too.

(97)  This note is slightly out of context for I should be following on with the story of the Rev. Wm. Barry, 1839/1884.  However, I intend to give you a potted version of a great celebration held in our village on Friday, July 29th, long ago, and presumed to be in the year 1814, for the writer of the document did not put the year thereon. Why do I say 1814? Well this was the year of Napoleon's abdication following the long and tedious wars with France. The document hitherto unpublished commences:-

"The village of Blisworth exhibited the greatest demonstration of joy and festivity that ever occured there on any occasion...the morning was begun by a merry peal of bells, and the flag was placed on the tower. All the inhabitants decorated their houses with foliage and flowers. Two triumphal arches were erected - one at the West Bridge at the Grand Union Canal, the other at the Elm Tree - these arches carried inscriptions:-  "Welcome sweet messenger of Peace"  "LONG LIVE THE KING"  "Peace and Plenty"  etc.

At 10 o'clock the principle and greatest part of the Inhabitants assembled with the band. Three large flags were carried. The Parade was headed by six gentlemen each carrying a white wand, followed by twenty females in white and each carrying a flag. The band played martial airs. A 30 lb. loaf was carried on a staff, on which was inscribed "Peace". After the loaf came Boneparte in Field Marshal's Uniform accompanied by "John Bull".  They paraded until 1 o'clock shouting 'three harras' at the houses of the respectable inhabitants then followed a dinner for some 1,000 people, consisting of roast or boiled beef, plum pudding and plenty of excellent ale - the spacious booth being erected in the Park of  Thos. Wood, Esq.. (ie. at Blisworth House). Grace before and after was said by the Clergy; the band playing all the time.  Following the meal all joined in singing "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."  Sports and dancing followed until 5 o'clock when the village was again paraded. The evening was spent in dancing until the late hours, when all returned to their respective habitations in good and decent order, highly pleased with the days entertain­ments. The festivities continued throughout the next day."

Thus another chapter of our village history was recorded.  Very briefly, and with all sincerity, I would like to thank and congratulate the many 'friends of Blisworth' for subscribing in so many ways to our recent happy and successful Exhibition advertised last month. It was wonderful to see the family groups doing the round of the exhibits, the old hands reminiscing and the new villagers, to whom a special welcome was extended, learning a little of their new environment.  It must also be recorded that the Exhibition was put on at the especial request of our Rector, and our thanks go out to him for allowing the 'Display' to be staged in our most ancient and venerable "house' ... our Parish Church.  Thank you all.

(98)  The account of the Rev. W. Barry, our 47th recorded Rector 1839-1884 continues.  During the building of the new Rectory in 1842, the family living next door must have been keenly interested. At Blisworth House lived Mr. George Stone together with his wife, four daughters and a son, which GF admits he originally overlooked.  'Squire' Stone, as he was affectionately named, was himself the son of the Rev. George Stone, Rector of Hopton in Suffolk. Coming to Blisworth Rouse in 1826, Mr. Stone lived to be one of the patriarchs of the time, and was a great supporter of the Church.  Of his four daughters, three married and went away; Louisa, the youngest, remained at Blisworth to look after her Father as long as he lived.

In the south aisle is a brass tablet to his memory: "George Stone Esq. a Magistrate of this County, 46 years a resident of this Parish. Born Jan. 1789, died Jan.1872. Throughout the long period of his connection with the Parish and the neighbourhood there was not a breath of disparagement connected with his name. Louisa was devoted to the village and the Church; it is recorded that she inspired deep affection and influence with her family and all those with whom she came in contact. Before compulsory education (introduced in1870) she gave much of her time in teaching the village children to read, conducting the popular "penny readings" which were a form of evening schooling. She also taught the village boys to play cricket, for Blisworth during much of the last century produced a continuous line of first class cricket teams - in fact, one of the greatest last century Umpires at Lords received his early cricket 'education' at Blisworth,

Miss Stone was also a keen follower to the hounds, living up to the old axiom "Keep your temper and stick to the line." She gave much of her time to the London Soho Mission which was connected with an Anglican Sisterhood of St. Margaret at East Grinstead. In 1871 these Sisters were deeply involved in a Shoreditch out­break of Smallpox, the accounts of which read even worse than the present Cholera conditions in India.  In 1872 Squire Stone died.  Louisa then moved to St. Margarets at East Grinstead; in the following year she was invited to go to Boston in America to establish a branch of the Sisterhood there, and there she remained until her death in 1909 at the age of 85 after 36 years as Mother Superior.  It is recorded that in her old age, as she stood at the door in Boston looking up at the North Star, she exclaimed "to think that is the same star which we used to gaze at from the porch door at dear Blisworth."  In a tribute to her, published in "the Living Church" Milwaukie, U.S.A., she is described as "Generous and open-minded, to others thoughtful and considerate....she was selfless rather than unselfish. Absolute forgiveness was another mark of that loving heart; she forgave so completely that she entirely forgot, and trusted again where few could follow her in it."  The American Stone family visited GF in Blisworth, they exchanged much information which was lent by GF to a woman in Bedford who was expected to write a monograph.  This material has now been returned to the village and it is hoped that The Stone Story may eventually grace this website.

Miss Louisa Stone and her sisters produced the delightful 'BLISWORTH' banner which now hangs in our Church. This banner headed many Church Parades and Processions during the past hundred years.

(99)  The Rev. Wm. Barry certainly lived through a great period of Victorian history. Coming to Blisworth in 1859 as Rector, and retiring in 1884.  During those forty-five years, and apart from brief holidays, he appears to have been on duty for most occasions of Church and Village. He conducted approximately 1000 baptisms, 248 marriages and 460 burials. It became necessary to acquire a new burial ground, and this half acre of land, situated on the opposite side of the road to the Church, was consecrated in I863.

From his entries in the registers, we glean a most interesting list of the trades and occupations of his parishioners (this list is not complete, for the Baptists kept separate registers).  In connection with the canal mention is made of Leggers, Boatmen and Engineers. Of the land there were Cordwainers, Labourers, Graziers, Woodmen, Gardeners, Farmers, Game-Keepers, Shepherds and Yeomen. Village trades consisted of Blacksmiths, Stone and Wood Sawyers, Millers, Butchers, Grocers, Plasterers, Wheelwright, Watchmaker, Undertaker, Cobblers and Tailors - in fact, during the last century we "had the lot."  The professions were represented as Accountants, Surgeons, Doctors, an Attorney, Schoolmasters and Clerks.  Railway workers consisted of Platelayers, Porters, Ticket Collectors and Railway Policemen.  There were also references to the Publicans, Coachmen, Postmen, Grocers, Brewers, Hotel Keepers and Carriers, with a minority of Dealers, Higglers, Gentlemen and Esquires: the families of all these people making up the Church congregation.

But the pattern of change was always there. Towards the end of the 19th Century the Towcester to Far Cotten Turnpike system was terminated, the tollhouse was demolished and rebuilt at Collingtree, initially as a library, the branch railway was constructed from Blisworth to Stratford-on-Avon. The Great Mill at the West Bridge was built in 1879 - here as many as 1000 bags of flour were ground each week. Mr. Westley, the Miller, together with most of his staff, were supporters of the Baptist movement.

In the last years of the Rev. Wm. Barry's life, his health was impaired and he used to be taken out in a little three-wheeled carriage drawn by a donkey, with a nurse in attendance. When he met the children of the village, he would call them to him and ask them to repeat the collect or a verse of a hymn, and if they did this correctly he would reward them with an orange or an apple. This great Victorian died on 10th December, 1884; the stained glass window above the Communion Table bears the following inscription:-

"In memory of William Barry M.A. for nearly 45 years Rector of this Parish. Born 28 Feb. 1803, died 10 Dec. 1884, also of Frances Amelia, wife of the above, born July 1809, died March I884."

(100)  For seventy-five years the Barry families provided the village Rectors:    in the previous history notes we have read about William Barry M.A., Rector 1839 - 1884.  His son, Henry Thomas Barry,  M.A.,  inherited the living of Blisworth and became Rector in April 1884  taking over office following his father's death.  This Rev. "Henry Thomas", as he was respectfully named, found a much enlarged population, for during his father's time the number of parishioners had risen from 882 to 1,060 (1881 census).

The Rector's immediate neighbour up to 1886 was Captain T. Cokayne Maunsell followed by Captain E. Pennel Elmhurst who came to Blisworth House in 1892 and remained until 1916.    Both occupants of the Rectory and Blisworth House were keen riders and followers of the hunt.

The new Rector also found a very flourishing Baptist movement in the village, their commodious Lecture Hall being added in 1885 - this being the last expansion to the  total group of buildings which now stand in Chapel Lane.

Following the compulsory Education Act of 1870 the village Wake Endowed School in Stoke Road became overcrowded, and the new Infant School opposite was built in 1874.   The school, however, was much under the control of the Church, and amongst the daily instruction was the Catechism taken from the Book of Common Prayer.  Many Baptists objected to this doctrinal teaching, some parents even refusing to pay the rate which helped to support the school. Quite a number of Baptist children were taken away from the village school and sent to the New National School at Roade. Tradesmen's sons in general continued to go to the Courteenhall Grammar School until 1898, when on the death of the last Master, Mr. Haskins, it was closed down.

Church Expenses were not heavy, for up to 1898 only one collection was taken each month. Coal for heating the Church was 18/- for two tons with an additional charge of l/- for cartage. The Church Cleaner was paid £2.10.0d. per annum. In 1889 the organ was purchased and installed, the organ blower receiving the princely sum of 15/- per year. The Rector's stipend was £420 per annum, together with 313 acres of Glebe Land.

Cottage interiors were simply furnished, children helping to make the "pegged" rugs which were used at the hearth or the bedrooms. Housewives made and sold pillow lace, the men folk seeking employment at the ironstone pits, the canal, railway, the mill, or on the land, others choosing to go to factory work in Northampton, especially in the boot and shoe trades. A few specialist boot and shoe workers, however, remained at home to work on high class hand stitched footwear. Cottage rents were around l/- per week, and these were paid annually to the Duke of Grafton's Agent at the Royal Oak,

During Harvest Time a church bell was rung each morning at 8 a.m. as a signal that gleaning could begin.  The collected corn was threshed by the 'flail' in the yard at the Royal Oak, thus providing the cottage families with flour for much of the year. Harvests often went on for six weeks, followed by the Harvest Home Supper - Church Service - and Festivities.

(101)  The Rev. H. T. Barry, Rector 1884 - 1904 continued:   Since Saxon times the government of Village affairs was mainly conducted by the Annual Vestry, which was an intimate union of Church and State. The elected members, together with the Incumbent, constituted a kind of parochial government, who concurred with the Rector in appointing Churchwardens; who elected other parish officers, as overseers of the poor and of highways for which they had to supply the funds. Their meetings were originally held in the Church Vestry - hence the assembly taking their name from the place of meeting. It was the right of the Incumbent to take the Chair; in his absence those present had to elect a Chairman. It would appear that the first of the Barry Rectors, William Barry 1839-1884, had not exercised his rights by taking the Chair during the latter years of his incumbency; his son, Henry Thomas, however, soon interested himself in the Vestry, for at the March Vestry of 1885 he duly took the Chair. During the years prior, Chairman's names were C.E. Roper (Farmer of Hill Farm) Capt. T.C. Maunsell (Blisworth House), Jos. Westley (Miller).

At that 1885 Vestry, Mr. Jos. Westley was elected as Guardian; Messrs. C. E. Roper and John Westley were elected jointly as overseers (whose duty was the collection of taxes etc.); Mr. J. J. Carter (Home Farm) was elected the Waywarden, whose duty was to watch over the condition of roads in the Parish - but this office was on the decline - and Messrs. U. J. Birch (Baker), George Perkins (Butcher) and William Goodridge (Blacksmith) were named as Parish Constables - the ultimate selection being left to the Magistrate.

Villagers serving on the Vestries of the last Century were drawn from both the Parish Church and Baptist Chapel. The new Rector would find that the times were changing, and the old order governing the Vestry Meeting was vanishing. A general readjustment of the relations of the Church and State was evident, and it is likely that at this time two "vestries" were already being held, one for the secular and the other for the ecclesiastical business of the parish. The "Vestries" during the last Century were generally held in the Parish Church and the members were "called" by the chiming of a bell, notices having been previously exhibited on both north and south doors of the Church.

During the first year of office of the new Rector (1885) street lighting was introduced when oil lamps were placed in the streets by public subscription; the new lighting committee consisting of the Overseers and Waywarden plus Mr. G. Perkins, Wm. Whitlock, Chas. Piff and W. J. Young. Another change affecting the Vestry was the abolition of the tollgates and toll system of the Parish Roads around 1873 and it is interesting to note that the Vestry of 1880 resolved unanimously that they were not satisfied with the present (new) system of managing the highways, and that they revert to the old system of managing the highways, with a final resolution " Resolved unanimously that we do not approve of the Highways being under the Sanitary Authority."

At the 1881 Vestry at which Capt. T.C. Maunsell was the Chairman, the main business was the rating of the new mill erected by Messrs. J. Westley & Sons. It was proposed by Mr. Roper that the new mill be rated at £250. Mr. J. Westley moved an amendment that his new mill be £210. It is recorded that "three voted for Mr. J. Westley's amendment viz. J. Campion, J. Westley .and Wm. Westley; four voted for the proposition viz. Capt. Maunsell, Mr. Roper, J. Gudgeon and Mr. J.J. Carter."  A compromise was reached, however, by reducing the old mill to £60 from £89.6.0d. "as hitherto".  The old mill mentioned above comprised mainly a bakehouse after the mill fire.  (Much later it became the British Bacon Company's property - now totally demolished)

Coincident with the coming of the new Rector was the building of the new Baptist Lecture Hall (opened in 1885) the Baptist Minister being the Rev. Trotman 1882-1887. A few years previously the Chapel had been enlarged to seat 350 'hearers'.

(102)   Last month I made reference to the Vestry Meetings held in the Church, and at which both the village and Church business was conducted. This month I am going to give a few more extracts from the Vestry Meetings.

A Vestry of some importance was called for February 20th, 1890, at 10 a.m. in the Parish Church. The business of that meeting was "to take into consideration the better drainage of this village"  Present were The Rector, Chairman, Mr. C. Roper, Church­warden and Farmer of Hill Farm, Mr. J. Gudgeon, Churchwarden and Farmer of Blisworth Lodge, Mr. John Tite Cave of Tunnel Hill Farm, Mr. Joseph Westley, Corn Miller, Baker and Nurseryman, Mr. Wm. Westley, Mr. J. Carter of Home Farm, Stoke Road, (demolished December 1966 to make the new Buttmead street), Mr. Pickering Phipps Jnr. from the Lowndes (next to Blisworth Hotel); and Mr. George Savage of the "Navigation Inn" at Blisworth Arm.

At the commencement of the Meeting, Mr. Pickering Phipps considered it quite improper to use the Church for a "drains discussion", and he duly protested, whereupon the Rector invited all present to adjourn to the Rectory where the 'drains' could be more freely discussed. At subsequent meetings the improved drainage of the village was put into operation at the total cost of £234. 4. 2d. A special rate of l/6d in the £ on buildings and 4d in the £ on land and railways, brought in the necessary cash.

Another item of interest on the agenda of those far away Vestries was the "Sparrow Club".  This club was sponsored by the village landlord, the Duke of Grafton, together with the parish tenant farmers. Sparrows were considered a great menace to the corn crops, and the villagers were invited to catch and kill as many as possible, the Vestry fixing the price per head. The Sexton during the Rev. H.T. Barry's time was William Whitlock (1872-1905 Sexton) and it was part of his duty to receive the dead sparrows and pay out the cash. A Vestry of 1889 resolved 6d per dozen for adult birds caught from Michaelmas to Lady Day, and 3d per dozen from Lady Day to Michaelmas.

Our late Sexton, W.J. Whitlock, nephew of the "Sparrow Club" Sexton, told me that the dead birds were given to his uncle's pigs. It is worthy of record too that many villagers caught and made sparrows into a delectable pie - using only their breasts in quantity, together with layers of home cured bacon. Sparrows were usually "netted" at night time - after the birds had gone to a communal roost in the ivy, or creepers, on the buildings, (a previous reference to the Sparrow Club appears in News Sheet No. 11 1964.)

1972

(103)  Henry Thomas Barry 1884 - 1904 continued.  It was during this Rector's time that the Choir was first robed. Choir outings became an annual event, as did outings for the ringers, who visited neighbouring belfries to ring changes, etc.  Collections at the services were few, for expenses were not heavy.  The Christmas Day collections for 1903 were the princely sum of £1. 4. 4½d .  The Christmas Day collections for 1971 amounted to £35.77p.

In October 1903, a meeting was held to arrange the annual 'Sale of Work' and Jumble Sale; this event was held on the Thursday after Christmas according to the custom of the time: the Sale of Work was opened at 3pm by the Rector's son, Henry Barry, who was soon to be our new Rector.  It was a continuous programme, for after the Sale there was an evening's entertainment until 10pm.  This all meant much activity for the helpers, for stalls had to be dismantled and a stage erected etc., and school desks moved around, for at that time the present Old School was the day school.  To round off the year a dance was held in the School on December 29th.

The accounts from these Christmas Festivities make interesting reading:  the school cleaner got 2/6d.  Lea & Co. of Northampton charged 4/-  for printing twenty-five posters.  On the receipt side, the schoolmaster, Mr. Hockaday sold forty-four rabbits for £2.7.9d., which was approximately 1/1d each.  Mr. Sturgess weighed people on his flour weighing machine, and took the sum of 3/9d.  The Jumble stall brought in the highest sum of £9. 7. 1d.  From all these events came the total profit of £28. 9. 2d. which was considered very satisfactory.   Those winter entertainments were the "highlights" of the village life; the Baptists also made much of their Bazaars and entertainments.  Handbell ringing by the regular bell ringers, was also a traditional event, the ringers going to the most important houses.  Following each ringing session came the season­able drinks (to keep out the cold of course) and from all accounts the ringers were capable of over-indulging before the close of the evening's round.  Plough Monday was the second Monday after Christmas, and was a most popular event from the earliest times.  Plough boys dressed up, and went around the village peering in at the windows, and begging, calling out:-

" 'member poor old plough boy, 'member poor old plough boy "

One boy dressed as a woman and was called "Plough Molly". During this century the custom gradually died out but up to comparatively recent times a few boys would come round with money boxes, faces blackened, and dressed in odd clothes (several times too large) and they sang:-

Jimmy Nick Hack, Paddy Whack, sing your song,
This old man came waddling along,
This old man he played one,
He played nick nack on my gun,
Nick Nack, Paddy Whack, give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home....   Then -  

This old man he played two,  
He played nick nack on my shoe.... and so on up to twelve and as they sang they danced with a tamborine or tin of some sort.

(104)  The Rev. H. T. Barry 1884 - 1904 continued:-

During these history notes I have documented many of the changes which have occurred to the interior of our Parish Church.  A complete new look appeared after the major restoration in 1856, which was engineered by the first of the Barry Rectors, 1839-1884.

When his son Henry Thomas took over office in 1884 the Church interior, though recently restored, looked very different from the Church of today.  For instance there was no organ in the chancel and there was no fine oak reredos.  The East Window was filled with plain glass, and the Church was heated by a dry hot air system which came directly off the furnaces situated under the gratings in the transit aisles, and which antique system still exists, though no longer usable.

In April 1886, two years after the Rev. H.T. Barry had been installed, the village was visited by two enthusiastic newspaper reporters sent out by the Daily Reporter.  One of then, named Joshua, visited the morning service at our Church and the other named Caleb was delegated to the Baptist Chapel and their subsequent joint report duly appeared under the newspaper heading:-

THE SUNDAY SPIES and what they saw in Pulpit and Pew at Blisworth.  Joshua mentioned that he was very pleased to find a place near the grating over the heating furnace, for the weather was snow, rain and windy during his walk out from Northampton.  His report leads off by describing the exterior of the Church of which he wrote: "Its a quaint old church outside, with its tower half hid with a luxuriant growth of ivy, and the walls weather-beaten."  Joshua's report of the interior states: "the nave and the chancel are of a good height, but the side aisles are remarkably low, and the windows, most of which are fitted with yellow blinds, are almost devoid of tracery; even the East Window is of moderate dimensions, and the glass of mediocre quality."

(Note: Joshua's remarks about the yellow blinds interested me, for the last of those fitments can still be seen above the end window in the Rector's vestry.  Mr. E. Ayres, our present Sexton, tells me that he often drew those blinds during his Father's term of office as Sexton 1905-1921.)

Joshua also mentioned the fine chancel screen, although he objected to the panels hiding the Table, unless the screen gates were open.  His report also stated "the benches are of a modern pattern and comfortable, the pulpit and lectern are of a light coloured wood, the former being rather scrimpy structure while the Communion Table, on which there was no manner of ornament whatever, was covered with a rather gaudy frontal, and backed with tiles, the predominent colours in which were green and gold."

(Note: That Communion Table, now relegated to near the South doorway, was in use as such up to 1910 when the new memorial reredos and Table were installed.)

Joshua must have scanned the Church very well either during the service or afterwards, for he wrote: "Service had just commenced as I entered, but the Congregation, probably owing to the inclement weather, was not large, and consisted mainly of children.  The Western end of the nave was apparently given over to the school children, but others sat in twos or threes all over the Church. They behaved most properly all the time, and though during the reading of the Second Lesson an animated 'confab' was carried on behind me in a very audible whisper, the culprits, I saw on turning round, were well up in the teens."

(105)   "The Service, as in most country Churches was full measure of Matins, Litany, and ante-Communion, but the most inveterate grumbler could not complain of its length, for the Rector (The Rev. H.T. Barry) rattled through Psalms, Lessons and Prayers, at a pace that could not be beaten by an auctioneer over the conditions of sale, or of a clerk of arraigns over the proclamation against vice and immorality - do not mistake me" wrote Joshua, "I don't mean to imply that there was any irreverent hurry or indecent haste.  He had not to pull up now and again for sheer lack of breath, as I half-expected at first, for he is evidently subject to bronchial affection.  But he has simply acquired a rapidity of reading which is really marvellous."

Joshua also reported that the Service took about an hour and ten minutes, which included a twenty minute sermon, a portion of the Psalms, which were read and not sung, and the lessons were a moderate length, but making all allowance I am sure, Joshua wrote: "Mr. Barry could give any of his brother clergymen ten minutes start over Morning Service and then COME IN AN EASY WINNER." Joshua goes on to mention the Rector's heavy beard, of which he says "was fatal to elocution", and he doubted whether a stranger to the Anglican Service would have understood him.  "Curiously enough" continues Joshua, "he slows down considerably in the pulpit, and as his sermon was closely read from manuscript, from the look of the leaves as he turned them over, I imagine that that discourse had done duty on at least one occasion before."  Joshua wondered that perhaps he had difficulty in reading his own hand writing.  "The sermon, which was prefaced by neither collect nor invocation, was based on "Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see My Day" from the Gospel of the day, and was a discourse of average merit, following strictly orthodox lines in scriptural interpretation."

(106)   The History notes above talk of the visit to Blisworth of two reporters, Caleb and Joshua, who were sent out by a Northampton Paper, THE DAILY REPORTER.  Their findings were published in April 12th, 1886 under the heading "The Sunday Spies and What They Saw in Pulpit and Pew at Blisworth.”

Caleb went to the Baptist Chapel and Joshua to the Parish Church. Joshua goes on to tell of the twenty minute sermon, and that the Service was then rapidly finished with one verse from the offertory sentences, the prayer for the Church Militant, one for the post-Communion Collects, followed by the Benediction - all at which at a pace that suggested THE FINAL SPURT.  Joshua found that the villagers jocularly attributed the Rector's haste to his anxiety lest his dinner should be spoiled.  And so at 12 noon, as the clock struck the hour, the congregation were out of Church.

On rejoining his fellow reporter Caleb, who had come from the Chapel, Caleb comments to Joshua:  "Another Evangelical Service for you eh!?"  "Not exactly" replied Joshua, "I should have told you, they seem to be in a transitional state in point of ritual.  The Communion Table is, as I have said, devoid of ornament, and the Choir - of mail voices only, who have a decided tendency to get flat periodically - is not surpliced, and the Rector (the Rev. H.T. Barry) wears no cassock,  but a flowing surplice, which yet does not reach his heels. But the Eastward position is observed in the Creed, and though the Glorias are unmarked in any Way, I noticed that several people did reverence at each recurrence, of the Holy Name, as when in the reading of the Gospel as in the hymns,  Taking it therefore all in all, there is not much reason for fault finding at Blisworth Church, and though I can't say that I regard the express speed with which the service is run through as one that is worth general adoption, it need not interfere with ones enjoyment."   Caleb closes the discourse by saying: "I think that to gallop along like that is worse than being too slow.^"

(I am indebted to Mrs. B. Warren for the loan of the newspaper cutting from which the past three History issues were taken.)  Note that GF was careful to not report on the baptist service.

The interesting pen picture of our Church in 1886, conducted by the heavy bearded Rector, prompted me to ask four of our village over 80s to tell what they remembered of the Rev. H. T. Barry.

MRS. USHER of 5, Northampton Road, was a pupil of the village Endowed School in Stoke" "Road" during the time of the Rev. H.T. Barry.  At the age of 11 years Mrs. Usher, then Miss Pacey, was selected to become a pupil teacher.  The Rector paid her the pri_ncely sum of 1/- per week for her teaching duties.  Mrs. Usher also told how the girls of the village were expected to curtsy to the Rector's daughter when confronted by her in the street.
MR. A. BASFORD, 41, Conneger Leys, was then a youthful employee at Blisworth Station, and well remembers the bearded Rector loading his hunters into a horse box prior to a days hunting with the Grafton Hunt.
MR. W. ALEXANDER, l4, High Street, remembers the Rector visiting his Father's horticultural nursery at the rear of the Old Westley Mill off Stoke Road, and how when the Rector was stung on his head by a bee, was told by Mr. Alexander senior to rub the area of the sting with an onion.
MR. F. BURBIDGE, 46,   High Street, well remembers the Rector's three hunters; according to Mr. Burbidge, the Rector's three pleasures of life were his Church, his hunting, and his shooting parties.  During the hunting season he retained a head groom as well as three other men to attend to his horses.  In 1894 the Rector came a cropper in the hunting field and broke his arm.  For sixteen weeks a curate officiated.

Henry Thomas Barry M.A. resigned in 1904, after which he went on a two year world cruise.

(107)  Last month we arrived at the retirement of our 43th recorded Rector, the Rev. Henry Thomas Barry, MA. He came to Blisworth as Rector in 1884 when he succeeded his Father.  Prior to 1884 he had served as Curate at ABEFORD, Yorks, BURROUGH in Leicestershire, and nearby LITCHBOROUGH.  After twenty years at Blisworth he retired in 1904.  As customary, a presentation was made which comprised a silver tray suitably inscribed, and an illuminated address, which I have no doubt was written by the village cobbler, Mr. John Green, who lived at No. 20, Stoke Road; the sum of £20 had been collected towards the presentation articles.

Mr. W. Chester, the village wheelwright, presided over the assembled parishioners. Others present were the Rev. A.E. Chennells, the Baptist Minister, Captain P. Elmhurst, the Rector's neighbour and hunting companion, Mrs. Chester; Mrs. & Mr. Hockaday who was the village schoolmaster of the Endowed School in Stoke Road, (he was also a music teacher and a dealer in pianofortes), the Misses Holt, two hunting friends from Holcot; Mr. & Mrs. Page from Blisworth Hill Farm, (Mr. Page was a collector of the King's Taxes), Messrs. J.H. & A. Westley, Mill owners; Mr. A. Alexander, Horticulturist, who had the fine greenhouses at the rear of the Stoke Road Mill; Mr. F. Marriott the tailor; Mr. T. Sturgess the baker, who then lived in the tall house in Stoke Road and which has just been demolished; Mr. John Green, cobbler extraordinary; Mr. W. Whitlock, Sexton, clockmaker, treasurer and secretary of the Sparrow Club, together with many other parishioners.

The Rector resigned owing to ill health, hence his two years cruise following his resignation. The farewell service and sermon coincided with the Harvest Festival; the Church flowers were arranged by the Rectory gardener, Mr. Brown, who lived in the Rectory Cottage in the Gayton Road; the Choirmaster was Mr. Hockaday; the collections for the day amounted to £5. 4. 1d. which went to the Northampton General Hospital.

During the Rector's term at Blisworth, the organ was installed in 1889, the iron cemetery gates were erected for £19. 16. 2d. in 1893, and the Rector's stipend was £420. per annum.  Beside being a keen horseman, the Rector was also a staunch Conservative.

One story told to me many years ago is as follows:-  a village man named Townsend needed three signatures on his application for a job of work. Having obtained two signatures, he forthwith went to the Rectory for the third. He was shown, cap in hand, to the study. In due time the Rector appeared.

What do you want, my man?
Sir - could you give me a character?
Have you obtained any others?
Yes Sir - one from the Baptist Minister, and one from the J.P., and all I now need is yours, Sir.
What did you say your name is?
T ..T . Townsend, Sir
Why now! Didn't you speak out at a Tory meeting last week?
Y..Yes, Sir!
Then begone with you - its time you knew better than to express an opinion at a Tory meeting - but I'll sign your paper, nevertheless!  Don't do it again.

The Rev. H.T. and Mrs. Barry, however, were kindness itself to the villagers.'' At times of unemployment Mr. Barry would instruct Mr. Perkins, the village butcher, to supply meat unlimited to families in need. Mrs. Barry would request her cook to make and distribute jellys to the sick of the village, and to add to them wine glass measures of port, according to their degree of illness...and her instructions were on one occasion,  a Mrs. Mallard was to have a jelly with three glasses of port added, but the cook, thinking that she knew Mrs. Mallard's sickness requirements better, added two glasses of wine and drank the third herself !!.....so village life went on!

A weather note of 1895, March 24th. A great storm swept the village -trees were uprooted - chimney pots strewn - slates and thatch blown off - outhouses were levelled to the ground - but there were no accidents to life and limb. I'm quite sure that the Rector did much to alleviate the hardships of those in need after the storm.

(108)   We have now arrived at the third and last in line of the three generations of the Barry family who were our Rectors from 1839 to 1914.

WILLIAM HENRY BARRY became our 49th recorded Rector in 1904.  He was born at Burrough on the Hill in Leicestershire and christened William Henry, but was destined to be called "Harry" from an early age and throughout his lifetime. His first name "William" was that of his Grandfather (our Rector from 1339-1894), his second name "Henry" was taken from his Father (our Rector 1884-1904).  It was therefore a happy note that he was called "Harry", for this later saved many people from much confusion over the identity of the three generations.

Young Harry Barry's juvenile days were passed at Winchester College. Later, when at Cambridge, his attention was turned seriously to the Church. He took his BA in 1898, but his ordination did not take place until three years later. His MA followed in 1902 when he was made Priest by Bishop Mitchinson in the absence of Bishop Glyn, who was suffering from the effects of a serious riding accident.  There is no doubt at all that the Rev. Harry Barry was a keen horseman and follower of the hounds, and I am prompted to think that the "Quorn", as well as the Church, attracted him to Melton Mowbrey, where for two years he spent a busy time ministering to the needs of 8,000 parishioners.  He worked hard with all the enthusiasm of his fervent nature which won him golden opinions. Regretfully, in 1903, he left the bustling atmosphere of Melton Mowbrey and returned to the tranquility of the family parish at Blisworth, complete with its "pretty little Church and slumbrous serenity".

When in the course of a few months he had familiarised himself with the people and parochial ways, the Rector (his Father) who was also the Patron, handed over the Living to his son "Harry".  Soon, the new Rector, together with his wife, took the family place in the affections of the people.  He followed in the traditions of his family as a Conservative in the field of Politics.  It is still remembered that he never attempted to conceal his views an questions of the day.   The Rev. Harry Barry, like his Father had been, soon became a notable hunting parson.  The "Grafton Field" we are told, consisted of a large number of farmers, a few resident Squires, and a "nice sprinkling of Parsons," for whom all seemingly had the greatest regard, and of whom it was thought that one of their greatest duties on earth was to countenance and encourage good fellowship via the hunting field !! Of our Rector it was reported that "he had a rider's cheery disposition, and infectious geniality, fully enjoying a smart run with the Grafton on a cold and frosty morning."  It was also reported that during much of the last century it was not easy for the village people (and the Grafton supporters) to imagine Blisworth Rectory without a Barry in occupation in the dual capacity of Priest and Squire.

The sands of time, however, were running out for the Barry family. In 1914 the Rev. Harry Barry resigned from the Living at Blisworth and thus ended three quarters of a century of successive Barry Rectors and Residents of Blisworth Rectory, which had been built by the first Barry in 1841.

(Much of the information contained in this issue comes from a privately published book of 1900 entitled "Northamptonshire Leaders Social and Political" in which two pages are dedicated to the life of the Rev. Harry (W.H.) Barry)

(109)  In the April of 1905, the new Rector held his first Vestry. New Wardens and Officers were duly appointed.  There was one vacancy for an ancient and important post, for William "Clocky" Whitlock, the Sexton and Parish Clerk, had recently died after serving his Church for 34 years.  The Rector announced that the vacancy of Sexton would be filled by the appointment of  MR.WILLIAM AYRES, who was certainly no stranger to our Church. His Father had been a choir member for seventy years, which would go back to the time when the choir and musicians would occupy the minstrels' gallery which was then at the rear of the Church. On his retirement he was presented with a walking stick and address.

For 43 years of his earlier life the new Sexton had held a rather unique job as mail messenger. Dressed in his scarlet tunic, blue trousers and gold braided cap, Mr. Ayres dealt with the incoming and outgoing mails which came by train to Blisworth for the surrounding area.  The trains did not stop to discharge the mail bags, but both delivery and collection was done via a special apparatus beside the railway line.

Mr. Ayres lived with his wife and family in 27, High Street, on the corner of Church Lane and High Street.  Four children were born to William and Clara Ayres; one died at 11 years, another son, Cecil, was killed in World War 1, two days before the Armistice.  A daughter, Ethel, became a Sunday School Teacher and conducted her classes regularly for 40 years; she also played the organ for children's Services.  The other son, Edgar Thomas, also became a choir member at the age of 14 years.

In a Vestry minute of April 1st 1921, a later Rector recorded:-"...to the general feeling of regret at the resignation of Mr. William Ayres as Parish Clerk and Sexton for reasons of health after 16 years of office." Grateful parishioners presented him with an armchair. The next Sexton was W.J. Whitlock, who held the job of Sexton until 1956.  Then in October 1956, Mr. Edgar (or better known to us as "Eddie") Ayres was appointed Sexton, and is still in office as such, together with his regular presence as a tenor voice in the choir, and still going strong after some 65 years to date.  On June 4th 1972, he was 80 years old, and it is on that score that I dedicate this history note to all members, past and present, of the Ayres family who have served the Church so faithfully.  I also take the liberty on behalf of all readers to wish Mr. Ayres many happy returns of his 80th birthday.

As a topical point of interest to those far off days of 1905, the first balance sheet to face the new Rector was as follows:-

RECEIPTS PER YEAR
Collections                                               £20.  3.   10½d.
     ..         for poor                                     11.   0.   1½d.
     ..    Sunday School                                 2.    9.   11.
     ..      Chair Fund                                     2.  18.   3½d.
     ..      Northampton Hospital                    5.    4.    1.
     ..      Diocesan Assn.                              2.   10.   0.
Land Rent                                                 20.    0.    0.
Sale of Sticks                                                      4.    0.
Donations                                                    1.    5.    0.

Expenditure covering Salaries, fees, coals, oil and sundries, was  £51. 17. Id.  The immediate structural work needed was for repairs to the Wake Chapel window, south aisle, walls and roof.  Extra collections were taken twice monthly to meet the restoration costs.

(110)   The Rev. "Harry" Barry, Rector 1904-1914.   Queen Victoria died in the 64th year of her reign on 22nd Jan 1901: it was not just the end of a reign, it was the end of an era. She was succeeded by the coronation of her eldest son Edward VII.  Both of these two national occasions were duly marked by the village people, one of mourning, and the latter by village celebration of harmony and convivial mirth; the Church marking the occasion by a special Service.

The Rector spent ten halcyon Edwardian years at Blisworth.  (King Edward died in 1910, the Rector vacated the living at Blisworth in 1914.) The Duke of Grafton was still the Landlord of most of the village; cottage rents were approximately £2 per annum; the villagers, some rich but mostly not so rich, divided their affections and loyalties between the Church and the Chapel, and attendances were good.  The children of the village went to one or the other of the Stoke Road Schools (one "infant" and the other the "senior").  The Rector was a chief trustee of the School, which was still governed by the ancient Wake Endowment trust.  Compulsory Education was not yet fifty years of age, but already there were signs of discontent over the Church administration and the overcrowding.

I should imagine that the Edwardian age suited our Rector.  We are told that at times he possessed six hunters, and one carriage horse; this meant the full employment of a stud groom and two ordinary grooms: the Rectory gardens were well maintained by a gardener and a gardener's boy, who would also help in the house.  The household was similarly endowed with a staff to administer to the needs of the Rector and his family.  Naturally, the Rector was a great supporter of the Grafton Hunt.  His neighbour - the aging Captain Elmburst, was a very notable horseman.  The two men would often ride out together, and it was customary whenever possible for the boys of the village to open the field and bridle gates for the horse riders, for which service they received a small tip. One village lad on receiving three pence from the Rector, remarked "Thank you, Sirl You're a gentleman." To which the Rev. "Harry" replied, "Well, boy, in that case here is another three pence."

Church "highlights" were the Sunday School Outings, Feast Week cele­brations and Services, Choir Outings, concerts, Bell Ringers Outings, and the annual Choir Supper at which the great "roasts" were carved, and the glasses were often emptied and refilled! Many were the stories told of those Suppers, presided over by the Rector and the Wardens.

1906 saw the inauguration of the Parochial Church Council of twenty members.

(111)  The Rev. Harry Barry, 1904 - 1914.     One of the duties of the Rector was to regularly visit the day school in Stoke Road and to give religious instruction, which included the Catechism.  From the last Century the village Baptist leaders had objected to the teaching of the Catechism to Baptist children, together with the influence of the Church over the school.  Some Baptists in fact took their children away from the Blisworth School and sent them to the National School at Roade which was completely non-denominational.  By 1906 their protests, coupled with general dissatisfaction of the school and the over­crowding, brought about the condemnation of the Ancient Wake Endowed School which had served the Village and its scholars for 400 years.  The School, however, did not close down until 1913 on May 30th.

Mr. Hockaday, the Schoolmaster, resigned in 1906, to be followed by a new young master, Mr. A. Green.  Up to his retirement, and for many years, Mr. Hockaday had also been Choirmaster.  It was during the Rev. Harry's time that the choir was surpliced. The Organist over a period of 35 years was the Butcher's wife, Mrs. Lucy Perkins who, before her marriage, was a Miss Haskins, a daughter of the last Schoolmaster at the nearby Courteenhall Grammar School. Mrs. Perkins played well and sang loud to her own accompaniment. Often at a winter Service she would spread her handkerchiefs out across the keys of the organ to keep her fingers from direct contact with the cold 'ivories'.

A popular Service at this time was the Harvest Festival which was held on a Thursday evening. The Church had many farmer supporters who, in family assembly, regularly attended. Their names are still remembered and spoken about amongst the older villagers.  They were the GUDGEONS, WORSTERS, CARTERS, ROPERS and MONTGOMERYS.  Another very useful member of the Congregation was JOHN GREEN the cobbler of Stoke Road, who, especially at Christmas, decorated the Church with his colourful and fabricated devices.  Across the screen rood would be the words: "Glory to God in the Highest".

Bible Class was conducted by Mrs. Barry at the Rectory (in the Butler's Pantry), and the Sunday School was well attended at the School, later to become 'The Old School". (The same situation exists today, but definitely not in the pantry!)

A popular Church innovation was the "Penny Club".  This Club was in all probability started by the Rector's Grandfather.  A penny per week was collected from the Sunday School pupils, and was later annually paid out in voucher form worth 5/5d, which could be cashed at MRS. CAVE's clothing shop in the Stoke Road.  This house with its bay shop window was recently demolished in the Bacon Factory site clearance.  Thriftiness amongst the cottagers was considered a great virtue. The cash difference between the 4/4d  paid in and the 5/5d paid out, was met by the Church. This sum of 5/5d went a long way towards a child's clothing or boots.

The new Council School, freed from the control of the Church, was opened in June, 1913.  A photograph taken at the opening shows the two new Managers, MR. A. ALEXANDER and the REV. A. E. CHENNELS, and standing alongside are MR. & MRS. JOHN WESTLEY.  Note the Managers and the Westleys were Baptists.  The Rev. "Harry" Barry is also on the photograph looking, I consider, a little solemn at this occasion when the Church was handing over the reins of the village education to the State.

The Rev. "Harry" and Mrs. Barry had two children, a boy and a girl.  The. boy, David, did not follow in the footsteps of the three former generations.  I wonder how disappointed his father was in not handing over the Living to a 4th generation member of the Barry family?

Change and war were in the air.  In 1914 the Rev. "Harry" Barry vacated the ancestral Rectory built by his Grandfather in 1841 - thus ending 73 years of three successive 'father to son' Blisworth Parsons.

(112)   In this and the next history notes I shall attempt to tidy up the story of the Barry families, and their long service to the Church and village.  I will call them "Barry Gleanings".  Had the family not come from Whitby in 1839 (when the first of the three Barrys became our Rector) we might never have had the new Rectory in 1841, nor the Church restored so heavily in the mid-last century. But change is inevitable, though sometimes lamented.  I think I would have preferred the old Church with its flat lead covered roof and its ancient twisted oak timbers, the box pews and the three-decker pulpit.

Last month I mentioned the Rev. 'Harry' Barry's children, David and Bessie.  Thanks to our Sexton, Mr. E. Ayres, I was able to contact Mr. David Barry at far away Budleigh Salterton, who very kindly answered a few queries relating to his family.  Mr. David Barry wrote that he left Blisworth in the month before World War I was declared, in 1914, at the age of seven years.  He therefore does not have any great recollection of the village.  Of his sister I knew even less, although local legend stated that Miss Barry (the Rev. Harry's daughter) had married an artist named John.  This story was also related to me recently by Mrs. W. Harris.  So I asked Mr. David Barry if his sister had in fact married Augustus John, the great painter. Mr. Barry in his letter said 'No' to my question, but "she did marry a son of Augustus John."  (note: Augustus John's first wife was Ida Nettleship, and his second wife was called "Dorelia".  There were several sons from these two marriages.)

Of general family history, Mr. David Barry stated that he remembered little, also that he had no family photographs, and only brief family records, for, he wrote, "my working life was spent abroad."  He did confirm that the Barry ancestors prior to coming to Blisworth in 1839 were ship builders at Whitby, and that William, who was later to became our first Barry Rector was born near Whitby. The reason given for the termination of the Barry family shipbuilding enterprise, was when the wooden ships of the day became too large to be launched in the harbour at Whitby.

Of local history, Mr. David Barry subscribed an item of interest - he remarks that his Grandfather (I think he must mean his Great Grandfather) contracted typhoid through carrying a housewife upstairs and putting her to bed, after he had found her very ill in her chair when he called upon her at Blisworth Arm.  However, this all ties up with another local legend that a boat woman had brought the wretched disease to Blisworth. On looking through the Register of Burials I found two entries relating to typhus.  Entry No. 516, February 8th, 1851, records that Helen Broadway of Blisworth Hotel died at the age of 26 years of typhus fever, and a following entry Mo. 518, March 10th, 1851, tells of the death of William Carter aged 16 years 3 months, who also died of typhus: this I consider all relates to a village outbreak of typhus, to which Mr. David Barry refers, and which affected his Great Grandfather, but I will later confirm this.

Mr. David Barry concludes by telling of his father's departure from Bliswarth in 1914, when he took the living at Stretton in Rutland until 1927, After that he moved to Wittering in the Soke of Peterborough, where he remained until 1935.  After the death of his wife he returned and lived in a room at Fotheringay until his death in 1946, thus bringing to a close the three successive generations of the family Barry, who, from father to son, had been our Rectors from 1839 - 1914.

(113)   For this month's notes I have taken a look at the Vestry Meetings held during the incumbency of the first of the Barry Rectors, the Rev. Wm. Barry, M.A., 1839-1884.  Church expenses were very small in relation to today, and collections were only taken occasionally - the greatest expenditure was when in 1856 the Church was completely restored and re-roofed. The Rector paid his 'Moity', or 1/I0th of the total cost (£104.  5.  10½d) out of his own money.

Confirmations were popular and well supported.  A typical one held in 1842 saw 21 parishioners confirmed; afterwards they enjoyed a hot dinner and ales at the cost to the Church of l/9d per head. The Rector, his Warden Mr. Gibbs, and the Sexton Jos. Davis, also partook of the feast, but they must have had a 3d extra each, for their bill came to 2/- per head which likewise was paid by the Church.

An interesting note, too, is recorded of a Confirmation at Towcester in 1861, when the Rector hired a vehicle to take him there. The vestry entry reads thus:  "To Whitlock, horse and van, to Towcester, 5/-, toll fees and ostler, l/6d."   This would have been the toll gate situated near to the present Tiffield turn, and the Whitlock could have been the young "Clocky" Whitlock, the Uncle of our late Sexton William liJhitlock.  In August of the same year the Rev. Puckle (Curate) went to a confirmation at Northampton, and again Whitlock, horse and van were employed.  5/6d was charged by Whitlock for the day, and the Rev. Puckle's additional expenses amounted to 19/-.

For many years the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was only administered four times each year, but as the last Century progressed, so did the number of communions.  In 1871 the number had risen to thirteen services for the year.  A pint of wine was allocated for each communion, which in 1840 was l/3d per pint, gradually increasing to 2/6d per pint by 1870.  The Sexton/Clerk of 1842 was Joseph Davis (a name which still has connections with some of our older village families). He received around £7.16.3d. per annum.  In 1842 it was resolved at the Vestry Meeting "that in future no charge be allowed to the Clerk for cleaning the Plate, Candlesticks, or Church Yard, the regular salary being thought quite ample for all his duties!"

In 1850 the name Taylor appears as Sexton at £1.8.8d per quarter (the entry for his death in 1863 records William Taylor PARISH CLERK aged 76 years). Some years later the name Davis reappears as Sexton, to be followed in 1873 by Mr. William "Clocky" Whitlock.  (Kelly's directory for 1894 gives Whitlock William, Watch and Clock Maker).

The Church clock naturally gets an occasional mention as well as a frequent oiling.  1858 - Cleaning Clock, 5/6d.  1862 - Pd. to W. Whitlock for repairs to clock, 7/6d.  In 1871 the Clock face is painted and gilded for the cost of £2. 1. 6d.  (nearly 100 years later this same operation was performed Free of Charge by Messrs. John Percival and Bruce Jongman.)

1973

(114)   Gleanings continued   Of our Church heating systems prior to 1800 we seem to know little.  It is fairly certain that Blisworth Church would have seen charcoal braziers in use, for wood and charcoal were readily available in Midland Northants.  Records from the past from other Churches also state that straw was laid down on the pew floors for the winter comfort of the worshippers.

Coal first came to Blisworth in quantity by the canal.  From around 1797 hundreds of tons of coal were unloaded on to the wharf next to the Mill Bridge at 10d per cwt.  From our own records it does not appear that our Church rushed straight in to the "coal rush" for heating.  It is not until 1840 that the records mention coal.  By the first amounts of coal purchased it can be presumed that there was just one small free standing stove in Church, for the account of 1840 states that only 7/1½d worth of coal was used.  Regular purchases of coal follow from then on, rising up to the outrageous figure of 1/- per cwt. by 1859 when 12 cwt. was bought.  New heating methods could have been installed by 1872, for John Davis wan paid regularly for "lighting and stoking fires and for cleaning flues".  For such services he was paid occasionally the sum of 6/-.  By 1873 the coal account suddenly rises to £4.  12.  1½d.

At a Vestry of 1882 Captain Maunsell of Blisworth House proposed that "the warming of the Church be adjusted...the present plan being quite ineffective". He gained the full support of the meeting and presumably something was done. The old heating stores of Captain Maunsell's day still exist under the gratings in the aisles.  This system was hot air only (plus bad fumes often).  At a later date an outside boiler house was built and the Church became heated by hot water radiators.  Now it is oil-fired at the cost of £115.69 annually.

The transition from candles to oil lamps also came about last century.  It would appear that oil lamps did not appear in our Church until around 1867/8. (The Baptist Chapel changed over from candles to Oil lamps in 1861).  In 1867 the Church purchased "Lamps and Oil" for £1. 2. 0d.  In 1873 a lamp and post was erected at the Church gate at a cost of £2.  0.  0d.  Evidently an improvement for the Church lighting was called for in 1876, for £10.  16.  6d. was spent on new oil lamps.

From oil (wick feed) lamps the Church progressed to oil 'mantle' lamps, which had to be pressurised (Primus style).  These lamps certainly gave both light and heat and amusement, for often they were very temperamental, and many of us remember the hissing noises and failures of those lamps, especially when the Sexton had to pump them up during a Service!  It was not until March 1931 that a meeting discussed the 'new' form of lighting, and it was proposed by Mr. E. Griffith, seconded by Mr. J. Digby, that "the Parish Church of Blisworth be lighted by Electricity"...this proposal met with the unanimous approval of all present.

The Insurance of our Church throughout the early days of the Rev. W. Barry was £1 annually, rising to £1. 10. 0d. after the turn of the last century.  Our present insurance coverage is £89.32.  Annual Church expenditure for 1841 was £17. 18. 4d. rising to £52. 14.  3d. by 1871.  Today's annual expenditure is £733.39 plus a further £81.61 for repairs to the fabric of the Church.

(115)   This month we will continue to record a few more costs of Church maintenance during the last century, particularly during the period of the 3 Barry Rectors.   Over the long years past the care and attention to Churchyard grass and paths has taken a considerable amount of man's time.  As labour was so plentiful and cheap the cost of maintenance was not so difficult.  Gravel for the paths was easy to obtain, and there are regular entries of gravel purchased.  In jumping the years, the last large consignment of 18 tons of gravel came from Cosgrove to Blisworth by canal boat, transported free of charge by the Grand Junction Canal Company.  That was in 1926.

An account entry for 1852 records that 1/- was paid for "tidying up the Churchyard."  A load of stones for the Churchyard wall cost 3/- in 1856. A new gate to the Churchyard cost £1.  1.  0d. in the same year and £20 in 1968. There was also a goodly amount of window repairs, but seldom was the charge for glazing more than l/3d.  Church windows were often cleaned for 2/-. Samuel Goode was paid 3/6d for cleaning out all Church gutters and spouts. Bell ropes were sometimes bought or repaired from and by Mr. J. Amos (ropemaker) of Stoke Bruerne.

In 1865 the new cemetery was dedicated and opened for public use: the construction of the new burial ground was by Mr. R. Dunkley, and the charge (which must have included the stone walls surrounding) was £135.  16.  0d.  The members of the Dunkley family were of the village, and they 'cashed in' during the boom time of the Railway - 1837 onwards.

This new cemetery demanded an increase in the labour force, but there appears to be no problem in getting workers.  An average of 2/6d was paid to the elders of the village for a day's work in keeping the paths and grass in order (rising to 3/6d per day by 1903.)  John Davis was paid 3/- for rolling and weeding the cemetery paths.  The grass-mowings was sold in lots of 1/- value.  Faggot wood from the trees was also sold.  Another interesting item of expenditure was when in 1873  Mr. W. Sturgess of Roads was paid the sum of 2/- for replacing slates on the Church roof, and presumably this would involve ladders etc. and cartage from Roadel  Around 1890 the Church weekly cleaning cost 13/- per quarter.

During the mid 19th Century  restoration of the Church, new pews were packed in at every angle. There were pews right up to the Screen on the loft hand side of the Chancel.  In 1883 it was resolved to remove some of the forward pews in order to construct a passage way for the Rector to move from the Vestry to the Reading Desk.  This narrow passage is still well known to the wedding parties who have to negotiate it when going to the Vestry to sign the Registers.

The last of the Barry Rectors resigned in 1914.  A pattern of Church and village life also went with him.  The 1914-1918 war contributed to an even greater change, which we will deal with later on.

(116)   Before we leave the last Century and the Barry regime, we will take a look at the funerals of that period in which the Church took a major part. Last month I mentioned the opening of the new cemetery in 1865. Previously, and for some 800 years the village people had been buried in the churchyard surrounding the Church.  The first villager to be interred in the new cemetery was MARY CLARKE aged 22 years (Register No. 686).  Entries 687 and 689 tell of two members of the CHAMBERS family who died of the dreaded smallpox ... these two burials took place in the evening at 8.45pm and 9.30pm (Earlier in the century smallpox victims were buried at midnight.)  Entry 690 records EMMA BIRCH, born and died in a boat on the canal, aged 4 days. Entry 692 tells of the burial of WILLIAM TAYLDR the Parish Clerk, who died aged 76 years. From 1813 to 1872 approximately 800 persons were buried either in the old or the new burial grounds.  This figure does not include the burials in the Baptist graveyard.

In the following broad breakdown of those burials the heavy toll of young people is evident.

Ages 1 - 5 ... 281 burials                              6 - 10 ... 28 burials
        10 - 20 ...  62                                     20 - 40   ... 113 
        40 - 60 ...  96                                     60 - 100 ... 232 

Of the last group only four of the 232 reached 90 years (two died at 90, one at 91 and one at 93).  Ripe old age was therefore not so common as one imagines.  Throughout the past Centuries, villagers lived in dread of a pauper funeral. The Rector and Wardens, through the office of the Vestry Meetings, were often called upon to assist the bereaved with their funeral expenses. I will include a few extracts of monies handed out:-

1820 To MRS. DENTON for bread and cheese for the Carriers and Layers Out         4/9d.
Ale and gin for ditto                                                                                                     3/11d.
WM. Dunkley for making and supplying coffin                                                         £1. 0. 0d.
Other funeral expenses                                                                                                 6/3d.

1824  16/- (80p) was paid out for a coffin for Mary Carter; the Carriers received 4/-  (20p) and the Parish Clerk 4/-.

Around 1869 our late Sexton's Father, W. John Whitlock, was a self employed carpenter and undertaker. His charge for making a good English elm coffin complete with trimmings, was from £1. 1. 0d. to £1. 15. 0d. At that time a coffin for a child cost from 8/- to 13/6d, painted white, with lace trimmings, and tinsel angels decorating the lid and sides.  Breast or name plates cost 2/6d, lace was 1d per foot, tinsel angels and flowers 7d each.

It was only the monied people who hired horse-drawn hearses to carry the coffin.  The average cottagers' coffin was carried shoulder high by 4  or 6 hired men.  Such labour was always readily available, for most village men were employed locally, their employers giving permission at short notice.  Such jobs were welcomed by the bearers (or carriers) for it meant a break from the daily toil on the land, the best suit and bowler hat would come out of the 'moth balls', and finally there was always food and drink provided by the deceased family members.  The Church retained a 'Village Pall' which was loaned out.  This cloth covering was draped over the coffin, thus also covering the bearers. To enable the two leaders to see where they were rising, the pall was turned back at the front end. On arriving at the Church the bier was used.  The present public bier is still stored at the Church for anybody to use, and is the property of the Parish Council. Our late Sexton, William Thomas Whitlock, was also a village carpenter and undertaker.

In concluding these notes of funerals in which the Church was so involved, I would like to record an extract from my Father's own accounts. He too was a wheelwright, carpenter and village undertaker (operating from the premises which are now the Central Garage). The following is a typical account of the pre-World War I period, and is dated 1914:-

To making an Elm Coffin, Black furnishings, lining same, and attendance at funeral         £1.  10.  0d.
Supply one Shroud                                                                                                                4.  6d.
Clergyman & Sexton fees                                                                                                      9.  6d.
Bearers fees                                                                                                            each       2.  0d.
Refreshments                                                                                                                         2.  6d.
making the grand sum of £2.  14.  6d. for a dignified village funeral.

I doubt whether at that time any villager even knew the word 'Cremation' or its meaning, let alone know .that by 1973 the majority of commitals would be by Cremation.

(117)   Our Church Warden account books are so full of interest, rela­ting to our village, that I am including another extract from the last century.  One fact stands our very clearly, and this was the extreme poverty of the general labourer.  The Church, through the office of the Vestry Meetings, collected by local taxes and redistributed the money to the needy.  Each parish was quite willing to support its own people, but strangers in need were quickly passed on to another perish, or if cash was handed out, it was charged to their own parish.

On looking through a series of entries I noticed that Mrs. Catherine Griffin (presumably a native of Blisworth) was stranded at Stony Stratford at a time of expecting a child. The authorities there, not wishing to have a baby and mother on their hands, dispatched the expectant mother back to Blisworth.  The Blisworth wardens, confronted with an urgent case, forthwith sent a Mrs. Plowman to Northampton to purchase the necessary bedding for the poor Mrs. Griffin.  One flock mattress, two blankets and one pair of sheets cost the wardens £2 and Mrs. Plowman received 1/- (5p) for her efforts.  The new baby was born the same evening and was duly named Mary.  It later appears that the baby's father deserted his family, for in July a warden goes to Northampton for a summons against James Griffin, The account book records the following:-

July 3rd 1818 Pd for a summons for James Griffin                        2. 0d.
Tolls and Hostler                                                                             8d.
Own Expenses                                                                            1. 6d.

followed by July 4th 1818 Going to Nortahmpton with  James Griffin

Toll & Hostler                                                                                 7d.
Self, eating end Ale                                                                      2. 0d.
(no mention of feeding or watering James!)
Paid for Mittimus*                                                                       1. 0d.  
* MITTIMUS - a warrant of commitment to prison or a writ to remove a suit to another court.

No immediate entries follow relating to this village affair, but on April 1st 1821, a sad note is recorded in the Burial register:-  "Mary, the daughter of James and Catherine Griffin (died) aged 2 yrs. 9 mths."

(118)   For this month's history notes we go back to the beginning of the last century, and I shall attempt to relate a most interesting story of the Rector of Blisworth, immediately prior to the Barry occupation of the Living.

On April 19th, 1797, the Rev. John Ambrose, B.A., was inducted at Blisworth. His Patron was George Finch-Hatton.  During the next eight years the new Rector saw the completion of the canal and the Blisworth Tunnel. He also met, through marriages, births and deaths, many of the new families whose men folk had come to work on the canal construction at Blisworth. The Rev. John Ambrose occupied the Old Rectory (now demolished) next to the Church. His predecessor, Nathaniel Trotter, had died at Blisworth on 15th February, 1797, so there had not been a long period of interregnum.

Amongst the first of the entries in the Registers written in by the new Rector, appear names whose descendants are still with us:-

"John, son of John and Martha Clarke  -  Baptised June 25th, 1797"

"Ann, daughter of Timothy and Sarah Whitmore of the Parish of Hinckley, Leicestershire  -  Born July 30th, 1797"

"Ann, daughter of George and Elizabeth Plowman"        etc.....

It was customary for the Officiating Rector to sign the Registers whenever the Archdeacon inspected them.  At the March, 1807, Visitation, John Ambrose, Rector, duly signs, underlining his name with a delightful flourish of penmanship (this signature was not to appear again until the year 1836). In 1810 the Registers are again inspected by the Archdeacon, but this time the entries are signed by the Curate, Joseph Sturges. There must have been a dispute over this signing, for the Curate's name is crossed out and above it is written the name "Maria Ambrose", who we must assume was the Rector's wife and who was signing for her husband ... but where was he?

The following Visitation in 1812 was again signed by J. Sturges, Officiating Minister ... no mention is made of either the Rector or his wife. Soon afterwards the Rev. J. Sturges departs from Blisworth and his post is taken by another Curate, the Rev. Wm.. Butlin.  It is now obvious that the Rector has absented himself from the village, for at the 1811 assessment of the Rev. Ambrose's rates for £5. 12. 3d., the cash was not forthcoming ... neither was he.  Also, at this same time, a sequestrator is appointed to handle the affairs of the Church in the Rector's absence.  In searching through the registers, the Rev. Ambrose's signature disappears from the years 1807 - 1836, entries being signed mainly by the faithful Curate, the Rev. Wm. Butlin.

At the beginning of the 19th Century, young Lord Althorp was a great sportsman, a Patron of Boxing and a gambler. His companions not only included the great prize fighters and pugilists of the day, but also his associates included the Prince Regent, Lord Byron ... AND Parson Ambrose, Rector of Blisworth: a man too well known in sporting circles.  Because of our Rector's connections with such a mixed company, he was soon enveloped in debts through his gambling.  It was said that he disgraced a profession which he might have adorned, for he was clever, and had a remarkably fine delivery. On the death of the great actor, Charles Macklin, the Rev. Ambrose was left the sum of £50 to preach the Actor's Funeral Sermon. Around the year 1808, Lord Althorp reports that Parson Ambrose of Blisworth is obliged to flee the country from his creditors, after which it was reported that he died abroad in misery and want.

Here again our story could hove ended had the Rev. Ambrose died abroad. The rumour of his death could well have been a 'hatched up story' to silence his Creditors?  This we shall never know, but we do know that he did not die abroad, for he re-appeared at Blisworth in 1836 still our Rector!  From that date his signatures are added to the registers until 1839.  Also, he does net return alone, for he brings a wife by another name and two teenaged daughters.  This evidence comes from two entries in the Baptism Register:-

Entry 613.  Juliana, daughter of the Rev. John Ambrose and Juliana (his second wife?  Maria was his first)

March 26th  1837      NB  This child was born at Nantes in France, Jan. 23rd 1825 - there being neither Protestant Place of Worship
                                          or Protestant Clergyman.

Entry 614.  Emma, daughter of the Rev. Ambrose and Juliana his wife.

                                  NB  This child was born at Nantes in France, July 18th 1833 - there being neither Protestant Place of Worship
                                         or Protestant Clergyman.

Both girls were baptised at Blisworth by their Father. Poor Juliana did not live long to enjoy her new home in England, for she died at Stony Stratford later in 1837, aged 12 years, and was buried at Blisworth on December 24th 1837.

The last of the old Rector's signatures appears in the Burial Register on March 15th 1839, when he conducts the funeral of a village child of one month old. By June of 1839 Parson Ambrose himself was dead. On June 6th, the prodigal Rector, aged 71 years, was buried by a new Curate, the Rev. E. R. Butcher.

On October l^th, 1839, the first signature of the Rev. Urn. Barry appears, thus beginning the long period of the three members of the Barry family, our Rectors from 1839 to 1914.

(119)  Fallowing last month's story of our 19th Century runaway Rector, and of the Curate who conducted our Church Services so faithfully, it has been suggested that I follow up by telling of the succession of Curates at Blisworth from 1800 to 1903.

From the earliest times of the Church, the Clergy needed assistance. This was supplied by two important people, one being the Clerk (or Sexton) who rang the bell, prepared the service books, assisted in the singing, maintained the font water, and sometimes taught in the village school, etc. The other helper was the Curate, whose main office was to assist in the actual Services and, if licenced, to conduct Baptisms, funerals, weddings, etc.

A 17th Century Curate received £28 to £40 per annum.  If he was a bachelor, he would either reside at the Rectory on payment of his board. If a family man he would rent a cottage and, owing to his small wage, he often had to augment his income by teaching, or even manual work around the village.  Curates in general were expected to be of a high standard of education, and to be approved and licensed by the Bishop. Many, however, were not of such high standard and remained unlicensed, but they appeared to find it easy to get a situation in the rural areas, particularly where the village Parson could not pay high wages.

By the 18th Century, the Bishops attempted to keep a stricter control over the Curates, and a scale of wages was drawn up, £60 per annum being a maximum wage, but no mention was made of a minimum wage. By an Act of George III (1796) the maximum stipend for a Curate was £75 per annum, but there are records of the minimum paid as law as £20. By this same Act a sum of £8,000 was set aside by the Church Authorities to assist the underpaid Curates.

One Curate who called upon this reserve fund was a Blisworth Curate named the Rev. Edward Gillesby who served our notorious Rector, the Rev. John Ambrose, during the early years of his incumbency here.  It may well have been that the Rector, because of his gambling debts, had no cash for his Curate's wages.  Hence the Curate was forced to apply to the 3ishop of Peterborough for relief money.  In 1805 he received £52.10.0d. A year later ho obtained £40.  In 1807/8 he got the sums of £35 and £30 respectively, but was cut down to £25 in 1809. The next year he was refused assistance. This refusal and the sudden departure of the Rector could well have prompted him to leave Blisworth - which he did.

For a brief period a temporary Curate was installed, the Rev. Jos. Sturgess. His wife died and was buried at Blisworth in April 1812, after which he left. The next Curate appointed was the Rev. William Butlin in 1813. We do not know what the sequestrators paid him, but he stuck steadfastly to the village Church until 1836 when the aging Rector returned from France. Far a brief time the Rev. Ambrose was assisted by two Curates, the Rev. L.J.H. Thornbury followed by the Rev. E.R. Butcher.

Following the death of the Rector, the Rev. Ambrose, in 1839, the vacancy was soon taken up by the first of the Barry Rectors.  A previous Curate, the Rev. U.J. Butlin, returned to assist the new Rector, fallowed in rather quick succession by the following Curates:  The Rev. T.A. Kershaw, the Rev. J.G. Warburton, the Rev. W.S. Scott, the Rev. F. Shepherd, the Rev. C. Turner and then the Rev. C.I.S. Bowles from 1847 to 1850.

The next licenced Curate was the Rev. W.H. Pengelly, whose annual wage was £80. From 1855 to 1858 we had a very popular Curate, the Rev. Walter Lowe Clay, B.A., who on his resignation received a gift of a silver salver from a grateful Rector and Parishioners. This salver was returned as a gift to our Church fairly recently.

The next Curate to sign on was the Rev. Edwin Puckle, B.A., who was paid £90 for the first year, with a rise to £100 for the following years. He served at Blisworth from 1859 to 1868, and we referred to Mr. Puckle earlier in these notes when he claimed travel and subsistence allowance for taking confirmees to Towcester.  For a very short period the Rev. Barry was assisted by a Rev. W. Stephenson, but he was not registered as a Curate.

In 1869 a new Curate was engaged, the Rev. Montague Pain, BA. He commenced at £80 for the first year, rising to £100 for the following years. The next Curate, who only put in a brief appearance and was evidently only a 'fill-gap', was the Rev. W.L. Henderson.

1873 saw the new Curate, the Rev. William Owen, B.A., at £100 per annum followed by the Rev. Edward John Boxome at £130 p.a.

1876 the Rev. John Warburton Robinson MA. took over the Curacy at the up­lifted wage of £140 .p.a. and in 1877 saw yet another Curate, the Rev. Richard Longworth, B.A., at £140 p.a., and in 1880 there was another change and a long name, the Rev. John Stuart George Beresford Lucas, who also received £140 p.a.  In 1882 the Rev. Charles Edward Ellwood signed on as Curate.  The Bishop's Certificate began thus: "Greeting, we do by these Presents give and grant unto you in whose Fidelity, Morals, Learning, Sound Doctrine, Diligence etc."

But after a Century of recorded Curates at Blisworth, the need, or funds to pay for them, was coming to an end. The last Curate to serve Blisworth was our own Rector's son, William Henry Barry (known as Harry Barry). He registered to serve his Father, the aging Henry Thomas Barry, in December 1903, and then become our Rector in November 1904 until 1914. For his one year of Curacy at Blisworth his wage was £100.

(120)   For the time being we will leave the last century, especially from 1839-1914, during which time Blisworth was served by the three generations of the Barry Rectors. William Henry Barry (Harry) was the last one, leaving Blisworth for Stretton in Rutland in 19l4.   There followed a brief interregnum, after which a new bachelor Rector came.  He was the Rev. William Wingfield Colley, MA., who was instituted on August 17th 1914.  In 1915 he journeyed to Ireland to marry, bringing his wife back to Blisworth Rectory; two daughters were later born, the Misses Betty and Esme.

The new Rector was not a hunting man, so he neither had horse nor horse conveyance. He did, however, "puff" around the village on his bicycle for many years.  Later on he had a car, but this his wife drove. The Rev. Colley was educated at Harlybury and Trinity College, and ordained in Truro Cathedral. His Grandfather was the Rev. Thomas Kelly who wrote so many of our "Ancient and Modern" hymns - numbers 25, 139, 200, 301, 504, etc.  The Living was still in the hands of the Barry family trust. The new Rector introduced a certain amount of ceremony.  It is said that he inclined to an Anglo-Catholic outlook. He was most tolerant to other people's viewpoints, and he especially loved children, and was loved in return by all.

The Rector soon became a centre of Church activities - the lawn for tennis, the garden for Sunday School Parties, Church Fetes, Mothers' Union Teas (under the great copper beech on the front lawn) and Missionary Festivals, etc.

His widow, together with the two daughters, now live in Ireland. They occasionally come to England and to Blisworth.  Mrs. Colley, now 86, only gave up driving two years ago.

(121)  The Rev. W.W. Colley (50th Recorded Rector)  1914/1928   The new Rector conducted his first Church Council Meeting in October 1914.  (The former Rector had first introduced Council Meetings in 1906; previously all Church affairs had been discussed at the Vestry Meetings).

WAR was upon thern and this was to change much of the old way of village life. The lighting restrictions caused the 6pm evensong to be brought forward to 3pm and parishioners who considered this change to be unnecessary were soon convinced otherwise by the disturbing appearance of German Zeppelins which dropped flares in the vicinity.

At that first Council Meeting in October 1914 it was considered unwise to proceed with the winter social activities which were such a part of the village way of life. The young men of the village commenced to join the expanding armed forces, and the remaining men took up local duties such as a Local Defence Guard which nightly patrolled the main line railway and bridges. The Rector was in this Defence Guard, and as the war drew on many Clergy offered themselves for the National Scheme, so the remaining Clergy were grouped together to assist those villages who were without their resident Rector.

The parishioners soon tired of their social inactivity, and by December 1914 they were holding their Socials and Dances, Church Bazaars and the great Choir Suppers. The womenfolk worked for the country too by taking on land work as the men went, while the schoolchildren were given days off on suitable occasions to gather the wild fruits of the fields for the national jam-making programme and animal feeding, acorns being a priority. Feast Week festivities too were not abandoned, and the parades headed by the Oddfellows Banner and a band were one of the annual high spots. This was the great period when all seats, plus extra seating, were taken in the Parish Church, there just was not room enough for all the worshippers. The Ringers rung and the Choir sang, and both village pubs, the "Royal Oak" and the nearby "Sun, Moon and Stars" - took their share of the hard earned cash.

Cost of living, including Church maintenance, went up alarmingly - the Church cleaners annual wage was raised from £3.10.0d. to £5.10.  0d, the Sexton, who was getting £15 per annum, was given £20 p.a., the Organist was raised from £12 to £18, the Ringers from £5 (collectively) to £10, while the very necessary Organ Blower was raised from 16/- per year to £1.10.0d.  All this extra expenditure, together with fabric repair, called for extra meetings and extra collections. Our annual quota payable to Peterborough was the great sum of £8.10.0d.  (This year the quota payment is £250.)

Even though a war was on, the parishioners found time to plant standard rose trees alongside the Churchyard paths - some of which still survive after fifty-five years.  Still the war raged on, and the villagers carried on in raising monies for Church and State, not forgetting the Red Cross organisation which was so vital.

(122)   The Rev. W.W. Colley, Rector 1914-1928.   (World War One)

When the new Rector came to Blisworth he found a village of 823 parishioners, the Church and Chapel sharing, on an almost equal footing, the worshippers of the declining population.  The daily needs of the village were provided by a seemingly large number of trades people. The motor car had arrived too and the Rector conducted a very sad funeral of little Tommy Dent who was killed by a passing motor car in May 1915. Tommy was aged eight years.

The new Council School had been opened in 1913 with 196 children. Mr. Arthur Green was the headmaster. The old Endowed School in Stoke Road became the Church Sunday School, and the Infant School opposite became a Men's Institute. The Baptist Minister was the Rev. Chennells. With the closing of the old schools a better understanding existed between Church and Chapel - previously some Baptists had objected to certain Church doctrinal teachings, and so-called "Church Influence".

The Duke of Grafton was the Lord of the Manor and principle land owner and he lived at nearby Wakefield Lawn, next to Potterspury. Blisworth House was occupied by the aging Captain E. Pennell Elmhirst. Rents paid for village properties ranged from £2 to £8 per annum: there wag little spare cash around but somehow or other there was always sufficient to meet the needs of the Church and other 'outside' charitable causes.  In 1915 the Sunday School collected the sum of 10/- (50p) towards a hut building project sponsored by the YMCA for improved accommodation for soldiers in camp. Could this have been the "Cadets hut" placed on the east side of the Northampton Road opposite the last thatched house.  This hut was used by Home Guard and cadets in circa 1940 and offered for use of Guides and Scouts later on.

Early in 1915 daily prayers were said in Church at 9am. Special collections were taken for the National Relief Fund.  In January 1915 a National Day of Prayer was declared.  By this time thirty-one village men had been called to, or had volunteered to serve in, the armed forces. Of the Service held at Blisworth the Rector had this to say:-

"We read of crowded services in other places - was it the bad weather, or the dark night, or sickness which made the response to the call somewhat disappointing at Blisworth.  Is it possible we do not yet realise our country's danger?"

The winter social programme continued with Magic Lantern Shows given by the Rector for the young folk etc., and the ladies of the Nursing Committee gave an entertainment which included a sketch given by MISS PIKE, MISS PACEY and Miss DUNKLEY entitled "ENGLAND NEEDS YOU".  The village had also adopted a Belgian family of Refugees named van der BERGH who ware housed in a bungalow in the Station Road. This family was supported by regular contributions.  As time went on the Rector was often called upon to remind the villagers of their obligation - the donations were not always forthcoming.                                                         

(123)  The new Rector, as yet a bachelor, was looked after by a housekeeper and a sister, Miss Colley. He also employed a full time gardener and a "house-boy".  One of the very necessary and regular jobs of the boy was to keep the big Rectory supplied with domestic water.  This operation was via a large cast iron and lead pump, which had to be manually worked to feed the well water into the header tanks - this involved thousands of pump strokes each tank filling.  Other jobs for the "house-boy" (often of school age) included shoe cleaning and lawn mower pulling. The large lawns of the Rectory were used for ball games, motorised or power mowers had not yet arrived on the garden scene, and as mowers were large and heavy it required the gardener to do the pushing while the boy, harnessed in front, did the pulling. One of the garden features of the Rectory (now the Old Rectory built in 1841) was the large Copper Beech on the North front lawn.

The Rector kept a close tag on the village men as they went from the village to serve in the armed forces.  By January 1915 the number was 31.  All names were inscribed on a 'Roll of Honour' as they went away, and this Roll was placed and exhibited in the Church. Miss Colley busied herself by collecting eggs for wounded soldiers in Northampton and London Hospitals; the quantity collected was 48 per week, but Miss Colley often had to make up the total quantity herself, and was never slow in reminding the donors of their obligations.  Miss Colley was also the originator of the first Blisworth Mothers' Union in 1917 - having first suggested it in 1915. Mrs. W. Harris, who now lives with her husband in Mount Pleasant Cottages in the Courteenhall Road, was a founder member, as well as being the first bride to be married by the new Rector.

During the advancing years of the war the Rector became very involved with Home Defence. He was one of the leaders of the Training Corps, and was a drill instructor. Other instructors were Mr. A. Green, the schoolmaster, and Mr. A. Howe, farmer of Lodge Farm.  In May 1915 the Rector shepherded the Blisworth Contingent of that early "Dads' Army" to Easton Neston for a combined exercise with the Towcester Troop. The Rector later logged: "We have noticed a marked increase in smartness and efficiency in the drill."

By June 1915 the Rector wrote: "For those who for any good reason cannot go to war, there is a good opening to do their bit by joining the local Volunteer Training Corps, which is rapidly becoming efficient."  A Whit Monday Parade, held at Whittlebury was attended by some 200 men from the Towcester area....All wore the new uniform cap and a fund was launched to purchase full uniforms."

In July the Rev. A.E. Channells, Baptist Minister, won a fine Service Rifle for the Best Entry in an essay competition on "Local Defence."  By August the first "shooting" competition was held at the Blisworth Hotel Gardens (now the Caravan Park). The Rector scored the highest points, followed by Mr. A. Green (Schoolmaster), E. Freeston (Wheelwright), T. Sturgess (Baker), T.W. Millner (Canal Engineer) and A. Westley (Miller),

(124)   The Rector took an active part in the original Blisworth Troop of Boy Scouts, which in those early days had as assistants Tom Whitlock and Harry Monk. One village boy was even given the Christian Name Walter Baden-Powell.  In June 1915 the Troop received a visit from the District Commissioner who was prompted to "make some useful hints" regarding the uniforms worn.  He also stressed the importance of Scouting in relation to the seemingly inevitable calls to serve in the Armed Forces.  By August of 1915, Patrol Leader Ronald Freeston was dispatched to Andersby on the East Coast to partake in a Coast Guard Exercise.

The Rector also conducted a Junior Guild of St. John the Baptist at which much instruction was given on temperance.  Mrs. H. Wallington, the wife of the "Royal Oak" landlord was a keen helper and temperance worker. At those evening meetings the Rector sometimes brought his gramophone, complete with its magnificent horn.  Classical music was played.  During Lent the Guild members were shown lantern slides telling the story of the Pilgrim's Progress.  The Rector provided the large "Magic Lantern" illuminated by acetylene gas, which was generated in a large container standing beside the Lantern.  This holder also held the water supply which was drip fed on to the carbide lumps.  If the water was turned on too much, an overdose of gas was produced which pressurised the water causing loud gurgles and bangs, flooding the surrounding floor space.  I sometimes think that the irregularities of the "Magic Lantern" must have caused more entertainment than the actual slides shown! To send the juniors home in a happy mood, the Rector showed some of his "real magic" mechanical motivated slides, when 'funny-men' actually lifted their arms and legs up and down!

Church Sunday School continued unabated during the war years, with a friendly rivalry from the Baptist Sunday School.  A typical Sunday for the children of the Church congregation consisted of Sunday School Assembly in the Old School, then walking in a long crocodile down "The Alley" (new called Church Lane) to Morning Service at Church.  Choir boys were allowed to run ahead to don their Surplices and Cassocks.  The Sunday School Scholars were spared the sermons, for during the hymn prior to the sermon, all children so wishing to leave the Church, were allowed to do so.  After the heavy Sunday dinner, which was often collected by children from the Village bakehouse, there followed Sunday School again at 2pm.  Many children also went to Evensong at 6pm, followed by hymn singing at home around the piano, or wheezy harmonium.  And so to bed.

Sunday School Outings and tee parties were always happy events.  Prior to such events there was always a minority of village children who "swapped" from Church or Baptist Sunday Schools to enjoy the "best of two worlds" in the shape of an extra tea party or outing.  At one wartime tea party held on the Rectory Lawn, the Rector launched some hot air paper Zeppelins causing (so it was said) consternation in Germany !!  Each child, on going home, was presented with a small present, plus the inevitable village-made currant bun. The Choir and Ringers also enjoyed their annual outings, either going by train from Blisworth Station, or by one of those early open Charabancs.

(125)  In January 1915 the Rector drew up a list of names of village men who were already serving their Country by land or sea. This Scroll of Honour was regularly displayed in Church and was added to as the village men 'joined up'.

The first batch of names appearing on this early list were as follows:-

Harry Monk : Cecil Wilkin - Stanley Douglas : John Clarke : Arthur Challis Packwood : Wallace Heath : Will Adams : Will Sarrington : Sydney Basford : Charles Sargeant : Thomas Sargeant : Walter Yates : Frederick Abbott : Arthur Paxton : Thomas Brown : Charles Valentine : Walter Billingham : George Huggett : Christopher Fitch : Allen Goodridge : Arthur Mallard : Albert Abrams : Thomas Bennett : William Bodsworth : Edmund Clarke : John Griffith : Stan Perkins : George Holland : Hugo Lindsell : Ernest Vivian Hare : Herbert East : William Dunkley : Gerald Pomeroy Colley : Charles Bull : William Holding : George Wilson : Herbert Gibbs.

By May 1915 three of these forty village men were reported as prisoners of war and two had been wounded.  By June another choir member, Harold Warren, had joined the 7th Northamptons and Alfred Valentine joined the Army Service Corps., but was soon to be reported missing. By August, Arthur Paxton was a prisoner of war at Doberitz Camp in Germany, and the village Doctor Jeaffreson had joined the forces.

At the National Days of Prayer when special Church Services were held, the Rector never failed to appeal to the remaining men of the village to go to war.  When Charles Valentine and William Adams were reported missing, the Rector duly expressed his deepest sympathy with the relatives, and in the Church Magazine he wrote: "It is a glorious thing, however, to die for King and Country"

During November 1915 a further nine names were added to the Roll of Honour, one being Thomas Whitlock - again the Rector wrote in the magazine: "May the list grow even longer, for the need of men is still great"  To complete the list by December a further six village men went to war, having their names recorded on the lengthening Roll of Honour.

The village elders nightly patrolled the L&NW Railway Line, and the women folk took to the land, doing much of the work previously done by their absent men-folk. And so the war entered into another year.  I regret that records are missing of the next years so that I am not able to complete the names of all village men who served with the Forces.  In December 1915, the village was requested to hold a flag day "In Aid of Russia" but this invitation was declined on the grounds that "Blisworth was a small agricultural village, and had commitments enough."

Owing to the Zeppelin Air Raids, the village oil lamps were not lit, and the lamp posts were painted white. Church Services and social occasions, followed in strict order (apart from the evensong being switched from 6pm to 3pm) but more than once the Rector remonstrated with his parishioners for not attending the special services.

1974

(126)   As the war ground on the Rector continued to add the names of the village men to the 'Roll of Honour' which was displayed in the Church.  (Unfortunately this record is lost so I am not able to give the total list.)  The Rector did, however, record the names of five brothers, all sons of Mr. Cain Perkins.  A sixth son failed to get into the Army on medical grounds. One of the five brothers was killed in battle.  At the close of the war, twenty-three village men had become victims of war...and quite a few who returned suffered from war wounds for the rest of their lives.

Following the cessation of the war, a special meeting was held to discuss a scheme for the erection of a memorial to the 'fallen' men of Blisworth.  One suggestion was to restore the ancient stone cross and base in the Churchyard. A drawing was also produced of a 15 ft. obelisk topped by an Iron Cross which would cost £65. Qther parishioners asked for a new Church clock. Mr. John Griffith, a churchwarden, offered to donate a new cross in portland stone as a token of thanksgiving for the safe return of two of his sons. This offer was accepted. The New Cross was duly erected and inscribed with the names of the village men killed in the war. By public subscription a Memorial Tablet was also purchased and placed within the Church, this also carried the following list of names:-

William Adams  John Robert Clarke  Joseph Drew  Charles Valentine  Ernest Vivian Hare  Jack Webster  Walter Arthur Billingham  Bertram John Goode   Frederick George Howes  William Bodsworth  Cecil William Ayres  Alec Alfred Harris  William Edward Britten  Arthur Pullen  Frank Botterill   Sidney Albert Basford  William Albert Hawes  Harry George Perkins  Arthur Edward Carter  Joseph Thomas Clarke  Robert Hellish Birch  Frank Foster  Ralph Paxton

The Rector and Mrs. Colley gave two "Church Warden" Staves to the Church. Peace celebrations were held in 1919 in Blisworth House Park. Free meals and sports for all, plus a Cricket Hatch, were enjoyed by most of the villagers.  During the war years the Church also lost three of its supporters and benefactors.  In 1916 the "Squire" - Captain Pennel Elmhurst - died at his home, Blisworth House, and was buried by the Rector.  A great horseman, author of sporting books, and supporter of the Pytchley Hunt, "The Captain" had also been a great friend of his former neighbour, the Rev. H.T. Barry, who also was a keen horseman and supporter of the Grafton Hunt.  (This former Rector died in London in 1918 aged seventy years and was interred at Blisworth.)

At the other end of the social scale was the village cobbler, Mr. John Green, who died in 1918, aged seventy-three years.  "Cobbler" John Green was a most colourful character, and a master of penmanship.  A choir member and keen Church man, at Christmas and other Festivals, his works would totally decorate the Church.  Giant swags, texts, stars and symbols, hung from walls and screen, etc. in an overall pattern.  He also composed many hymns and songs, each manuscript being of the highest standard of decorative work. Much of his work still survives.  John Green lived, cobbled and penned his writings, at the cottage in Stoke Road now numbered 20.  At his funeral the Rector spoke of Mr. John Green as "A genius of penmanship."

(128)  With WWI over the parish attempted to carry on as before but change had come aver the land and "things" were never to be quite the same again.  General costs were rising and the church collections became more numerous to cover fabric maintenance and demands from Diocesan and Charitable bodies.  The Easter Communicants for 1919 were 120 in number, with the Easter Collection of £5. 2. 3d. which was presented to the Rector in accordance with ancient custom.

The Easter Balance Sheet for the same year showed only l4/3d in the kitty after all expenses had been paid.  Monies for impending restoration and Old School repairs was raised annually by the Christmas Sale of Work, Socials, Dances, Whist drives and Fetes.  Choir Suppers were greatly enjoyed.  These grand affairs were held in the Old School.  Huge joints of beef and pork were carved by the Messrs. George and Harry Perkins (father and son) who ran the butchers shop in Stoke Road next to the old school.  The joints were cooked in the huge bread oven at Mr. Sturgess' bakehouse on the other side of the old school, so all was very handy.  All who could were enjoined to sing a song or duet. These suppers cost around £25 which monies were collected from grateful congregation members for the renderings of the choir.

In 1921 William Ayres (father of our late sexton) resigned after 16 years of service to our Church.  The next sexton to be appointed was Mr. William Whitlock.

During 1922 the Church Diocesan Architect was called in to offer suggestions for improvements to the Church interior and exterior. He reported as follows:-

1  That the slating on the roof be repaired urgently.
2  That the organ should be removed from its present position and placed in a special organ chamber set up at the West end of the Church.  This chamber could also accommodate both a new Priest and Choir Vestry.
3  The Chancel screen to be restored to its former stateliness by completing the Rood Loft with a Crucifix and its attendant his­toric figures.
4  The formation of a morning chapel for daily services.
5  Reducing the height of the Pulpit. It was reduced a second time circa 1955.

Alternatives were suggested such as a new oak screen across the belfry arch, an enlargement of the old vestry and construction of a Liturgy Desk, etc. The first of these suggestions to be carried out was in 1923 when Mr. Shakeshaft made and gave a new Liturgy Desk, and it was not until 1925 that the extensive repairs wore carried out to the roof at the cost of £5,200.  During that year a new oak Clergy Vestry was built for £78. 6. 0d.  The Rood Loft was never finished with a Crucifix and the Organ has remained in the Chancel and our Church has no side chapels.

Funds were needed to replace this money spent.  Some suggested that the shortage of cash was due to general poverty but it was voiced that the large sum of £5,200 was spent annually in Northampton by cinema-goers - so there must be money somewhere!    In 1926 the grave digger's fee was raised from 5/- to 7/6d to cover the rising cost of living.  So nationally and at local level there were 'ups-and-downs'.   1926 saw the General Strike.   Blisworth saw troubles with ringers, weedy paths, overgrown churchyard grass, naughty boys in Church. But troubles are made to be righted.  By 1928 the large sum of £135 was needed to cover annual expenses of the Church - and it was raised.

NOTE:  Our last year's expenditure was £1067.41, which was raised mostly by straight gifts from congregation and friends of the Church.       

(129)   In 1919 the village population was around 800 parishioners.  This was a decline of approximately 300 during the past 30 years.  Some concern was registered at a similar fall in congregation numbers and the Church Council held a discussion on "Why do people not go to Church?".

The village was still owned by the 8th Duke of Grafton, and there was growing discontent at the shortage of houses in the parish.  Many of the young newly weds had to seek accommodation in other villages, and any householder who had a spare room to let did a roaring trade, especially with honeymoon couples who were on the look out for a cottage.

A succession of Dukes of Grafton had held Blisworth and many other surrounding villages since 1685.  The Northamptonshire home of the Graftons being at Wakefield Lawn near to Potterspury, but in October 1919 most of the estate was put up for auction because of the demand for "death duties".  This great sale gave many tenants of cottages, businesses and farms the opportunity to buy the properties in which they had lived and worked over many years.  Many tenants did so, but even though a cottage might sell for as little as £100 or less, it was more than the cottager had.  Some cottagers had to raise a mortgage on a £100, and it took a life-time to pay this off.  Sale of farms did not go well and the process spanned 1920 to 1937.

The Church was not affected by the sale, for the Glebe lands had been disposed of last century, the only field that the Church owned from that time, and still holds, is situated on the Northampton Road.  Such Church lands were from time immemorial rented out, the income going to the fabric repairs of the Church.  The church also owned a patch of land near the Sun, Moon and Stars public house and of course the cemetery next to the Phipps cottages near there.  The patch was incorporated into the Rectory land.

Blisworth House next to the Church, was also sold in 1919 to Lieut. Col. H.W. Clinch and Mrs. Clinch.  They soon became active members in the village but not of the Church, for Mrs. Clinch was a member of the First Church of Christ Science (otherwise a Christian Scientist).  Colonel Clinch was a very keen member of the Grafton Hunt with which he regularly hunted. This pastime, however, brought about his death, for on February 25th 1925, his horse fell throwing the rider and causing him to break his neck.  Col. Clinch was buried in the village cemetery by the Rev. Colley.

Mrs. Clinch served the village with increasing vigour as Parish Councillor, Founder Member of the Women's Institute, a worker for the Guides and a Brown Owl herself.  Perhaps her most notable contribution to the village was the publication of a village history "The Story of Blisworth" published in 1938.

The Rector was a dog lover, and on more than one occasion on warm Sunday evenings when the Church doors were left open, a Rectory dog would enter the Church, walk up to the pulpit as the Rector was preaching, and stand and wag its tail furiously.  The Rector also had a set of three lantern slides which all loved to see projected on to the screen.  The first slide was of a white terrier resting on the outer door step of the south side Church door; the second slide showed the dog fully awake and standing up and the next slide pictured the dog leaping up to greet the Rector who has appeared from within the Church. The captions to those three slides were:-

RELAXATION,  EXPECTATION  and  REALIZATION

(130)   The Rev. Colley, who was very musical though self-taught, played the flute in the orchestra while at Cambridge.  He also, and often at Blisworth, sang falsetto, presumably a relic of the madrigal singing in his college days.  Mrs. Colley had a delightful contralto voice, and when we had sacred concerts in Church, her rendering of "Abide With Me" was always a favourite.  At those concerts the Rector played his flute, and Canon Frend from Collingtree the cello, accompanied by our own or a visiting organist.

The Rector and his wife were third cousins, and their joint love of music was deep within them.  Indeed, their common great great grandfather, the Right Hon. William Brownlow P.C., a member of the Irish Parliament before the Union with Great Britain, played in the first performance of Handel's MESSIAH in Dublin in 1742.  The Rev. Colley was fond of relating a story of his Cambridge days of when the Composer, DVORAK, came to receive an honorary degree, and was too poor to buy a gown for the occasion, many "hard-up" sympathetic students contributed half a crown (12½p) to buy the required garment, including our "Rector-to-be", and such a sum in those days was considered quite a lot.

In 1922, and after thirty-five years of devoted service as Organist, Mrs. Lucy Perkins resigned.  She was succeeded by the village headmaster, Mr. Arthur Green, who previously had been Organist at nearby Tiffield Church. During her 35 years as Organist at Bliswcrth Church, Mrs. Perkins knew by heart every word of the hymns and psalms which she was accompanying.  She sang lustily and joyfully as she played.  She also was fond of dramatising the organ to fit the words being sung.  For example:  To the words of verse 4 of Psalm 114  "the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like young sheep."  So Mrs, Perkins would trill on the high notes, but when it came to verse 7  "tremble thou earth, at the presence of the Lord," so indeed did the organ "tremble" loudly on the low keys.

Mrs. Lucy Perkins was the wife of the village Butcher, and a daughter of Thomas Haskins who was the last Headmaster of the Courteenhall Grammar School.  To that school had gone many Blisworth boys, from 1672 until 1898 when it was closed on the death of Mr. Haskins.

A further note of musical inheritance is that Blisworth Choral Society has regularly had as members, grandchildren of the late Mrs. Lucy Perkins.  Mr. Arthur Perkins of Northampton is a present member, and his son Mark, a great great grandson of Mrs. Perkins, gives us musical delights on his clarinet accompanied by the other instrumentalists who perform under the name

THE MARK PERKINS ENSEMBLE

HISTORICAL NOTE OF INTEREST  -  MRS. MABEL ALLEN of Connegar Leys, who died on April 18th aged 85, was married to Alfred Allen by the Rev. Colley in August 1919.  In the columns recording her father's profession and name, the Rector wrote thus:-  "Richard Woollven (deceased) Coachman in Royal Stables".  There appears only one previous record of a connection with Royalty in our records of deaths and this was of a Lyonell Blackey who was one of the Sergeants at Arms to Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).                                  

(131)   In June 1914 the Rev. Colley, before he became our Rector, actually came to Blisworth to attend a very special annual service in the Parish Church, by invitation of the outgoing Rector (The Rev. H. Barry) and the Officers of the village Oddfellows Club, the two parsons walked at the head of the Feast Sunday Church Procession.  Behind them followed the officials of the Club and the great club banner, so proudly carried by members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, after which came the band and then more Oddfellows - and in latter years, the Guides, Brownies, Scouts, etc

Patronal Festivals (or Feast Days) have been a function of the Church from the beginnings of our Christian communities.  Blisworth Church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, holds its Patronal Festival on June 24th.  Probably due to the Industrial Revolution, the holiday accompanying the Patronal Day moved to the Sunday and Monday following the 24th.

At the start of the last century, and before any form of State Social Security was in effect, a number of National Societies were formed to encourage thrift amongst the workers and to offer, through weekly members' contributions, cash payments when such members fell ill, or on hard times of unemployment.  One such club was the Ancient Order of Odd Fellows (Manchester Unity Friendly Society), each branch being given an extra name of identification.  Bliswarth formed a branch of this Club and was given the identity "Loyal Travellers Home Lodge No. 2645" and commenced around 1841.  As it was a non political and non sectarian society, its members (males only at first) came from all walks of village life.  It was often referred to as the working men's 'Masonic Society'.  A juvenile branch was formed in 1889.  From an early date the Club adopted the Parish Church for its Annual Parade and Service.  As with many other village "annuals", World War II put an end to many ancient customs.  One attempt to revive the Oddfellows Parade took place after the war, but with the decline of membership parades have become but a memory.

On December 31st 1973, the Blisworth Branch of the Oddfellows terminated - the present members merging with the 'Royal Adelaide Branch' in Northampton.  On Sunday, June 30th (Feast Sunday) it has bean agreed to receive the Oddfellows Banner for safe keeping within the Parish Church, but sadly there will be no parade and no band.  Al1 past and present members of the Oddfellows Club are invited to be present (6pm).  The Church used to be filled on such occasions - let's fill it again for old times sake! - and remember it is "BLISWORTH FEAST'.

(132)   We are now drawing to the close of the story of the Rector from 1914 until 1928.  For the sake of record I have previously mentioned the burial and marriage figures of former Rectors, and I will now give the numbers conducted during the Rev. Colley's time at Blisworth.  There were 64 marriages, the first being between Florence Hate Vinter and William John Harris, both of whom are still with us at Blisworth.

Of funerals, the Rector conducted 198, which were all interments at Bliswarth. (Cremation was an almost unknown word to the village people, besides which, the Milton Crematorium was not opened until 1939).  Amongst those buried by the Rev. Colley was the former Rector, the Rev. H.T. Barry, aged 70, who had died in retirement at Kensington; John Green, village cobbler, artist/composer, at the age of 73 in 1918; the Rector's uncle, Gerald Pomeroy Colley in 1921; Lt. Col. Clinch of Blisworth House in 1925; William Thomas Ayres, former Sexton, aged 73 years; and the last burial by Mr. Colley was Sarah Ann Hockaday, aged 75 years, whose husband had for many years been the village schoolmaster in the school building which we now call "the Old School" in Stoke Road.

On one occasion just after the first war, the Rector received instruction to prepare for a funeral for a body coming from away.  The grave was dug, and at the appointed time the Rev. Colley donned his robes and awaited the cortege ... but no hearse or people arrived, and it was finally resolved that the whole business had been a hoax.

During the first eleven years or so of Mr. Colley's time, the bier used for carrying the villager's coffins was of the ancient stretcher type without wheels, and carried by four men.  Around 1925, the Parish Council resolved to improve matters by introducing a wheeled bier. Mr. W. Alexander was the Clerk at the time and it was his job to organise the village "house to house" collection for the bier.  The approximate sum required was £14.    The donation list is of interest, for the highest contribution came from Mrs. J. Westley of £1., and there were a few ten shillings, but the villagers in general donated around 1/- to 2/6d.

Having collected the money, the wheel bier was made by E.T. Freeston (rny father) assisted by Brother Ron, and this fine piece of oak construction with rubber-tyred wheels is still for the use of any villager who so desires.  It remains the property of the Parish Council, and is to be found in its special little "garage" in the village Churchyard.  It was photographed recently - in about 2000 in dilapidated order having not been used for decades and has been thrown out.

When the Rector come to Blisworth in 1914 there were no baths in the Rectory, so he applied to the Rev. Barry as Patron to sanction a grant towards the cost, which was £200, a large sum in those days.  The Rev. Barry, however, declined to do this, stating that his family members had lived in the Rectory since 1841 without a fixed bath, and he considered that such a luxury was quite unnecessary.

A frequent visitor to Blisworth Rectory was Norman Lang, the suffragan Bishop of Peterborough, who used to travel around on his motor cycle.

In August 1928 the Rev. Colley announced his resignation, with his departure from Blisworth in October, much to the regret of the congregation and the village in general. He went to Wadhurst in Sussex for a short period, and then moved on to Bonnington near to Ashford in Kent, where he had charge of three small parishes.  He retired in the summer of 1939 and took a flat with his family on the sea front at Deal.  The former village Doctor was already there in Deal in retirement - Doctor and Mrs. Jeaffreson. When the 1939 war was declared, the civilian population was evacuated from the sea front, and the Colley family moved down to St. Austell, Cornwall, where he had held his first curacy, and in 1943 he bought a house in London where he died on April 7th, 1947.  His widow and daughters now live at Carbery, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin.

(133)   We now come to our 51st recorded Rector, the Rev. George Hall Mallett, MA., who was inducted in December 1928. There had not been a long interregnum, and the new Rector and his wife Louisa were soon settled in the Rectory.  They were also speedily involved in parish affairs, for Christmas was near at hand. It is just possible that the Rectory had been wired up for electricity, for this new power came to Blisworth in 1927.  Incidentally, a fortnightly door-to-door refuse collection was instituted in 1928.  So one can only say that they almost had a Rectory serviced by all the new "mod-cons". They had no family, but the Rectory was smoothly run by a cook-housekeeper and day woman, plus a gardener/chauffeur.

The Rev. Mallett was born at Heanor, Derbyshire, on December 28th 1873 - his father was a clergyman. He graduated at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, in 1901, followed by Curacies at Worthing, Brighton, Newhaven and Broadwater. He became Vicar of Chudleigh in Devon in 1916 where he remained up to 1928.  The Rectory became a gracious haven, set behind the great copper beach tree which stood on the North front lawn, tennis was enjoyed parochially on the South lawn, and regular garden parties and Church Fetes were also held in the grounds.

The Rector was considerably shorter in stature than his wife and when he first came to Blisworth he wore a traditional clerical black hat of a slightly earlier period, for the hat had a very shallow crown of about 2" high. His face was small and he wore upon his nose a pair of pince-nez spectacles which were forever in need of adjustment.  He also wore an extra deep clerical collar which rather emphasised the smallness of his face. He was, however, a great humorist, and encouraged all social activities.  At an early meeting with Parishioners at the Rectory, and while standing at the North Porch he asked a by­stander "what trees are they?"  to which question the answer was simply "Elders".  The Rector's comment was "So they are!  I thought they looked 'old' to me."

Church-wise he was described as "Protestant Evangelical" and his mother was a Miss Gurney, a member of the great family of Quakers.  His first Christmas soon came, together with the Annual Boxing Night Social at which members of the congregation "did their turns."  One homemade sketch was a parody of village life.  One of the 'actors' taking the part of the Rector borrowed the shallow crowned hat from the Rev. Mallett. The sketch proved a great success and the Rector and his wife seemingly fully enjoyed it.  But the flat hat was never worn again and the Rector took on a new look by wearing the standard grey normal trilby hat.

The Churchwardens were Mr. H. Perkins (Butcher) - whose widow died aged 84 on July 11th of this year - and Doctor D. Jeaffreson who lived at Grafton Villas. The Patrons of the Living were still the Trustees of the late Rev. H.T. Barry.

(134)   During the early years of the new Rector's incumbency electric lighting was installed in the Church, many members paying for a light fitment at approximately £3. The Church clock had also come to the end of its "ticks", and the Rector, remembering that his former parish of Chudleigh had a clock for sale, suggested that we buy it and install it at Blisworth. The clock was duly bought for £25, and this same Chudleigh Clock is still going strong at Blisworth, with Bruce Jongman as "Winder Extraordinary" - a weekly and arduous task.

In 1932 money was scarce, and we were unable to pay our Quota in full to Peterborough.  Instead of the total sum we paid was £16. 8. 0d. instead of £24. 12 .0d.  In 1936 a motor mower was purchased - the Churchyard being previously mowed by hand mowers.  Labour was still cheap and the Church was able to get the cemetery trees and grass attended to at 8d per hour.  Not only cannot the Church now afford labour charges of today far such maintenance but volunteer workers are often lacking too.

In 1938 the Old Bacon Factory chimney in Stoke Road was being reduced in height: the Rector and Wardens took full opportunity of the Steeplejacks operating in the village, and they were induced to carry out repairs to the Church Tower for £35.

During the Rector's years at Blisworth, two major national celebrations were held. The first being the Jubilee celebrations of King George V on May 6th, 1935 - a lovely sunshine warm day. Following a special Service of Thanksgiving in Church at 1.30pm, everyone marched down to the Mill Green at West Bridge, headed by the band and the 'Oddfellows' Banner. The planting of trees was carried out with due ceremony.  First the Girl Guides' tree was planted by Mrs. M. Clinch, then the Boy Scouts' tree by Mr. Woolacott; the Rector planted the 'village' tree, and a fourth tree was planted by Mr. T. Sturgess on behalf of the Parish Council.  Initially the County Council had refused permission for these trees to be planted - but thanks to their change of heart the four trees now present a pleasant feature at the approach of the village as one comes from Towcester.  There are now just two trees, one of which has taken the lead.  We have no idea which this dominant tree is - perhaps the village tree.

The second celebration was the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth held on a dull and rainy day of June 12th 1937.  Practically the whole population "listened-in" to the wonderful radio, which brought the description of the splendid ceremonies in London right into our houses. Thus our own village rejoicings did not begin until 2pm, when a United Service was held in Church. Then followed sports, maypole dancing, and a physical training display at the Council School.  A free meat tea was then enjoyed.  This meal was undertaken in relays - first the elders of the village - next the children, who were also presented with a "Coronation Mug" - and then the village people in general partook of the meal, which was served by the willing matrons of the village.  Dancing followed, but the grand firework display had to be postponed owing to rain.  A tree to mark the occasion was planted by the Women's Institute. This beech tree, now growing apace, stands in the field just around the Elm Tree Corner in the Northampton Road, and opposite to Mr. Bonsor's house.  Despite a two decade setback as it was encircled by fence wire, it now continues to grow well once released from the wire. There is a little label that was intended to be hung around the trunk which the WI presented to the heritage Society in 2008.

(135)   This month I intend to digress a little and take stock of the village during the Rev. Mallett's time at Blisworth. The population was around 800 who ware housed in approximately 247 houses, of which 74 had thatched roofs.  It was not until 1933 that the first of the Council Houses ware built, which are the eight situated in the Courteenhall Road, opposite to the School.  Then followed the four in Chapel Lane, and as they were built in 1937 they were named "Coronation Cottages".   In 1938 the long row of 29 houses were built higher up in the Courteenhall Road.  Sadly, many fine old cottages were demolished during this period, but a few were reconditioned by a special grant which did not have to exceed £100  !!

Blisworth Station was in full operation, and offered a very useful communication to all parts of the country, situated as it was on the main line.  This relatively small village was also served by a very varied number of trades people, the names of whom I have taken from Kelly's Directory for 1928, which was the year of the new Rector's arrival:-

Mrs. Lilian Abbott, Shopkeeper, Stoke Rood.  Alfred Alexander, Seedsman.  Walter Alexander, Nurseryman, British Bacon Co. Stoke Road.  Mr. C.F.Burbidge, Timber Merchant.  Miss Lizzie Carter, Dressmaker, High Street.   J. Cherry, Dairyman.   E.T. Freeston & Sons, Motor Engineers & Cycle Dealers.  A. Goodridge, Blacksmith.  William Hill, Shoemaker.  Mrs. Mary Huggett, Sweet Shop.  Mrs. John Lack, Refreshment Rooms.  Mr. F. Marriott, Tailor, Stoke Road.  The Northampton Cooperative So c. Flour Mills (formerly Westley Bros.)  The Post Office.  Mr. H, Perkins, Butcher, Stoke Road (later A. Longland).   Wrn. Pinfold, Coal Merchant. W.H. Smith & Son, Booksellers, Blisworth Station.   T. Sturgess, Baker.  W. Whitlock, Carpenter, Undertaker & Sexton.   O. Young, Grocer, founded in 1872.  Pubs were plentiful too. There was the "Navigation Inn" at Blisuorth Arm and nearby was the Blisworth Hotel; Wrn. Rickard kept the "Sun Moon & Stars" and Mr. Harry Wallington the "Royal Oak".

The Women's Institute was already three years old, and there was also a Men's Institute. The Guides had been in existence since 1922 but the Scouts were not reformed until 1933 under Scoutmaster W.A. Woolacott and Assistants Richard Caesar and George Freeston.

(136)  The Rev. Mallett's induction in 1928:   the wardens were Mr. Harry Perkins (Rectors Warden) and Dr. Dudley Jeaffreson (People's Warden); the Secretary of the P.C.C. was Mr. E. Griffith, and William Whitlock was the Sexton. The Organist was Mr. Arthur Green, who was also Headmaster of the Blisworth School. Mr. Green commenced his Headship at the Old Church Endowed School in 1906, moving to the new School in 1913 where he remained until retirement in 1945. He was organist for the 24 years from 1921 until 1945.

In 1931 there was a change of secretaryship when Mr. Griffith resigned and his post was taken by Mr. Owen Woodman. Mr. Woodman was the Headmaster of Towcester Church of England School, and built for himself and his wife a house at Blisworth, now numbered 1, Towcester Road. Both Mr. & Mrs. Woodman were great Church workers, and Mrs. Woodman was sometimes called upon to play the organ.  Mr. Woodman formed a Blisworth Choral Society which ran very successfully for many years before the war, Mrs. Woodman being the accompanist.

At successive Vestry meetings Mr. H. Perkins and Dr. Jeaffreson were duly re­appointed Wardens until in 1933 Mr. William Sturgess became the new Rector's Warden. Both Mr. Sturgess and Dr. Jeaffreson held office until the death of Mr. Mallett in 1939.

(137)   During much of the time that the Rev. G.H. Mallett was at Blisworth he shared a friendly relation with the Baptist Minister, The Rev. Howard T. Ussher (1924 -1935).  It is worthy of note, too, that both the Rev. Ussher and Mrs. Mallett shared a talent and love of writing verse, much of which was published. For the December notes I am including a poem from each.  First, from Louise mallett:-

I saw three camels pass by,
Beneath a star-lit sky,
The men who rode 'twas plain to see
Were Kings, and so I bent a knee.
I watched them passing out or sight
Then followed, on that star-lit night,
I found a stable door flung wide
So with the Kings, I passed inside.
The Babe smiled welcome on us all,
As on our knees we low did fall.

From the pen of The Rev. H.T. Ussher come these lines entitled "On Christmas Day".

It came as a greeting from heaven to earth.
That wonderful news of the Christ Child's birth.
East sang to the West that a Young King lay
Asleep in a manger on Christmas Day.

A multitude thronged the midnight sky
Who sang to the glory of God most high;
Earth echoed the glad sweet psalm of peace,
That song of a Christmas which cannot cease.

All through the years has that angel chair
Sung ta the bells in the old church spire;
In city, and aver the country-side,
Ue speak of the Man mho loved and died.

But clearer yet, on the frosty air
The song comes down like an answered prayer,
And I know that the King who went away
Is coming again on Christmas Day*

NOTE:  The widow of the late Rev. Howard T. Ussher, nee Alice Emily Pacey, (of 5, Northampton Road, Ellsworth) died at the age of 85 years on November 5th, 1974. Many of us will long remember her upright and sprightly figure walking the village when on her regular shopping or visiting expeditions, which she was able to do up to a few months before her death in Northampton General Hospital,. The Rev. Howard Ussher died at Blisworth in January, 1956, aged 84 years.

1975

(140)   Before closing the chapters on the Rev. G.H. Mallett MA., our Rector 1928-1939, I would like to add a few more words on patronage which has been the topic of previous notes.  Little then was I aware of the impending historic events which occurred on February 7th 1975.  Seemingly the Church leaders have debated the patronage laws for the past forty years, many condemning the age old archaic system of private patronage and calling for a change in the laws. Thus it was that on February 7th the Church of England Central Synod (or Church government) of Westminster voted by 228 votes  against 51, to give parishes and interested parties the right to form a new appointment partnership with the Bishops, former patrons and the Parochial Church Councils.   Legislation has now to be prepared for Parliament to agree; this will probably contain the wording "Patrons will be stripped of their ancient legal and absolute rights to present and appoint clergymen"... thus bringing to an end the so called 1500 years old "Squires Reign"   In its place a novel dual system will take over. Alternative "A" will give disenfranchised patrons a chance to register, which will allow them a share in selection along with the parishioners, and dispense with the patron, but again former patrons could well be included amongst the three selectors, being second nominees to the Parochial Church Councils.  At present one in five of the clergy are still appointed by private patrons. These can vary from Company Directors, Local Authorities, a Racecourse Company, as well as Dukes and religious orders. None need to be Anglicans let alone Christians.

The replacement of the age old system of Patronage will take time and many more words and discussions, but come it will. It is said that a new thinking about the Church is emerging in which the Holy Spirit is directing the Church to rediscover the biblical principles on which it should be based.

To conclude the notes on patronage I will give a brief list of names of past Patrons of the Blisworth Church, which will illustrate the very varied and often tumultuous times which not only our country has passed through but also that the Church has always moved too.

The Right of Presentation to the Church (Blisworth) was granted to William Briwerre by the Earl of Derby, and confirmed by King John in 1199.  The advowson passed with the manor to Baldwin Wake on the death of Joan Briwerre, and the Blisworth Patronage remained "on and off" in the hands of the Wake family until 1523.  The next recorded name after Baldwin Wake is Edward I, who acts as custodian for the infant heir of John Wake deed. Next King Edward II takes over, with a period when Queen Isabella moves in. Thomas Wake then comes on the scene followed by Blanche de Wake.  A Thomas de Hollande, Earl of Kent, is next on the list, and after his death Alicia, Countess of Kent, (his wife) becomes Patron. Then follow Johanna, Countess of Kent and Lady Wake.  After a gap, the next Patron to be named is Henry Grey, Earl of Tankerville. In 1472 George, Duke of Clarence, is named.  Then a Thomas Wake returns to the scene followed by Roger Wake Esq., who died in 1504 and is buried in Blisworth Church, leaving as a great memorial his fine table tomb on which are the brasses of himself and his wife Elizabeth plus his many children.  As Elizabeth remains at Blisworth for a time, she becomes the next named patron.  In 1523 the Blisworth Manor is sold and Elizabeth has married Earl Grey of Dorset. A John Grey Kt. is the next Patron; this could indicate that Elizabeth died before her second husband and thus he became patron until his death. Edmund Knyghtley Kt. is the next on the list, for it was he who purchased the Blisworth Manor.  After that we have a regal list, for Henry VIII comes into the picture, fallowed by Queen Mary and her husband Phillip II of Spain. After certain political differences, Queen Elizabeth is Patron, followed by Christopher Hatton Kt. of Kirby Hall.  From 1664 the list is as follows:  John Clement, Esq: Joseph Knibb, Gentleman: Wil Roberts Gent, and Physician: William Earl of Hatton: Chas. Hen. Lord of Hatton: George Finch Hatton.  Then follow the members of the Barry Family, and from 1930 the details of our Patrons were given in the two previous notes.

(141)    Since last August I have attempted to tell a little about our 51st recorded Rector.  I think that those pre-war days and years ware in general happy ones. Wages were low - £3 being a good wage for a man - but commodities were also priced low in relation. Many cottagers owned their own properties which they had  purchased when the village was sold up in 1920, and rented properties were so low that to be a landlord of any one of them was often an embarrassment.

With the gas supply coming to the village around 1934, home cooking became a general daily routine. Previously, Sunday dinners were carried to the village bakehouse where they were baked in the large oven. At first in Stoke Road and later in the High Street.  It was a common practice for children when going to Sunday School to take the uncooked meal, and then afterwards collect the large tin in which sat the superb roast joint which was surrounded by the traditional "Yorkshire Pudding"; a cloth was taken to cover the whole tin and contents, and all the family was ready assembled to receive the one special meal of the week.  It was from that same bakehouse oven that the late Mr. Sturgess and his son William also produced the finest "Hot Cross Buns" on Good Friday - and they were really HOT, besides which the cost of twelve buns then was one old shilling. The same value - 5p - for ONE bun was the price on this Good Friday!

At the Rectory conditions were slightly different. The staff comprised a cook-housekeeper (who ultimately married the Sexton, then a widower), a parlour maid and a daily woman. The outside staff consisted of the chauffer-gardener, with occasional help from the Sexton who not only was the village carpenter/handyman, but the undertaker as well. One of his favourite sayings was: "I baptise 'em, marry 'em and bury 'em."

The relations between the Church and Chapel were fully exploited and enjoyed; upkeep of both buildings being no problem.  The Church congregations were satisfactory and there was a goodly choir and team of ringers. Parishioners were often entertained to musical evenings at the Rectory, the accompaniment to the songs being provided by either Mrs. Mallett or a visiting pianist, the piano being a "grand" of fine tone. Little then did we imagine that we were seeing the passing of an era handed down from the Victorian days of a well appointed residence filled with family treasures, and a Rector and his wife who, besides the stipend, each had a comfortable private income, which rendered no problems in staffing or heating the big Rectory. Each morning the whole household would assemble for prayers which were conducted by the Rector; then followed the daily routine, much of which was directed by Mrs. Mallett, who so often in her quick patter commenced her comments to her husband with "George...George...", the reply being "yes, dear?"

One item worthy of mention was a large decorative banner or panel of Chinese silk embroidery which hung on the wall in the drawing room. This panel was a 'relic' collected by a former family member from China during the Boxer uprising (see note below).  Boxers were a section of Chinese who in 1896 rose against foreigners and were guilty of many massacres and atrocities, the movement being especially directed against missionaries. A combined European force was sent out against the Boxers in 1900 and not only was the rising suppressed but large indemnities were demanded and conceded.  Not knowing which member brought this fine work of art out of China, I can only mention that one of Mr. Mallett's sisters married a Major Boswell (who was a direct descendant of the famous James Boswell who wrote the classic biography of Doctor Johnson). Thus there could have been a military connection with the collection of the embroidery, or, alternatively, a Mallett member could have been out in China as a missionary at the time of the Rising - but this is only conjecture an my part.  All that I was told was that the tapestry was brought out of China during the Boxer Rising, by a family member.

(142)   Over the past centuries there have bean certain theological divisions between the clergy of the Church of England, and which caused many of our parsons to be labeled "high", "medium" or "low" churchmen. Writers of the 18th Century and into the 19th century, loved to lampoon the parsons, and many cartoonists and artists, such as Thomas Rowlandson, have left behind a great number of impressions of "high" and "low" Rectors. The "high" church person was invariably shown as a very well fed, well clothed, and rotund gentleman, while his opposite, the "low" parson, was often pictured as under­fed, ill-dressed, which, more times than not, was attributed to his giving monies away charitably more than his meagre stipend could allow.

With the exception of the Rev. W.W. Colley (1914-1928) Blisworth appears to have enjoyed a long run of "low" churchmanship; the Rev. W.W. Colley styling himself as an Anglo-Catholic, which also introduced to the church a certain amount of ceremony. His successor, the Rev. G. Mallett, who is the subject of this series of notes, swung the pendulum back to an evangelical or "low" church.  At one time the Rev. G. Mallett was Curate at Broadwater for 14 years; on his promotion to Rector of Chudleigh in Devon, he stated that he had had little chance of promotion except through the Trustees of a private evangelical patronage, which, in all probability was the main reason for his coming to Blisworth in 1928 (for the sale of the Patronage could have been in process at that time).

Mr. Mallett was a great visitor (remember that the village was then less than half the size of the present Blisworth) and as often as not he wore a rather long Burberry fawn raincoat, the pockets of which were most accommodating in size for the many small gifts which he carried with him. Those gifts comprised fruits in season, eggs, and often small posies of flowers which somehow he extracted undamaged from those spacious pockets. These gifts in turn were handed out with a certain shyness to those whom he visited, but they were always received with good grace.

The approach to the Rectory in those days was by a more lengthy driveway which was flanked on the street side by a laurel and lilac shrubbery.  On the church­yard side there was a narrow flower border fronted by an ancient box hedge.  It was from that border that he gathered the double snowdrops and anemones for his springtime pocket posies; later in season that border was taken over by masses of woodland ferns. Fronting the Rectory was the pride and joy of the village i.e. the great copper beech tree which has been mentioned many times already in these notes - besides which, it was the only copper beech in the Parish.  It seems we need to fin out who felled this tree!

During the latter years at Blisworth the Mallett household was joined by a Miss Stannard who was companion to Mrs. Mallett.  Also, during those latter years the rumblings of Hitler were being felt within the Parish.... little were we aware of the things to follow.

The Rector conducted his last Blisworth funeral on Nov. 22nd 1938, which brought his village total during his eleven years at Blisworth to 66.  After Christmas he had a brief illness caused, it was said, by his visiting in the bad weather and he died on Feb. 1st 1939, and was buried in the shade of the Church Tower alongside former Rectors. His widow and Miss Stannard then moved down to Chudleigh and on Mrs. Mollett's death her body was brought back to Blisworth and was buried with her husband.  Unfortunately her name has never been inscribed on the gravestone

One of the Rector's well used texts was "IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS".

 Mrs. Mallett's daily prayer was "Lord, keep me humble."  Mr. & Mrs. Mallett had no children, and so passed away yet another village Rector and his wife who are still affectionately remembered by many of the older villagers.  William Whitlock was still the Sexton.  He had served the Malletts well and it fell to him in his capacity of the village carpenter to construct the pair of oak book cupboards which hang in our church as a memorial to his former Rector. The cupboards bear a simple inscription as follows:-

George Hall Mallett W.A.  Rector of this Parish  1928-1939

(143)   This month we will have a brief rest from our long series of Rectors, for last month I concluded the notes on our 51st recorded Rector, the Rev. G. H. Mallett M.A., Rector 1928-1939.

For the benefit of new readers, this month's notes bring the total to date of 143 issues which have been penned over the past twelve years, during which time I have attempted to give a picture of village life, and the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, coupled with the long line of Rectors who have been part and parcel of our community over so many hundreds of years.  I have used the name "Church" in the widest of senses, bearing in mind its many doctrinal diversions and the many political upheavals during the past 800 years.  I hope that past readers have enjoyed some of my efforts, and I welcome all new residents of Blisworth to take up my "local history" stories.

Now for a timely reminder that this year is Architectural Heritage Year, and what better than to take brief stock of the village.  Firstly I would recommend that all readers take a walk up the Gayton Road and then, on turning about, take a slow walk back home.  This walk MUST be on a bright sunny evening when the sun is casting long low shadows, and when every section of the Western face of Blisworth is bathed in a supreme glow of warm bright light. To the older villagers they will miss many former buildings; to the new residents they should (I trust) find great joy and aesthetic values presented to them from such a vantage point, and further, that they will come to love the village of their choice mare and more as the years roll by.

On the right hand side of the village the onlooker will see the attractive group of brick and stone buildings, dominated by the Church and Tower.  The tower is younger than the Church body, having been added late in the 14th century, and it is that protrusion of stone work that catches the warm evening sun so dramatically, penetrating as it does through a sea of new green of Elm, Sycamore and Limes.  (The spires and towers of the Northamptonshire Churches are most rewarding to the explorer and present a great variety of goodly heritage)  From the time they were built, Church tower and spire have given great joy to the returning wanderer or pilgrim, and that is how we should feel about our Church tower whenever we espy it from the numerous approaches on our home­comings.

Poets, artists, writers and theologians have never stopped in their appraisals of such delights as of the distant view of Church and tower.  Stand awhile, too, on the Gayton Road and think of the times from when that tower was built (a thousand Common Market problems have been re-enacted since then, and still the village and the Church have their being).  Think too that where you live that others have been there for thousands of years, including the Romans. That continuity is OUR HERITAGE. Think too of the early plagues, the wars, the Blisworth men following their Squire, Roger Wake, to fight at Bosworth Field in 1485, and returning dejected at having been defeated. Think too of the changing scene of field and woodland, of peasant and Parson ever moving, by choice or by decree. Think too of the endless procession of people going to the Church for Baptisms, Marriages and Burials - all recorded by the Church in the registers from mid 16th century.  That tower, too, was seldom silent, for within its walls are five bells.  In 1552 there were three "greate bell and a sanctus bell".  A bell was also rung for "Curfew" (meaning 'cover the fire!) this being around 8pm when the cottagers had to put out their fires by low. Great peals were rung out for national rejoicings, a practice which is very English.  Then a peel was rung at 8 am to tell the cottagers that the cornfields had been gathered in and that gleaning could begin. Up and into this century the 'dinner bell' was rung at noon, and also up until recent times the Death Knell Bell was sounded - thrice three tolls were given for a  . . . (unfortunately George's text runs off the paper owing to sheet misalignment in the Gestetner) . . . number of times as the age of the deceased.

Oh what stories our Church tower could tell, but I must stop now.  There is just one thing more. The Patron Saint of our Church is St. John the Baptist, whose birthday we celebrate on June 24th.  That day and a series of following days was the one big holiday for the Blisworth folk over the long history of our Church.  Great were the festivities around "The Feast" - "Blisworth Feast" we used to acclaim to all.  Sadly this happy occasion faded out at the last war.  Many though are the memories of those childhood "Feast Days" and the packed Church.  Shall we pack it full again on Sunday, June 29th, at all our Services? After all, it is part of Blisworth's tradition and OUR HERITAGE.

(144)   Once more Feast Week has gone by, and another chapter of history has been added to the many Festivals of the Parish Church. Usually the last week of June has produced a series of violent thunder storms which have caused havoc to many past festivities but this year has been the exception, for no rain spoiled any of the festivities.

The Village Architectural Heritage Walks were seemingly enjoyed by all who participated. The sum of £70.30p resulted, which has been forwarded to the PARISH COUNCIL towards their fund for the much needed restoration of the Old School.  Of the total sum, £35 was received by a most generous donation.  The Walks began at the Great Barn situated at the Village approach from Northampton, and which carries the date-stone G.B. 1633 - the G.B. standing for George Bland, the builder of the barn and who also is recorded as a Churchwarden of that time.  The tour then took stock of all properties around the 'old' Elm Tree junction. This section of the village is recorded as "Townsend" on old village maps.  Especial mention was made of Mr. & Mrs. George Clarke's house built around 1630 and in which was found a wall painted text (presumably one of many originally). This verse, which has been preserved in situ, reads thus:-

Teach mee to doe thy will for thou art God:
Let thy good spirit leade me into righteousness.
                                            Psalm 143 v 10.

The next yeoman's home to be inspected was 'Stone Acre', occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Ron Freeston. This house is mentioned by Nicholas Pesvner in his book NORTHAMPTONSHIRE as "the best example in the district of the enthusiastic use of local materials. Bands of limestone and ironstone, dressings of a yellow freestone, and thatched roof."  Pesvner visited Blisworth, of course, to write his great work circa 1937.  GF was coy about meeting him - perhaps George gave the great Pesvner some tidbits . . . . 

The walk and commentary proceeded down the High Street to the Old Rectory built in 1841.  In the Churchyard we took a look at the Church Porch on which is a datestone A.D.1607 with two sets of initials - W.B. and C.M. The CM. represents CLEMENT MULSO and the W.B. WILLIAM BRAFIELD, who were Churchwardens at the time of building the Porch.  The Minister was WILLIAM STANDISH, but he went unrecorded.  (I suppose the wardens paid for the building of the Porch.)  We then inspected various tombs and headstones which were related to the village buildings of the 17th century.  The fine table top tombs of the Brafield families were perhaps the most impressive - some of the inscriptions are readable; one poignant record has been eroded, but the 17th century historian BRIDGES recorded it when he visited Blisworth:-

HERE LIETH MARY THE WIFE OF JOHN BRAFIELD THE MOTHER OF NUMEROUS PROGENYE.  TWO JOHNS - TWO WILLIAMS -MARY & ELIZABETH.  FIVE OF THESE CHILDREN WENT TO THIS BED OF DUST IN THE MORNING, THE MOTHER LAY DOWN TO SLEEP AT NOONE WITH HER 7TH UNBORN CONFINED IN HER WOMBE:  SEPT.12.A.D.1662.

"THUS I WHO STROVE TO GIVE MY BABE A BIRTH ENTER AGAIN MY MOTHERS WOMBE, THE EARTH"

We then traced the path of the village fire of 1788 which destroyed twelve houses and barns, ricks, pigs and poultry. None of the properties was insured, so the Church organised a County Appeal. By January of 1799, the sum of £749.17. 11d. had been collected and distributed to the sufferers. A further estimated £189.13.5d. was still needed, and I have no doubts that that came along in due course.

Refreshments were served at 'Plowmans' by the ladies of the CHURCH COUNCIL, to whom I record a sincere 'thank you', as well as to the 'walkers' and the donor of the £35 cheque.

145 - 148

(149)   Perhaps at this stage of the notes telling of the Rev. G.H. Lunn, our wartime Rector, I can digress a little and make mention of some of the incidents arising from air attack by the enemy and which naturally caused great concern to the Church congregation, for the fear of a destroyed Church was very great (and near at times).

I mentioned in the November notes that the Church had been placed on a photographic record at the beginning of the war in accordance with the national scheme. However, in spite of some near misses, no structural damage was done to either of the village houses of worship.  Apart from a few broken windows, a damaged greenhouse, and the occasional hole in the fields, not to mention an allotment plot of prize onions, the village likewise escaped very lightly.

The first bomb to drop on the village was on the night of August 20th, 1940. That bomb fortunately did not explode, and it fell and entered the path opposite to the village school. Evacuation took place of nearby houses, and later the bomb was removed and exploded in the lime stone quarry. On August 23rd an enemy Dornier strafed Blisworth Station but again there were no casualties.  In October the Church had a near miss when around 50 incendiaries fell in the fields west of the Church, but these were quickly tackled by the Wardens.  Three "HE" bombs also fell on the same night but again these were in the fields and no damage to property resulted.

During the 1941 raids on Coventry, much more activity took place and numerous incidents occurred.  A series of bombs fell and exploded in a rough parallel to the Stoke Road, one dropping on an allotment plot (and the onions) on what is now Greenside, and the other nearer to the village at the rear of the British Bacon Factory off Stoke Road which destroyed some nearby greenhouses - now the site of Home Close.  On November 1941, one of our own aircraft, a Blenheim bomber, crashed and burst into flames in the fields behind the Courteenhall Road huuses. The crew of three were rescued and taken to Northampton Hospital, thus giving the Blisworth Wardens an insight into further action. Blisworth Station and the area around later received a fair quota of HE and incendiary bombs, the fire bombs doing a certain amount of damage to rolling stock on the line and burning a few sleepers etc.  Overall the village was very fortunate, and when the war was over, both Church and Chapel members were duly thankful that their buildings and the village had come through the raids virtually untouched.

Of the Church, much went on as before, and the November Remembrance Services were held uninterrupted.  A "highlight" being the wreath laying by a choir man and old soldier, Mr. George Parragreen, who had served in the Grenadier Guards, and in the 1898 expedition to the Sudan had fired the first shot in the battle of Omdurman. He was standing near to Lord Kitchener who gave the command for him to fire to find the correct range.

(150)   The Rev. G.H. Lunn (Rector of Blisworth 1939-1948) was an experienced orator. He was often called upon to speak or preach at neighbouring meetings and services.  He was also a regular guest speaker at the Keswick Conventions.  His great sense of humour often came out in his sermons and he was quite capable of moving his congregation into laughter or tears.  I well remember how on one occasion he mounted the pulpit stairs very wearysome, and then commenced his delivery on a very sad note - "I very much regret to tell you that I lost five of my oldest and best friends last week and I'm so unhappy without them" - coupled with the pathos of his voice and the fact that tears were in his eyes, this alone reduced some of the congregation to near tears, on which the Rector, seemingly enjoying the scene, calmly declared "Yes!  I had five teeth out last week - some of my oldest and best friends"..... and so on with his sermon.

The Rev. Lunn's counterpart at the Baptist Chapel was the Rev. B. Reed (1937-1943). In 1943 the Rev. Reed died, after which his widow carried on the Baptist Ministry until 1950.

Milton Crematorium had opened in 1939, but the popularity of this mode of funeral came about very slowly. For instance, of the forty-six funerals which were conducted by the Rev. G.H. Lunn at Blisworth, only two were cremations, which gives some idea of the slow acceptance of cremation.  The Rector's last Council Meeting was held in February 1948. Following a short illness he died on May 30th and was interred within the shadow of the Church tower on June 3rd.  It was not until May 6th 1951 that a memorial tablet was unveiled in Blisworth Church to the Rev, G.H. Lunn M.A., Rector of Blisworth 1939-1948.

151

(152)   The Rev. Phillip Kensit Challen became our 54th recorded Rector.  He was inducted on Friday, November 2nd 1951 by the Lord Bishop of Peterborough.  Phillip Kensit Challen was a native of Preston, Lanes, and a son of a Rector. A brother had also been Vicar of St. George the Martyr Church at Bolton.  For some of his early years our new Rector had been a mechanical and electrical engineer, followed by more years on colliery maintenance.  He had flown with the Flying Corp. in World War One.  He passed through St. Aiden's College in 1930 and became a Deacon in 1932. He took a curacy at Banber Bridge in 1932 to 1937, followed by a term as Chaplain in the R.A.F.V.R. during World War Two.  Then followed a period when he was Deputy Secretary of Doctor Barnardo's Homes for the North Midlands.  His next move was to Christ Church, Burton-on-Trent as Uicar, 1946-1951, followed by Blisworth as Rector in 1951-1961.

During the Rector's ten years at Blisworth, the Church Clock underwent a major restoration. Much work was also done to the Old School in heating, lighting and furnishing. The Rector was housed in the large Rectory which had been built in 1841 by a former Parson.  The Victorian era had been noticeably marked as the time when monied parents bought up livings for their sons, who likewise built for themselves large Rectories with ample staff to do their bidding.  Following two world wars and the steady process of money devaluation, the old order had changed, there was not money enough to staff and maintain large parsonages and gardens.  It was no great surprise, although much local regret was voiced, at the notice of the Sale of the Rectory after it was vacated by the Rev. Challen in 1961.  And so the Rectory passed into private ownership, becoming "The Old Rectory".  A modern Rectory of brick was built in what had been the former Rectory kitchen garden.

With the Sale of the Old Rectory is closed a chapter of Church and village history.

Thus, also bringing to a close the current Church History notes.               G.F.

END OF THE SERIES

Assembled and edited by Tony Marsh