Parish magazines are a mine of information, Teesdale Mercury

Parish magazines are a mine of information

Sep 19, 2007

By Jinny Howlett

OLD parish magazines are exciting to read. They usually contain lots of information not found anywhere else. One such magazine recently came into my possession courtesy of the book shop on the Bank - thank you for the gift.

This particular magazine is entitled, ‘The Church Magazine for the Parishes of Barningham, Bowes, Brignall, Laithkirk, Rokeby, Romaldkirk, Startforth and Wycliffe, in the Rural Deanery of Richmond North Yorks'.

That's a bit of a mouthful for a title isn't it? The magazine is dated January 1915 - the second year of the Great War. So naturally enough, there is an emphasis in the magazine on events far away from Teesdale. 

There are lots of activities recorded, most aimed at raising funds for the Red Cross and various amenity groups for soldiers.

As regards church matters, the most noticeable feature is the large number of clergy in the area at that time. All the eight parishes featured in the magazine had their own vicars or rectors and Romaldkirk Church had a curate as well as the rector. There are letters from each of the eight incumbents, all different in style.

The Revd F R McMinn Graham, rector of Rokeby, in his letter reports that he has put up a Roll of Honour in the porch of the church with the names of those from the parish now away in the forces serving their king and country.

He mentions in his letter the Bombardment of Hartlepool and Scarborough: "Many of the parishioners of Rokeby felt the shock and reverberation of the murderous German raid on defenceless men, women and children... Some thought it was thunder, others an earthquake; houses were shaken, windows and doors rattling as if some diabolic spirit were let loose."

Do you think people really did hear the noise of the raid - Rokeby is an awful long way from Hartlepool?

The Revd C. Hilton Hutchinson, rector of Wycliffe, reminds his parishioners of their duty to their king and country to enlist in the forces.

He exhorts everyone to pray daily for victory for the Allies. The Revd Hutchinson also announced a day of prayer for the Nation and Empire and hopes that all his parishioners in Wycliffe and Ovington will make every effort to attend.

The people of Ovington were also busy with supporting the forces on the front line. Miss Awde was reportedly collecting and distributing wool so that socks and mufflers could be knitted ‘for our gallant forces on land and sea'.

The names of those serving in the forces from Wycliffe and Ovington, eight in all, are duly recorded in the magazine by the rector.

One of the names on the list is that of Rosaria Lounesborough, a most unusual name. It does appear to be that of a woman - interesting don't you think?

Of course it isn't just the rector of Wycliffe who shows support for those serving in the forces. The Revd Gilbert Beal also lists those serving in the forces from his parish of Romaldkirk.

He even provides additional information by recording the men's regiment.

Most Romaldkirk men had enlisted with one of the Yorkshire Regiments but interestingly, three - Thomas Kipling, Arthur Preston and James Thompson - had joined the Cumberland and Westmoreland Yeomanry.

The Revd Beal quotes from two letters sent to the Teesdale Mercury thanking the people of Romaldkirk for sending large quantities of cigarettes and tobacco to the men fighting at the Front. How times change don't they - cigarettes wouldn't be regarded as a suitable gift in today's climate.

One of the clergy, the Revd Arthur Walker, announces that he is leaving the dale for Birmingham.

He assumes that there will soon be a replacement vicar for his church at Laithkirk. Nowadays, Laithkirk is the responsibility of the rector of Romaldkirk.

There are definitely fewer clergy about than there were 100 years ago. There were also more church services back in the early years of the 20th Century than there are today.

The Revd Arthur Walker, for example, had a Communion Service at the Parish Church twice a month, and Morning and Evening Prayer every Sunday.

He also led services each Sunday at Mickleton, Holwick and Lunedale and once a month at Grassholme Schoolroom. There were services during the week as well.

The church was clearly at the centre of community life in those days. I suppose this was partly due to the difficulties of travelling any distance from the home.

Many village events and activities were organised by the churches.

Most dale churches back in 1915 had a choir that not only sang at the services but also met for choir practice each week.

Then there were the Sunday Schools - these were clearly an important part of dale life. At Brignall for instance, three Sunday School classes met, two classes for girls met in the rectory and one for boys in the church.

At Romaldkirk there was Sunday School at 10am and at 2pm; at Cotherstone at 2.30pm and at Baldersdale at 1.45pm.

I wonder when it was that many children stopped going to Sunday School? For young people, the churches organised Bible Classes and there was a Boy Scouts Troup and a Girls' Friendly Society, at Bowes, and a Guild of Temperance at Romaldkirk.

Most churches had clothing clubs and working parties and there are numerous whist drives, concerts and sales of work all faithfully recorded in the magazine. And this all must have happened in December!

People must have led an active social life even when they lived in remote corners of our dale. More so than today do you think?

First published in the Teesdale Mercury September 12, 2007