| [This short Preface reads as a guide to his successor (Rev Sandilands) and contains fascinating details about church and community life.] |
Preface
to Fulford's "Speculum Gregis" [with corrections 25 Sept 1845] |
| "There
are two full sermons every Sunday, Lord's Supper four times a year, two full services on Christmas Day and Good Friday and an afternoon full service on Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day. The Sunday School is held
in the Church; and commences at about 9 o'clock. I take about one half the boys
and James Lee [page 35], the Schoolmaster, the other half. I stay with them 'till
the bell begins to ring, at half past ten. Church service commences at 11. The
Service begins with a Psalm - there is also a Psalm before the Altar Service,
and before the Sermon. (I always read the commandments at the altar). I always
select and give them out, reading each verse. It has always been the custom to
preach in the Surplice. The choir chant the 'Benite', 'Te Deum', Jubilate', etc
etc and also the afternoon Hymns and the 'Gloria Patri' [added pencil note:] as well
as they can. |
| "In
the afternoon the School opens rather before two and I stay 'till the bell begins
about half past two. Service commences at 3. There is a Psalm at beginning of
the Prayers, and before and after the Sermon. We use the selections from the Old
and New versions, with the Hymns as set forth by the Society for P.C.K [Promotion
of Christian Knowledge]. The money collected at the Holy Communion used
to be given away at the time - but I don't do that - though I for the most part
give it amongst those who are communicants. |
| "Mrs
Fulford teaches the girls on the Sundays, assisted by Elizabeth Wood [page 19],
who keeps a little day-school. Mr [J.C.] Gape [owner of three Croydon farms and Lord of the Manor] always gives me 5£ [five
pounds] in June for the Sunday School, with which I pay Lee and Elizabeth
Wood, who have a 1 shilling a Sunday each, commencing for their year from
Michaelmas. I find fire in the winter, when necessary, for the Sunday School.
We always give the School children some plum-pudding at Christmas, and a tea-drinking
with games and sports in the field in July, and Books as rewards to a few in each
class at Christmas. |
| "We take a few pence from any of the children that like to pay it every Sunday as
their savings - to buy themselves clothes etc. [added pencil note:] a very useful thing. |
|
|
| "We have had a Village Saving Club for Clothes and Coals into which any separate family may put (except those who are in a trade) - we limit them to 2d [two old pennies] for clothes and 2d for coals, which is quite as much as for the most part, they can manage to keep up. It commences with the first Monday in January,
and about Christmas we give it out - they paying up the weeks to the end of the
year in advance. |
| "The
farmers bring out from Cambridge two or three tons of coal each, which saves the
carriage and we add to their money as much as we can afford. |
| "Most of the farmers subscribe 5s [five shillings] apiece, Downing College 8£ [eight pounds] (£5
to the coals and £3 to the clothes) and we contribute about as much. For
the clothes Miss Fulford gives tickets for the amount, one to each party,
which they take to Mrs Russell's [shop] at Arrington or Mrs Lyon's [shop] in Croydon
and they get what they please. For the coals we give tickets for so many hundred
weight, and then as the farmers' carts bring out the coal, we distribute it as
is most convenient according to situation and quantity. This coal club is an excellent thing for them, as fuel is so dear. We insist on them being regular in their payments,
and don't like them to be above a month in arrears. |
| "Mrs
Fulford has a few sets of Baby linen which she lends to the women for
their confinements, and also a set of things for the infant, when going to be
baptised - which they return the next day. |
| "Mrs
Wood, the Schoolmistress, is a very good person to give you any information. |
| "You
may also get any information from Mr Merry [page 62], the churchwarden - Mr Merry
has the Map of the Parish. |
| Mrs
Fulford gave broth to several old people and people with large families, during
the winter months. |
| "Mr
Pyne, Surgeon of Royston, and Jane Graves [page 18] a workwoman, Mrs Haggar [page 10], Susan Titmus [page 09] and Maria Payne [page 15], for washing and ironing. Mary Payne [page 23],
a workwoman." |
Francis
Fulford
Rector |
| [Above transcription was checked and corrected against the original document on
25 August 2008. Explanatory notes in grey within [square brackets] are mine. - Steve Odell] |
|
