Diary May 1901 - July 1902

17 May Presentation to Rev. James of a "Devonport" or "Secretaire" by parishioners in gratitude for his services to the parish

28 May Visited Stone Mill - description of interior of flour mill

29 May Description of St. Oswald's church, Rockhampton. Also visit to Wotton-under-Edge - description of almshouses and church

13 June Visited Churchdown Vicarage - description of Vicar's study - contrast to Dr. Smithe's arrangements

1 July Preparing a list of parish church dedications of Gloucestershire (about 390)

14 July Mr. Swift's 60th birthday

8 Aug. Told that Holy Trinity Church, Gloucester, "stood where D. Lewis the draper's shop is now (Westgate Street)". Mr. Lewis or the occupant is required to pay a certain sum to St. Mary de Lode to be annually distributed in sixpences

9 Aug. Parish Council informed by P.O. that a second delivery was to be made and that Churchdown was entitled to a Sunday delivery if 2/3 of the Parish Council voted for it. Decision: Parish Council did not want it but would be thankful for clearance of post boxes on Sunday evening and for a post box on one of the late trains at night

13 Aug. Visited Llanthony Abbey - description - spent the night there [30/8/01 Here are enclosed loose sheets setting out part of the history of the Wyndowe family and of the Wyndowe Charity (incomplete)]

8 Sept. Attended the Opening Service of the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral, in the course of which Mr. Edward Elgar conducted a portion of the Dream of Gerontius

15 Sept. Report that President Mckinley of the U.S.A. has been shot and killed and that Vice-President Roosevelt had become President in his place

18 Oct. School Board consider estimates for new building - £1,097 the lowest and that of R. Merrett (Churchdown) the highest at nearly £1,373. Decide to have further meeting with architect

23 Oct. At meeting of School Board the lowest tender (that of Mr. King, who built the school in 1873) was accepted

26 Oct. Bought ½ pint of whisky (1s/3d) for his wife and 1 bottle of gin (2s/5/d) for self

27 Oct. New altar is in use at Church - carved dark oak, no frontal - looks cold. "Don't admire it at all"

30 Nov. Meeting re. the provision of a new church. It was agreed that a Chapel of Ease be provided as a supplemental building to the Parish Church ("which might be done for say £1,500"). £375 had been promised before the meeting broke up

4 Nov. Discussed possible sites for the church with the Vicar. Decided the best was the "corner in Chapel Hay - opposite the Manor House Carriage Entrance - but the [Churchdown] Land Co. were or are unwilling to give the last - they (the Land Co.) came over to view these sites and will send their decision later on as to which they will spare"

19 Dec. George Davis, whom the author has assisted as a Tax Collector for 25 years, was not re-appointed, so this task has come to an end. Work on the school extension is in progress

1902

7 Jan. Concert in aid of fund for new church - programme and press report

13 Jan. Meeting of New Church Committee. Announced that Churchdown Land Co. had given the N.W. corner of Chapel Hay as the site [as had been hoped] subject to the line of a footpath being modified

21 Jan. At meeting of Church Building Committee it was decided to invite several architects to submit plans

2 Feb. Mr. J. H. Jones has bought an organ for the new church - a bargain - at the sale of musical instruments of the late Mr. Bennett of Amberley

27 Feb. It was reported at Parish Council meeting that there had been various improvements in the postal services, including the provision of a post box at the Station where letters could be posted up to 9.20. pm. It was decided to ask the Railway Companies to provide a bridge to enable passengers to cross to the other platform

6 March Son brought about 301b. of sugar @ 1½d per lb., part of a ship's cargo that was partly damaged at the Docks

20 March Annual Parish Meeting. A reporter from the Echo office said "he had not been, but seldom, to such an illiterate meeting". The acting Chairman said "he had been all the while sitting as it were on the horns of a bull - or in a dilemma"

22 March Church Building Committee - submitted plans examined, that of Mr. Wood selected by the adjudicator, Mr. Protheroe, and approved by the Committee

30 March Easter Day. Total communicants at two services numbered 85, a number never before reached in the parish

15 April Read Budget Speech of Sir M. Hicks Beache [sic], among the proposals being 1d. on Income Tax making it 1/3d. in £, stamp duty on cheques etc. up from 1d. to 2d. and a duty on corn of 3d. per cwt. and on flour 5d.

23 April The Rev. Hodgson has come to live in Churchdown. He is a great admirer of Samuel Johnson and reveals that he, with others, persuaded the City of Lichfield to secure Dr. Johnson's house for the town, to become not only a memorial but also a museum. He himself had a table that had belonged to Dr. Johnson

2 May Decided at a Parish Meeting that there be festivities on Coronation Day, on the same lines as those for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and that they be paid for from the rates

6 May Meeting of Committee re. Coronation festivities - personnel, decisions etc.

7 May Committee formed to arrange Flower and Horticulture Show on 5 August, Bank Holiday

12 May Further details of Coronation Day plans with allowable expenditure under various headings

15 May Saw performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Opera House

16 May New Assistant Schoolmistress appointed (from 3 applicants).

Mr. Swift's salary increased by £6 [presumably per annum]

22 May Aunt S. made some White Pot, a Whitsuntide dish. Recipe given.

History of the Great House at Nibley and its haunting recounted

2 June Informed that Peace had been declared (Boer War). Terms of Boer surrender set out

24 June Indisposition of the King and postponement of Coronation ceremony announced in the Citizen [the ceremony was to have taken place on June 26th]

25 June Decided at a meeting held in the tent at Chapel Hay that the programme for the following day should be modified. The children should have their tea and be given Coronation mugs, this to be followed by a meat tea for the adults at 5.30 pm. Entertainment - dancing etc. to be abandoned and replaced by a Service of Intercession in the tent, the band and choir being present

26 June Report of events on the intended Coronation Day and form of Service held in the tent. Also full details of intended (but cancelled) programme

23 July Rev. Hodgson, a retired clergyman, had come to live in Churchdown, at The Moors [Parton Lane]. The diarist visited him and was taken over the house - "exquisitely neatly furnished". Saw the workshop, where he worked at turning and carpentering, the photographic dark room, and the Oratory upstairs, with altar, reredos (made by Rev. Hodgson), ecclesiastical designs in the window etc.

29 July Fell on Churchdown Station platform fracturing the left radius and ulna. Arm splinted by Dr. Moore

31 July It was reported that £112.2.6. was the net. total received for the new Church Fund at a Garden Fete held at the Vicarage on July 24th