Sound the bells - for fifty glorious years  

CLIMB aboard our History Helicopter and, as we fly over the centuries, let’s put down on the lawn of the Manor House standing high on its hill, looking down on the village of Wethersfield.
The year is 1887 and it looks as if a lot is happening down below. It is June 21 and they are celebrating Queen Victoria’s Jubilee.
Unusually, at this period, the Manor was owned by the Vicar of Wethersfield, Rev William Marsh, MA.
Apart from having been a Fellow and Tutor of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Rev Marsh was also a very rich man and had bought up the manor and most of its lands after his squire brother-in-law had died early, leaving massive debts. He kicked off the Jubilee Fund with ten pounds, which was only equalled by General Thompson at the other big house, Wethersfield Place.
But back to the celebrations. The day had started early with a “merry peal” on the church bells at 6am. It doesn’t seem to have enlivened the holidaying locals who failed to turn up at the 10am special service in the numbers Rev Marsh would have liked.
By 1.30pm the children from the Day and Sunday schools were mustered on the village green to receive jubilee medals

Program  
Band on green
 A Scout fife and drum band
on the green in about 1911		 presented by Mrs Marsh and hung round the necks of each child by the chief teachers (who received beautiful bouquets of flowers for their efforts).That done the village band struck up and everyone marched off up the hill to the Manor House Park to enjoy the sports.There were running races for the men – 200 yards for the lusty youths, reducing to a gentler 60 yards for the over-50s.
The parishioners’ donkeys were meant to race 600 yards - though it is not known how many did – and the ponies were put to it over half a mile.
For the rest of the Jubilee Day events we turn to the report in Wethersfield Parish Magazine of June 1887:
“Sport followed sport in quick succession from 2.30pm to 6pm.The events that caused the greatest excitement were the Tug of 		 
War between the men of Wethersfield and Blackmore End, which was won by the Blackmore End men by two wins out of three.” (Rather churlishly the writer notes that the ground slightly favoured the Blackmore End team!) “The race of next importance was an Obstacle Race. The first obstacle that presented itself was composed of hurdles, over which the men could either jump or scramble, then a large canvas rick cloth under which they had to creep, after which came large wagons, over which the men had to climb, then another set of hurdles and last of all came four big barrels, with the tops and bottoms off, through which the competitors had to creep.

“This race was easily won by Charles Perkins, gardener to Gen. Thompson, who, notwithstanding two falls at a very critical time, won by a couple of yards.”
We wonder which prize the victorious gardener chose from the scythes, spades, shovels, garden forks, hay forks and bagging hooks on offer.
There were races for women and children too and at four o’clock refreshments for the school children consisting of buns and milk. Everyone over 14 received a meat ticket and a ticket for either two pints of beer, gingerade or tea handed out by the refreshment committee.“At 7.30pm an open-air concert was given, at which Mrs Marsh sang. We enjoyed her duet quite as much as, if not more than, anything on the programme. Many of the parishioners of Wethersfield expressed the great pleasure they felt

The Manor Park
The Manor Park, scene of the
Jubilee Day sports 		 
at once more hearing her voice and hope that it would not be the last time they heard it at their village concerts. “Miss Eva Marsh made her debut and sang a song, very prettily and very composedly for so young a child. At first she sang with her back to the audience but, gradually gaining courage, she turned round and faced them and was deservedly cheered. We do not know which was admired most by the audience, the pretty manner in which she sang her song, or the curtsey she made at the end in acknowledging the plaudits of the hearers.”
When the grounds were cleared at 9pm the children each received another bun and milk on leaving the park. At least for one night they didn’t go to bed hungry. God Save the Queen. 		 
k on
Click on pictures to enlarge