Four evacuee children were
billeted at the vcarage
MY
father also would not allow any decorating in the house before Christmas
Day, and must have stayed up half the night preparing the Christmas tree
etc. and a large Bethlehem scene with manger surrounded by hills and green
fields and sheep and shepherds.
My ‘big moment’ arrived on the day War was declared. I had
spent one year at theological college and on this day I conducted my first
service in Wethersfield church. Mr. Suckling had stayed behind in his
house with his ear fixed to the crystal wireless set and heard the news.
He then hurried to the church and passed me a note that war against Germany
had been declared. I duly announced this to the congregation and redirected
the service accordingly. What a way to begin my Ministry!
I took the service that day because my father as Evacuation Officer was
responsible for meeting the children and organising their arrival at their
allotted houses. We had four lovely children billeted on us from Wood
Green; Alex and Kathleen (brother
and
sister) and Tony and Pam (brother and sister). They were very happy with
us and us with them
Although there was no Midnight Service at Christmas, there was a Watch
night service on New Year’s Eve when the church was packed. This
was largely due to a big social/dance being held which finished about
11.50pm. and a joyous peal of bells welcomed all to the church, not to
make pious New Year resolutions but to entrust it all to God.
The social/dance would be held in the spacious village hall, as were many
other functions. These included village hops, (dances – mostly the
traditional waltz, quickstep etc.) monthly Whist drives, lectures by well
known people such as the aviator, Amy Johnson and the annual big Missionary
Exhibition with exhibits from foreign parts like Africa which were remote
other-worlds.
Remembrance Sunday was made a great occasion by my father who had been
a mechanic at Manston Airfield in the First World War. The reading of
the names of those killed in the War, the trumpets for the Last Post,
the singing of ‘Oh Valiant Hearts’ and a sermon of passion
about country and glory all built up inside, so that I found myself praying
that I would be old enough to fight in the next war.
Master Carpenter had probably the best fitting blackouts in the country. Light wood panels which fitted each window exactly and were fastened by wooden hooks to perfection. The only snag was that they were on the outside like shutters and tedious time was spent in sometimes grim weather.
He ignored the challenge of the Vicarage Room windows. The Vicarage Room, known as the Sunday School Room in the Reverend Rossiter's time and which he had erected, was a splendid thatched roof building. The four windows along the front were very large. The only snag was that they were either shut or wide open owing to the unusual rods which were used.
This room was used for many activities connected to the church such as scouts, P.C.C. meetings, youth meetings, women's meetings, rummage (later jumble) sales and confirmation classes.
The vicar's
wife with three of
the
evacuees and their kitten
