Interesting Snippets from the Archives

Snippets from the records

1887
Dispute between architect and church over his fee settled and church solicitor waived his fee of £2 9s 11d - " put towards church funds."

1897
Letter from Bishop to Vicar of Feckenham, "If you cannot afford two curates do with one in Astwood Bank/Crabbs Cross."

1897
Mr. J. R. Cramer rents land around church room for grazing by his pony.

1911
The Managers of the Council school have been written to, so that instructions be given to the Master on the matter of waste and dirty paper etc. being thrown over the wall into the churchyard causing it to look like a "deserted fairground".

1913
Three lads broke church windows and schoolroom windows costing £1 7s 6d to repair. One lad had paid his share, but the parents of the other two had to be requested to pay their sons' shares.

1915
Annual vestry meeting delayed due to illness of Treasurer and warden. Eventually held on 31st May - poor attendance "Gardens and allotments had a prior claim I suppose." R. W.V.

1918
The pulpit delayed because all the carvers working in RAF factories.

1923
Protests at football being played in churchyard. The tennis club requested to leave hall clean and tidy after play. ( The tennis court was at the back of the hall - now the vicarage garden)

1936
There were 400 in church listening to King George V's funeral service on wireless.

1938
Resurface church path - loose stones, untidy, uncomfortable to walk on - somebody had complained that it hurt their corns!

1941
Difficult to hold social gatherings to raise money because of lighting restrictions.

1942
Hall let daily between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. except Sundays to Redditch Council as a British restaurant. The agreement to end 3 months after end of Emergency Powers Act 1939.

1946
The nave roof had always been a source of trouble and concern and indeed annoyance to some worshippers who felt descending drops of rain on the backs of their necks whilst praying!