This website created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

JOHN HIND AND THE CAROL SINGERS 

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

Originally published in Along the Furlong in November 2003

The Reverend John Hind, a tall figure and a sufferer from epilepsy, was appointed to the living of Findon in August 1807. The village at this time was a popular stopping-off point for horse and coach travellers at the crossroads of two carriageways overlooked by the Gun Inn.

On Thursday 17th March, 1808, the Reverend married Mrs Benwell.   This lady's name was Penelope and she was an upper-class lady and eldest daughter of John Loveday of Caversham.  She had been born on 22nd June 1759 and was described as tall and quite good looking with grey eyes but had large features and brown hair.   She had been widowed in 1796 (the Reverend John Hind had, in fact, conducted the wedding ceremony for her first marriage) and now she came to live at the spacious flint rectory in Findon (now the Findon Manor Hotel).  Many alterations were made to the property in Findon's main street during the Hind's tenure .

These were the days when there were two routes from London to Worthing, one via Sompting, the other via Findon and Steyning.  They converged in Broadwater and brought the regular horse coach from London, three times a week.

The Hinds made it perfectly clear from the outset that they did not wish to entertain. They desired to have their friends and relations to visit and, therefore, said they could not afford to do both. Over the years they did come to know a few of the families in the village and some of the clergy in the diocese.  Penelope was not very enamoured with Mary Richardson of Findon  Place.  Her cool attitude towards the Lady of the Manor was because she considered that she talked too fast and it was difficult to follow her meaning.  Nor, as a vicar's wife, did Penelope get involved with the poorest villagers as one might have expected. Her knowledge of the privations of the ordinary folk in Findon came down to her chiefly through her own servants. 

The Hinds employed a housekeeper, a cook and one or two local women, as well as James Alloway, an established member of the household whose duties were usually in the house, except when he drove their horse and carriage. Just prior to Christmas in 1821 he narrowly escaped with his life when he fell heavily from his mare while riding into Worthing.  He was off from his duties for three weeks with concussion and severe cuts to his face. 

Clergymen who served the parish at this time were of roughly the equivalent social status as the local gentry. On the other side of the slippery scale were the paupers. The Reverend Hind did his bit in the community and made periodic visits to the Poor House at Gore Cottages at the foot of Bost Hill. It was a chilling reminder to him of the destitution that existed in the rural village he had joined.

There was a considerable contrast between the rich and poor in rural Findon. Problems began when the wretched aged had to sell their meagre sticks of furniture to move to the abysmal Poor House. It was very akin to beginning a prison sentence.  "Poor House" is a description that, for most people, conjures up the harsh and squalid world of Oliver Twist. The Poor House was often a grim and brutal place, but it can now portray a fascinating mix of social history, politics and  economics.

Inmates were classified, families divided and strict discipline was imposed on all admitted. Men, women and children were segregated and further divided according to their conduct and character. The deserving poor, the aged and infirm received only slightly better treatment and food for their virtues. Those who were obviously idle and immoral were subjected to a regime so repugnant to them that they soon wished they were back outside again. They declared it was better to live in poverty in Findon and soon applied for their quick discharge.

Able-bodied villagers were put to work and their tasks at the institution included bone-crushing and hand-milling corn. Able-bodied females and older women were employed in housework. The field opposite Gore Cottages was known as the Poor House Field and as such was probably cultivated by the inmates. Schoolteachers attempted to provide the rudiments of elemental education for the inmates' children.

I have come across two brothers who were such inmates of the Poor House.  This was John Lillywhite (baptised c. 8th March 1738 in nearby Washington).    He was the son of Peter Lillywhite and Elizabeth. He was buried on 27th September 1823 in Findon and died a widower in the Poor House aged 83 as did his brother, Joseph Lillywhite, (baptised as Joshua c. January 1743 in nearby Washington).    He died in November 1818 in Findon aged 76 in the Poor House.  

Here's a lovely pastel shade of nearby Worthing in that year.

This idyllic little picture shows the inhabitants on the beach.  The original Sea Hotel and the coast end of South Street and the earliest properties in Montague Place are visible in the rather middle distance.

Narrow roads have always been a problem, even in Findon. Gore Cottages (the Poor House), received complaints in 1814 because it was causing the narrowing of the main road at that point. The Workhouse was described as "a nuisance" and it was unsuccessfully suggested that the Turnpike Trustees should purchase and demolish the building. It still remains today beside the busy A24.

After 1834 Findon came under Thakeham Workhouse along with Ashington, West Chiltington, Coldwaltham, Hardham, Parham, Pulborough, Stopham, Storrington, Sullington, Warminghurst, Washington and Wiston.

An intriguing glimpse of Findon village life and trades at the beginning of the nineteenth century can be gleaned from a single sheet of the parish church baptism archives during the time of the Reverend Hind for the year 1815 — 

It was at the beginning of this year of 1815 that the Reverend Hind's brother and sister died within a week of each other. His poor sister lay dying in Exeter on the day that his brother was being interred in Oxfordshire. The vicar left Findon by horse and coach at 4 p.m. in thickening snow to attend his sister’s funeral in Exeter, a considerable undertaking during foul January weather.

Upon his return, he was totally exhausted and his health went down hill from then on.   He took a holiday with Penelope at nearby Worthing in June but this did not assist his health. Upon returning to Findon he was unable to take the church service the following day. In fact he could not conduct any services for the following seven months and a curate was called in to perform the duty.

In May, 1827, the Reverend suffered an epileptic fit. Fortunately, it was brief but he still suffered with a troublesome cough. He took the decision to look into the solemn question of his own place of internment. He chose what he considered an ideal spot on the left-hand side of the pathway leading to the church.

In the autumn of that year, Doctor James Johns, recommended that John Hind give up preaching sermons for a while. A temporary assistant, Mr. Evans, stood in for him during the autumn months of October and November.

By Christmas the Reverend was suffering from gout and could not take the service again. He missed seeing the Christmas touches to the church with  festive decorations and the pews decked out with holly. He did not miss out completely though. At an extremely early hour when it was still dark on Christmas Day morning he heard voices approaching from outside in the main street. The church choir began singing hymns and psalms to him under his rectory windows — the time was, in fact, 3 a.m.  (This apparently seems to have been the normal procedure for those days!)

In 1829, there was the welcome appointment of a new curate. Alfred Lyall (1795-1865) was in his mid-thirties and lived at the fine Georgian property, Greypoint in The Square, and had been recently ordained.   Alfred was of great assistance to John Hind, the vicar of Findon, for the next few years, and was held in esteem by the villagers. 

Christmas Day came round again and the Reverend was confined to the rectory and did not feel well enough until February to start calling on his parishioners again. He commenced a six week vacation to the Isle of Wight in May.

In October, 1832, John Hind was discovered sprawled unconscious on the floor of his bedroom. Two days later he died.  He had not regained consciousness. He had previously decreed that his funeral should be a private affair but nevertheless the churchyard was packed with villagers from all walks of Findon life, proving how popular he had become.

In February, 1834, the Reverend's widow, Penelope, at the age of 74, received the news that she must vacate The Rectory by June as the new vicar would be arriving to take over. At first she wondered if the Lyall family would be leaving Findon as she hoped to move into Greypoint. However, Alfred Lyall offered his services as curate to the Reverend George Booth, the new vicar, and as a result, stayed put in the village.

In April, Penelope moved house and went to live in one of Findon's ancient dwellings at the foot of School Hill, now known as The Village House. Even then the property was older than she first thought — but she was not to know that many years later, in the 1960s, work would reveal herringbone Tudor brickwork, now to be seen on the south wall.

Penelope lived in The Square for the next thirteen years until 3rd November, 1846, when she died at the age of 87. She was buried at St. John the Baptist Church on 11th November. The large Hind tomb stands in the churchyard, the names of John and Penelope Hind still visible — one of the few engravings of that era that have not weathered beyond recognition.

Continue if you would like to read One Thing Leads to Another.

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created exclusively for documenting life in Findon.