This is Findon — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

 CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED — 1889

Copyright Valerie Martin 2005

Originally published in Along the Furlong in December 2005

In 1881 a new vicar arrived in Findon following the death of the Reverend Robert Cholmeley and, of course, there were changes. He was the Reverend William Dennis Allen. The new young vicar gave music lessons at the village school and one or two of the older children tried to get the better of him. They very soon discovered their mistake and he gave them what he termed "a good licking".

During this era there was no telegraph in the village, only one delivery of letters each day, and no passenger coach services or omnibuses. The new Reverend introduced an Evening Service, which the villagers had not been used to.

By this date, nonconformity amongst some Findon villagers was having a detrimental effect on church attendances. The church was also suffering from being at a distance from its parishioners (even if not yet cut off by the bypass). The size of the Findon parish, and the remoteness of some settlements, made pastoral visiting difficult and the Reverend Allen already held services for some older residents in the nearby hamlets.

In 1889 our area was struck by an earth tremor which made houses shake on the nearby front at Worthing.   It is said that glass and other ornaments rattled

On Christmas Day, at St. John the Baptist Church in Findon in 1889, the offertories at the two services were £3.7s.11d. and £2.16s.11d respectively. In retrospect these appear to be goodly sums for Christmas Day of the year in question. The midday collection at the church was donated to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Society.

However, the Vicar was not altogether pleased with attendance at the church service over this Christmas period and spoke his mind —

It is wondered what he had in mind for his Findon congregation the following Christmas. Perhaps he was hasty in his judgement of the attentive Findon inhabitants whom he expected to devoutly appear. They could have been suffering after indulging in their Christmas lunch and annual tipple. In fact, they could have been slumbering all Christmas afternoon in 1889 after having revelled unashamedly. After all, Christmas Day was a great time for celebration and for pushing the boat out — even in 1889.

To round off the year, on New Year's Eve, which fell on a Tuesday, the Sunday School Christmas Tree was presented by subscription among the ladies of the parish. The Reverend described the event as —

"a very pretty and merry meeting, for young and old".

A fitting end to the year.

Continue if you would like to read more about Christmas in Findon in Come Fly With Me

Findon Village Antiquities — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.