"The Good Shepherd"
Francis Fulford
A drawing made from an early photograph
and printed in "The Illustrated London News" in 1850
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Original Preface "An account of all the inhabitants of
the Parish of Croydon by Additional notes by Reverend R S B Sandilands,
Rector 1845-1848 |
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"The Good Shepherd" Francis Fulford |
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Original
Preface There are two full sermons every Sunday, Lord's Supper four times a year, two full services on Christmas Day and Good Friday and an afternoon full service on Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day. The Sunday School is held in the Church; and commences at about 9 o'clock. I take about one half the boys and James Lee, the Schoolmaster, the other half. I stay with them 'till the bell begins to ring, at half past ten. Church service commences at 11. The Service begins with a Psalm - there is also a Psalm before the Altar Service, and before the Sermon. (I always read the commandments at the altar). I always select and give them out, reading each verse. It has always been the custom to preach in the Surplice. The choir chant the 'Benite', 'Te Deum', Jubilate', etc etc and also the afternoon Hymns and the 'Gloria Patri'. (pencil note: as well as they can.) In the afternoon the School opens rather before two and I stay 'till the bell begins about half past two. Service commences at 3. There is a Psalm at beginning of the Prayers, and before and after the Sermon. We use the selections from the Old and New versions, with the Hymns as set forth by the Society for P.C.K [Promotion of Christian Knowledge]. The money collected at the Holy Communion used to be given away at the time - but I don't do that - though I for the most part give it amongst those who are communicants. Mrs Fulford teaches the girls on the Sundays, assisted by Elizabeth Wood, who keeps a little day-school. Mr Gape always gives me £5 [five pounds] in June for the Sunday School, with which I pay Lee and Elizabeth Wood, who have a 1 shilling a Sunday each, commencing for their year from Michaelmas. I find fire in the winter, when necessary, for the Sunday School. We always give the School children some plum-pudding at Christmas, and a tea-drinking with games and sports in the field in July, and Books as rewards to a few in each class at Christmas. We take a few pence from any of the children that like to pay it every Sunday as their savings - to buy themselves clothes etc. (pencil note: a very useful thing.) We have had a Village Saving Club for Clothes and Coals into which any separate family may put (except those who are in a trade) - we limit them to 2d [two pence] for clothes and 2d [two pence] for coals, which is quite as much as for the most part, they can manage to keep up. It commences with the first Monday in January, and about Christmas we give it out - they paying up the weeks to the end of the year in advance. The farmers bring out from Cambridge two or three tons of coal each, which saves the carriage and we add to their money as much as we can afford. Most of the farmers subscribe 5s [five shillings] apiece, Downing College £8 [eight pounds] (£5 to the coals and £3 to the clothes) and we contribute about as much. For the clothes Miss Fulford gives tickets for the amount, one to each party, which they take to Mrs Russell's at Arrington or Mrs Lyon's in Croydon and they get what they please. For the coals we give tickets for so many hundred weight, and then as the farmers' carts bring out the coal, we distribute it as is most convenient according to situation and quantity. This coal club is an excellent thing for them, as fuel is so dear. We insist on them being regular in their payments, and don't like them to be above a month in arrears. Mrs Fulford has a few sets of Baby linen which she lends to the women for their confinements, and also a set of things for the infant, when going to be baptised - which they return the next day. Mrs Wood, the Schoolmistress, is a very good person to give you any information. You may also get any information from Mr Merry, the churchwarden - Mr Merry has the Map of the Parish. Mrs Fulford gives broth to several old people and people with large families, during the winter months. Mr Pyne, Surgeon of Royston, and Jane Graves a workwoman, Mrs Haggar, Susan Titmus and Maria Payne, for washing and ironing. Mary Payne, a workwoman. I have begun...... Francis Fulford |
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