The Sign goes missing

Copies of the Enderby parish magazines were bound into hardback book form. Early copies also include 'The Sign', an insert of news, articles and edifying stories. Unfortunately after 1926 these were not bound and we have lost them. The readers of the 1920s were more fortunate as later balance sheets for the magazine show 'the sign' was still attached, but we are deprived of reading it.

The problems of changing a prayer book

The Rev. H.V. Hibbert was not very happy with the parliament at the start of 1928. "It must have come as a surprise to many that the House of Commons did not pass the revised prayer book..... So many unkind and bitter things have been said often by irresponsible persons who are entirely ignorant of the real teachings of the Church of England...... I have already this advent preached two sermons about the revised book. First pointing out that that the objections were unfounded, and secondly that there was much in the book which certainly was by way of enrichment and tended to bring our services up to date.... All this is shelved at any rate for the time being".

The George Tunnicliffe Memorial

In January a committee decided that they would remember a parish clerk who served for 60 years with a memorial. "It was thought that a tablet, made of the old oak which was taken out of the tower during the dismantling of the bells should be placed in the church which Mr. Tunnicliffe loved and served so well...... Mr. Tunnicliffe was respected by everyone in the in Enderby, Nonconformists, as well as church people, for he had a kind word to say to all whom he met and especially those with whom he had any dealings".

Please look at the advertising

"Will you please note the new advertisers in the magazine this year? It is only fair to draw your attention to them because it is due to the advertisements that we can make the Magazine really pay it's way"

Enderby Church Women and Girls' Club

A review of the club by Mrs. Hibbert in April 1928 sheds some light on their activities. It appears they met on Thursday evenings during the winter. There were visitors' nights which "have been thoroughly enjoyed and we are very pleased that our friends come on these occasions.... And we must thank Mr. John Young and Miss. A Warren and others for playing for the dancing".

Mrs. Hibbert goes on to say "On ordinary club nights things have perhaps gone a little flat, and then I whisper a word of 'Do you think the club will go on for another winter?' and the members who have been present have always said 'Oh yes, what would we do on Thursday evenings without a club?'".

The club also regularly ran various whist drives and dances, as well as an 'American Tea' around November. The accounts for 1927 show they contributed a huge £59 15s to the church funds.

A special garden fete

A successful garden fete took place on 16th June which raised just over £182. It included a historical pageant which was described in the August magazine. To read about the pageant, please click on the 'pageant' button;

Children, Don't frighten the horses

In the Children's Corner, 'Uncle Tim' had a request " My Dear Little Folk, how do you like this snowy weather? Does it not seem splendid having it in the holidays so that you can snowball and slide to your heart's content? But when you are sliding remember the poor horses; do not make slides down the middle of the road and make it dangerous for them to get along".

The 60th anniversary of the restoration of Enderby Church

"Everything passed off most successfully on July 24th, and we had a beautifully fine day. The Church looked bright and festive, and the chancel steps had been decorated very tastefully with flowers and plants by Mrs. Salt. The Archdeacon of Loughborough was the preacher at Mattins, and at the afternoon service at Old S. John's Churchyard the Vicar of Whetstone, the Rev. C. N. Daybell addressed a large assembly. His address on "Continuity " was very appropriate, for the site on which we stood is a very ancient one and speaks to us of the past, perhaps even Saxon times. It did us good to see such a crowded congregation at the service of Dedication of the Bells in the evening, the seats in the porch and churchyard were made use of both during and after the service. The congregation were provided with special forms of service. A large number of people assembled in the road as the Bishop with the Clergy (the Vicar and Rev. R. P, Farrow) and Churchwardens proceeded to the main gate where they met the Choir. As the procession reached the Church, a hymn was sung and the service began. During the singing of
8th psalm the Bishop, the Vicar, and the Church wardens went to the Tower for the dedication ; and when the bells rang out for a few minutes our hearts must have been thrilled by the sound of them. It seemed such a delight to hear them, and Mr. Webb of Croft, who had brought over a band of expert ringers for this most important occasion, told the Vicar that we have now "a most beautiful ring bells, for not only are they in perfect tune, but they are very musical the tone being so mellow. If it is the pronouncement of an expert ringer, we ought to be proud of what has been achieved."

The Mothers' Union banner was dedicated afterwards and the members of the Enderby branch the Mothers' Union are delighted with it and that it is most beautiful. Great credit is due to those who worked so hard so that our large branch should have its banner

The bishop preached an eloquent sermon and told us that his grandfather, the late Rev. James Bardsley, preached at the reopening of the church after the restoration in 1868.

For some time after the service the bells were rung..... Thus ended a most happy and inspiring day, ever to be remembered in the history of our church and parish."

Religious education at Enderby Church Day School was good

The November edition quoted some excellent inspectors reports, with each year mentioned. For Example;

"JUNIOR B - There was a good spirit prevailing in this class, and some very good answers were given on the subject of the 'Love of God'.

JUNIOR A - Very bright keen children. They have an excellent grasp of their subject, in which they were evidently interested. It was a pleasure to inspect them."

The Mothers' Union are happy with their banner

In July Mrs. Hibbert wrote "My dear mothers, I think we are very delighted and proud of our banner which was dedicated at the beautiful service in our parish church on Sunday, June 24th church. It was a service which we shall keep fresh in our memory for many years to come, and I felt so glad that many of you came to me afterwards and said how pleased you were with the banner. It really is a beautiful one. Already news of it has spread to other parishes and they are anxious to know where we got it from. A photo of the banner is given below;

The changing of Enderby's bells

During 1927, it was decided to change the bells in the tower, and so on 30th January parishioners went to the bell foundry of Messrs J Taylor and Co. "It was most interesting to see the casting of the bells which was the real reason for the visit"

The writer continued "At the time of writing the 'works' of the clock have been taken to Derby for the necessary fittings in connection with the Westminster Quarter Chimes. Due notice was given in church so that parishioners should know why the clock had 'stopped'".

In April; "The bells are almost completed, but the framework is to be erected and the tower is being prepared for it...... The new bells will bear inscriptions, two in memory of the late, Lieut. A.H. Levy, with the names of Mr. and Mrs. Grace on one and Mrs. Levy and her daughter on the other, and the other new bell as a gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. Taylor. On one of the bells recast, the names of the vicar and churchwardens will be inscribed. It is hoped that postcards photographs of the bells will be on sale soon on behalf of our bells fund".

Read the part on the memorial day section for details on the consecration and first ringing of the bells.

Enderby Church is losing money

The church accounts for 1927 were published in March 1928 showing a 'loss' of £48 8s 7d. There were reasons; a new boiler which cost £59 15s, and the fact that much fundraising had been diverted to the fund for the new bells. However, the churchwarden, H Gordon James, was concerned about the Church finances and wrote a passionate article on why there should be more 'proportionate' giving.

The accounts reveal some interesting facts; The parish clerk seems to receive a wage of £102 in 1927 before the payment of 'insurance stamps' and an extra help of £13. The new freewill offering scheme brought in £62 18s to the coffers and the treasurer wrote that "I do sincerely hope that the... scheme will continue because without it we could not meet our expenses, as our collections have only averaged £3/3/0 per Sunday during the year".

The magazine in August included a poster of the garden fete, advertising events such as Novelty races, an Ankle Competition and a Hat Trimming Competition. The winners of the skittles would be the proud winner of a pig worth £2. Enderby Brass Band played at the fete and the Enderby Lido Orchestra played at the evening dance. The financial aim was to raise money for the 'church day schools' which needed long outstanding repairs and new heating.

Unfortunately, it poured it down on the day with " a heavy thunderstorm" around midday. In October, the vicar praised all those involved for achieving a "splendid" result of £92 " considering the wretched weather conditions", but "Of course we wanted over £200, and as the accounts of various contractors will have to be met very soon (for work on the schools), the remainder of the required amount must be raised as soon as possible.

'The Hamorils', who could not appear at the fete promised to do an indoor event to help out. Also an envelope scheme for the church school renovation was started which, in December the vicar guessed had brought in £36 "which is very good indeed considering all the calls there are upon purses at this time of year".

Bible Reading Fellowship

This fellowship was now over a year old and provided bible notes / readings, but it seems the first Bible notes used were a little difficult. The vicar decided to encourage its members in December's magazine; "Miss C E Soar is anxious to get a few more members to join the Bible Reading Fellowship. A new series of Bible readings has been published and would, perhaps, prove more helpful to present members than the series that has been distributed hitherto. We all know that some parts of the Bible are more difficult to understand and appreciate than other parts, and some of St. Paul's epistles which we have been studying lately are not so easy to comprehend as, for instance, the Gospels. But,of course, we cannot say that we know the Bible if we choose for ourselves only the best known and easily understood portions. However we do hope that the new series will prove more suitable and helpful to present members than the ones first issued. Will those who are not members of the Fellowship, and would care to know something more about it than can be put down in a small article in the magazine, please get in touch with Miss Soar, who is willing to show a copy of both series of readings and notes to anyone interested? A few verses from a selected part of the Bible are studied each day, and there are useful notes concerning the verses read. Apart from knowing the Bible better, it should help to deepen our own spiritual life."

Enderby's expansion brings more work

New houses brought more parishioners to care for. In July, the Rev. Hibbert wrote of the effect of this on him;

"Our parish appears to be growing in population owing to new houses being built and I am finding it none too easy to keep pace with my visiting. There are in these days so many calls on the time of a parish priest, so many organisations and meeting of committees to attend that often the incumbent of a parish is in danger of losing touch with his people in there homes.

Lubbersthorpe is attached to Enderby for ecclesiastical purposes and it would be useless for me to attempt to visit the whole of that scattered area for it extends as far as to Wigston and Oadby. Even apart from Lubbersthorpe, Enderby is the largest parish in the revised Deanary of Guthlaxton I.. I sometimes feel very uneasy that I cannot get round to see my parishioners so frequently as I would like and I hope you will be patient, as I am sure you are, with me and not expect more than is humanly possible.

'A visiting parson makes a Church going people' is an adage which is still true, because a parson who knows his people does care whether they attend the worship of the Church or not, and they will then come to him in trouble and adversity. Of course the parishioner who 'returns the call ' of the visiting clergyman on the Sunday after the visit and waits until he calls again before he or she comes to church next time is a rather trying person, and I have come up against such a one in a former parish.

One thing I have been grateful for in the past year or so is that parishioners have told me of various sick people who would appreciate a call and any ministrations which I could give, even telling me that the person concerned would like his or her communion, and I hope that even more will help me in this way in future....

With regard to ordinary calls and visits, obviously it takes longer for a parish priest to get around a parish of 3,000 population than it does to visit a parish of 500 or so. In this parish there is a workhouse of which I am chaplain and that takes up one afternoon a week. I have written at some length on this matter of visiting because I know it's importance and that it is something that can be disposed of in two or three lines. I have always been eager and willing to visit

Leicester Infirmary when any parishioner is an indoor patient there, and as a rule I choose a day which is not the usual visiting day so that friends and relatives shall in no sense be deprived of even a minute of their time in the wards. Will parishioners continue to let me know of anyone in the parish or Leicester Royal Infirmary who would appreciate a visit from me?"

Humour

From April a little humour entered the magazine; "Good humour is a "virtue" it is infectious and should be appreciated by all who profess and call themselves Christians.. Some people seem to imagine that Christianity and humour cannot live in the same street. We shall try to insert a bit of humour each month into our magazine This month's is a schoolboy's "howler".

On being asked to write down what he knew about the Pharisees, a schoolboy wrote - The Pharisees were a stingy lot. One of them brought a penny to our Lord, who, when He looked at it, said "Whose subscription is this?". The standard of humour remained at this level during the subsequent months.

A General Election

In May politics reared it's ugly head; The vicar wrote "The general election , according to present information , is dated for the May 30th. I hope that so far as we are concerned at Enderby everything will be done so that no unseemly behaviour may disturb our comparatively peaceful village. Excitement and enthousiasm for one's particular party will naturally be found, but the pity is when passions are let loose and things are said and done which disgrace our modern civilisation. Whatever the result, the Christian man or woman must hope and pray that the country will be peacefully and righteously governed, for after all our Christianity should come before our politics, though we can, if we will, permeate our politics with true Christian principles."

The Enderby Choral Society is formed

In July, it is noted; "A Choral Society has been formed in Enderby, with the Rev S W Townley as president, Mr. Eric Marston as secretary and Mrs. Ingram as Treasurer. Two meetings have been held already and a committee has been formed, but so far very few men have put in an appearance. If the Society is to be a success several more male voices are required. The Society is open to all parishioners. In a parish the size of Enderby there must be a sufficient number of persons musically inclined to form quite an A1 mixed choir."

New Hymn Books

On Sunday, June 23rd, Enderby Church began to use the 'English Hymnals', a large number of which were paid for by the Women and Girls' Club. In June, the vicar stressed that "The English Hymnal is a book which is becoming more and more used in Churches and Cathedrals because of its good tunes and in the way in which the words of the hymns are kept as near as possible to the original composition which is not the case as regards Hymns Ancients and Modern.... New tunes will be introduced gradually, therefore members of the congregation need not be alarmed at the prospect of having hymns which they cannot sing".

Outings and Treats

Each year the different groups in the church went for an annual outing. The choir went to Bournville for the day in June, stopping at Coventry Cathedral on the way, to see the "famous Cadbury works". There was a picnic in Abbey Park where many tried the "'snowfruite' (that is, a piece of flavoured ice)", had tea in the Pavillion, walked around an impressive rockery and took to some rowing and paddle boats.

The annual Sunday School Treat in May involved the hiring of 6 buses "to go to Spring Hill Farm, a delightful little beauty spot amoung the Whitwick Hills. After a tea, the " top classes of boys and girls could visit S. Bernards Monestery, the beauty of which surprised most visitors". And once back from that they had 'Racing', prizes for which were to be given out the following Sunday.

The Mothers Union's Lantern Lecture

"I do hope that a good number will be present at the lantern lecture to be given by Mrs. Hassall on Tuesday, January 15th at 7 O'Clock prompt. After the lecture there will be refreshments at moderate prices, with social intercourse until 10 O'Clock."