Badsey (with
Aldington) and Wickhamford
Parochial Magazine
1907
APRIL
An excellent harmonium has been secured for the Sunday School. The price was £5, and Mr. Alcock agreed that half the purchase money should be paid at Lady-Day, and the other half at Michaelmas. The first instalment has been paid, the amount required being derived from the following sources:— Subscriptions already acknowledged £1 7s; Mr. R. Paget Dewhurst, I.C.S., 7s. 6d.; share of profit on Badsey Picture Postcards, 15s. 6d.; total £2 10s. The Vicar will be glad to acknowledge subscriptions towards the balance of £2 10s. due to Mr. Alcock on September 29th.
JULY
Considering the general character of the weather last month, we should indeed have been
fortunate had the day selected for our annual tea and sports been fine. In spite of a threatening
sky, however, a light wind encouraged us to hope that we were going to escape the unhappy fate of
the majority of June holiday-makers. But our hopes were speedily shattered, for the rain arrived
punctually with the tea; and, although the boys made a gallant attempt at a cricket-match while
the girls were having tea in the parish-room, play very soon had to be
abandoned—not, however, before one or two of our youthful cricketers had shown considerable improvement on last year's
"form". We should have been at a loss to know what to do with the girls while the boys were
having tea, had not Mr. W. Keen very kindly allowed them the use of his barn for games.
Happily the rain did not appear to damp the children's spirits in the least degree, and, when the
boys had retired from the unequal contest with cake and jam, everyone went home with a radiant face,
a packet of sweets and the prospect of returning to the Vicarage for the sports, the first fine
evening. Only those children who had made two-thirds of the highest possible number of attendances
were invited, and about 100 qualified. The sports were eventually held on the following Friday
when there was a good muster, although some who attended the tea were unable to come. The various
events were decided as follows :-
Race for Senior Girls
:- 1, K. Nightingale; 2, L.Crisp.
Race for Girls under 11
:- 1, E. Stanford; 2,
M.Moisey.
Race for Infant Girls :- 1, D. Agg ; 2, M. Heritage; 3, M. Perkins.
Race for Senior Boys :- 1, W. Barnard; 2, A.Wilkins,
Race for Boys under 11 :- 1, P. Hartwell; 2,J.Perkins.
Race for Infant Boys :- 1, E. Wilkins; 2, W.Wheatley; 3, W.Cleveley.
Kicking the Football :- 1, W. Barnard (140 feet); 2, Arthur Keen (137 feet);
OCTOBER
On Monday, September 9th, the Badsey Choir, accompanied by the Vicar, went to Weston-super-Mare for their annual outing and spent a
most delightful day. Mr. Wilkins very kindly drove the boys to the station, and the party left
Evesham a little before seven o'clock. Everyone was in the highest spirits, and the two hours'
journey to Sharpness seemed over in no time. Here they embarked on the Cambria, an exceptionally
fine and well-equipped steamer. Everyone had a more or less subdued look at first, due to fear
of sea-sickness, but no one actually succumbed (though one boy had a narrow escape) for the sea
was as calm as our Avon, and the weather altogether glorious. Various places of interest were
pointed out by Mr. Binyon on the way down the Bristol Channel, and Weston was reached by
eleven o'clock. The party landed at the Old Pier,
where they found so much to interest them in the flying machines, water-chutes, motor races and
other amusements that the dinner-hour came quite as a surprise. A very good and substantial meal,
to which full justice was done, was provided at Huntley's Restaurant. The company then
separated, some going to one of Weston's delightful parks, and others to the sands, where the boys
had donkey-rides and patronised the various entertainments. As usual the tide was too far out
for bathing. After a "shrimp tea" at Huntley's Mr. Binyon took a photograph of all who could be
got together, and then there was a rush for the pier, for the boat was timed to start at 6.45, and
the Weston steamers are remarkable for punctuality. Very thankful was the Vicar when
he counted his charges and found them all safe. The sail back was delightful, and when it became
dark the lights twinkling on shore and on the various boats which were passed looked very
pretty. The journey home by rail from Sharpness had a soothing effect on the tired but happy party,
and at least some of them had a quiet doze. They all woke up however when Evesham was reached
at eleven o'clock, and the repose of Badsey was soon to be disturbed by the merry strains of "He's
a jolly good fellow." K.H.
A link with the past has been severed by the death of Mr. Wilson, who passed to his rest on
Monday, September 23rd. Mr. Wilson, who had exceeded the allotted span by seventeen years, was
the last of his family to be Lord of the Manor of Badsey, the manorial rights having been purchased
by an ancestor of Mr. Wilson's in 1657 and sold by Mr. Wilson in 1866. Although he had long
ceased to take any active part in parochial affairs Mr. Wilson had filled many offices from time to
time, his first election as churchwarden being in 1849 when he succeeded Mr. Joseph Gibbs as
'Clergyman's Warden.' He was kindly and good-natured to a fault and, with his old-fashioned
courtesy, he was one of a type that is fast disappearing. His familiar figure will be
much missed, for, as he stood at his gate when the weather was inviting (and often, we fear, when it
was the reverse) he always had a cheery word for every passer-by.
At the funeral, which took place on Thursday, September 26th, the service was sung to Helmore's
music, and at the close of the ceremony the ringers gave a muffled peal. R.I.P.
DECEMBER
We are pleased to note that the Manor House of Badsey, which was offered for sale on Monday,
November 18th, has not been allowed to pass entirely out of the hands of the family who have owned it
for over two centuries and a half. The property has been purchased by Mrs. Wingfield (sister of the
late Mr. E. Wilson) and her son, Mr. J. T. Wingfield, of London.
We look forward to the time when Mr. Wingfield may possibly come into residence at the
Manor House and take his part in the public life of the village which has been for so
many generations the home of his ancestors.