News & Views - February 1982 - Issue 26

HARTING-TON AND BIGGIN “NEWS AND VIEWS” No. 26, FEBRUARY. 1982

RESOLUTION FOR LENT

During Lent I will:

Like Paul, forget those things which are behind and press forward.

Like David, lift up my eyes to the hills from which my help comes.                                                                                                                            .

Like Abraham, trust God implicitly.

Like Enoch, walk in daily fellowship with my heavenly Father,

Like Moses, suffer rather than enjoy the pleasure of sin for a time.

Like Job, be patient and faithful in all circumstances.

Like Joseph, turn my back on all evil advances.

Like Gideon, advance even when my friends are few. Like Andrew, strive to lead my brother to Christ, (DDN)

HELPING TO MEET REAL NEEDS

In this centenary year, the Church Army has already been featured on television and local radio. An important branch, of the Church of England, the society was founded 1881-82 by Pre­bendary Wilson Carlile. Over the years it has cared for thousands of people, who for many reasons have found it hard to believe that God exists, let alone cares for them. The Church Army believes that the love of Jesus can make so much difference to people and wishes to share this good news as much as possible.

This part of Derbyshire has a direct link with the Church Army, for Mrs Hale, wife of the Rev. H.P.Hale, Vicar of Hartington 1914-18, was a niece of Prebendary Carlile. Born and brought up in Sydney, Australia, she trained at the Froebel College and helped to start the first free kindergarten in the dockland slums. She then went to Chicago to study settlement work and eventually came to England to work and learn more under her uncle She was on her way back to Sydney and met her husband-to-be on the boat,                                                                                                                                     *

Towards the end of the war, Mr Hale was on active service as Chaplain with the Church Army in France from August 1917 until February 1918. Upon his return to Hartington, he exchanged livings with Mr. Dewick, who had been working in the centre of Nottingham. His daughter Ursula (now Lady Redwood) feels that one of the reasons for their desire to go into a city was because of her mother s particular urge. Her great talents lay with her love of dirty and under-privileged children, and she was longing to get into the fray again. It wasn’t so much that they wanted
to get away from Hartington. – they both needed a different type of work.

The Church Array has launched a Centenary Appeal which seeks to raise 250 miles of I0p pieces, which, if achieved, will result in over 2| million £s being raised. This will enable the Society to continue its work with the homeless, the severely handicapped, the elderly, the drug addict and the alcoholic, young people at odds with society, the very young mother, as well as its gospel communication work through, theatre, children and youth missions and through its production of audio/visual aids for the use of the whole church. Roy Castle, of T.V. fame, is holding a series of Centenary Thank You concerts. Donations may be sent to Michael Turnbull, The Projects Office, Parsons Lane, Weston Sub Edge, Chipping Campden, Glos. GL55 6QP.

biggin school

The appointment of Mr. C.S. Truman to the post of headmaster at Hathersage St. Michael’s C.E. School reminded some parishioners of a similar move during the last war, Mr. Arthur Dodd had taken temporary charge of Biggin School on August 25th 1941. On January 6th 1942 bombs were dropped by a British plane near Smerrill Barn, Pike Hall and Mr. Dodd was absent from school during the afternoon carrying out Air Raid Warden’s duties connected with the Incident. Frequent snowfalls during that winter severely reduced attendances. Thursday, September Jrd was a National Day of Prayer and all the school attended a special service, conducted by the Vicar, at 11 a.m. in Church. Gordon Warrington and Hilda Dunn read the special lessons.

Arthur Dodd took over as acting headteacher at Hathersage on February 1st 1943. A year after taking up his appointment the weather seems to have been rather like our last effort – ’’reads impassable”, “attendance 43.6%” etc. He was fortunate in that in September 1945, he was able to take the whole school to see King George VI and Queen Elizabeth inaugurate the Ladybower Reservoir. His “tour of duty” terminated on November 30th 1945, Schofield taking up his post again on December

 3rd – presumably having returned from war service. (We are grateful to Mr. T. F. Meehan, present head at Hathersage, for much of the above information.)

Donations in memory of the late Hannah Stubbs of Buxton amounting to £10 have been received by Hartington Parish Church.

“ON THE BOX”

Viewers of BBC 1’s Saturday night series, “Nanny”, starring Wendy Graig, have been noticing familiar shots of Derbyshire recently. Whilst filming last year at Kedleston Hall, Friar gate, Derby and The Causeway, Wirksworth, Wendy was interviewed on Radio Derby. She spoke of Kedleston Hall as being fascinating and full of surprises when moving from room to room. Wirksworth, she thinks is a charming town and she was disappointed to have missed the well dressings. She would love to see a well dressing. Sunday, being her free day, she went into Dovedale and says she had no idea it was so beautiful. Jean Stone

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE

Many people were very sad to hear of the death of Mrs Sheila Stevens on January 2nd at the age of 32 years. Sheila was a local girl, the second child of Mr and Mrs Andrew ‘Wager, and was married to Mr Roy Stevens of Dale Head, Biggin. Despite suffering from various complaints, particularly during the last two years, Sheila was always cheerful and uncomplaining. She had a very pleasant and cheerful disposition and was specially fond of children. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her and our sympathy goes out to her husband and family at this time.

Louise Tongue

Several other local families suffered bereavements during January and our sympathy goes, out to them too. In addition, Hannah Tress of Sheffield died on the 15th. Mrs Tress, a fine soprano soloist, had been a schoolteacher and the postmistress at Hartington and a member of the Biggin Women s Institute.

Mrs A. Kerr hopes to start classes in chair re-caning at Sheen School at the end of February. For details, please ring 452, Thanks are due to all who have helped to cope with burst pipes and flooded premises following the recent cold spell, when temperatures were 5 degrees below those at the South Pole. Special mention should be made of the staff of Hartington Youth Hostel, who used their drying room for drying out carpets and of Bill Lamb for the use of his space heater in drying out Biggin Church.

Due to freezing fog the Carol Singers were unable to visit as many homes as usual. The Biggin Church group raised £52.68 for church funds, whilst the Hartington Village group raised £47,96 for Christian Aid’s Poland Appeal, to which the church added £20.50 in donations. Sorry if we missed you this time!

Our thanks to all who gave generous support.

SUNDAY SERVICES

A Coffee Evening will be held at Hartington School on Friday, 26th February at 7.30 p.m. There will be stalls for cakes, groceries, fancy goods, white elephant, plants, nearly new, toiletries., books etc, as well as games and competitions. The Vicar will be showing coloured slides of Norway and other places. Tickets 20p adults, lOp children, Proceeds for church funds.

Special services for Mothering Sunday will be held on March 21st at Biggin at 2.30 p.m. and at Hartington at 3.45 p.m. in respective schools will be taking part and the speaker at both services will be Sue Wells, Deputation Secretary for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire of the Church of England Children’s Society and a Reader in the diocese of Derby. The Family Week Appeal of the Society will be held March 28th to April 3rd and Valerie Shipley -will be glad of help with the door-to-door collection.

Annual Parochial Church Votings will be held in Hartington School on Friday, 19th March and in Biggin School on Monday, 2nd March at 7.30 p.m. Forms for nominating churchwardens, parochial church councillors, sidesmen and deanery synod representatives will be available in church. Mr. Nelson Adams, who has served as Warden at Hartington for 11 years, will not be seeking re-election.

The Brownies at Hartington hope that some children at Biggin would like to join. Meetings at Hartington School, Mondays at 4 P.m. Mrs Naden hopes to start Girl Guides on Tuesdays at Wars low School, Anyone interested, please ring Hartington 424.-