Spring 2023 Volume 14 number 1 www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk St Mary’s Woodford Parish Magazine
2 Welcome The snowdrops are up as I write this and the daffodils on their way. And as a young child told me on a visit to St Mary’s with their nursery in early February “that means spring is coming… and summer too!” In these days which are often cold, difficult and feel full of loss, I am encouraged by the enthusiasm and dedication of so people of all ages to love, peace and the growing of community. In these months of focus on prayer and pilgrimage at St Mary’s in the first half of 2023 I am also encouraged by what we are discovering anew about the Holy Spirit with us, about the person of Jesus and from God our Father. There are questions and honesty and ideas in abundance and the only challenges are deciding what to do and in what order! We now know that St Peter in the Forest will have a new pioneer curate from the summer (Rachel Summers) and that Rachel will be with us at St Mary’s Woodford some of the time because I will be responsible for guiding the early years of her ordained ministry as her training incumbent. Pioneer means exactly what it says – breaking new territory by approaching in new ways how we explore and communicate about God’s love. Rachel’s particular area of expertise is the forest and exploring how we encounter Jesus in creation; and at the same time Rachel has been very rooted in the church all her life. It will be good for us all to play a role in supporting Rachel in her discoveries and I’m sure we will all learn something along the way. Our young adults (YACHT INC 13s-16s)* and ministry team have been helping us think about prayer with honesty and we will soon be focusing more on pilgrimage. It will be very good to welcome both Bishop Guli (Bishop of Chelmsford) and Bishop Lynne (Bishop of Barking) to St Mary’s on their Lenten walking pilgrimage: everyone is welcome on Monday 20 March 1030- 1115 and to join the next section of the walk to Snaresbrook Crown Court. Following our pilgrimage of Holy Week and Easter, visiting medieval harpist and choir director Leah Stuttard will be leading a workshop about the medieval mystic and pilgrim Margery Kempe during the afternoon of Sunday 23 April and Front cover: Brownies at the 26th February Thinking Day service
3 the evening service that day will have a similar focus. It will soon be Coronation season and on Sunday 7 May there will be an All Together Communion at 10am led by Junior Church with a Coronation theme and then a Service for the Coronation at 4pm with Roger Sayer conducting the choir and playing the organ. Following Food and Fun Day on 20 May and some creative plans for Pentecost on 28 May to coincide with Ride London 2023, there is a pilgrimage on Sunday 11 June between the Mission and Ministry Unit churches starting here and finishing at St Gabriel’s Aldersbrook and the following week everyone will be back with us for a service of Confirmation led by Bishop Lynne. If you have an idea, suggestion or question about prayer, pilgrimage or anything else or if you feel God may be prompting you to take a new step in faith (whether that might be Confirmation or something else) please get in touch. Revd Dr Elizabeth Lowson, e mail: [email protected] Tel: 0208 504 7981 / 07955 275338 *YACHT INC stands for Young Adult Conversation Helping Thought in Church There is always a copy of the latest parish magazine on the St Mary’s website www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk To contact the parish office [email protected] or tel 020 8505 3000. You are welcome to do this if you have difficulties accessing any of the links given in this magazine You can find it by scrolling down to the ‘Our Publications’ heading. See also Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube:@stmaryswoodford Parish Register For your Prayers: Baptisms: Monty Joseph Hollinsworth – 4 Dec 2022 Funerals: Arthur James Rogers –23 Nov 22 John Phillip Swallow – 7 Dec 22 Arthur Sainty – 22 Dec 22 Iris Chapman – 10 Jan 23 Richelle Overton – 23 Jan 23 David Harding – 24 Jan 23 Averil Ruby Gray – 31 Jan 23 Carol Winward – 8 Feb 23 Interments: John Philip Swallow – 8th January 2023 Roy Kevin Mears – 5 Feb 23 Clive Stephen Mears – 5 Feb 23 A Requiem and Burial of Ashes for Revd Alison Clarke will be held at St Mary’s on Saturday 18 March 2022 at 12 noon.
4 Life at St Mary’s Happy times at the Race Night in the Memorial Hall on 25th February
5 Life at St Mary’s Epiphany service led by YACHT Brownies at the Thinking Day service on 26th February
6 Tributes to Revd. Alison Clarke Alison and Girl Guiding Alison, or Captain as she was known by the Guides of 6th Woodford Company, was a renowned person in the Guiding family--not only because the Patrols from the 6th Company achieved well in challenges and competitions but Alison was also a Trainer of upcoming Guiding Leaders. As a Guide herself she achieved Queen's Guide status having passed the final initiative test which-- in the days before Health & Safety Rules - included going to an outside assessor and being challenged to ride a motorbike among other things- something that became a lasting memory! She regularly took her guides to camp by removal lorry with Guides sitting on top of the tents, kit etc in the open back! She was a very good campfire leader -but quite strict -lights out at night meant just that plus silence-woe betide any patrol that disobeyed -- retribution would come in the morning! Jane Fone and Janet Collins Alison Clarke 20th March 1933—17th October 2022 Alison in Africa Tribute to ‘Wife Number Two’ Alison first travelled to Africa with Kathleen, our good friend Sheila and I in Sept 1991. We went to Tena-Tena on the Luangwa River in Zambia. Within hours we were in open Land Rovers among a pride of lions just a few feet from the vehicle, watched Two recollections of Alison Alison’s ordination: Alison with her great niece, Lisa Osprey , and the Bishop of Barking.
7 Tributes to Revd. Alison Clarke Quiz : Who are we? We have all played parts in the History of the Church. 1 I was an Anglican minister who became the founder of the Methodist Church. 2 I was the supreme governor of the Church of England from 1952 – 2022. 3 I was an Anglo-Saxon scholar. I lived and died in between the twin monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow between 673 and 735. 4 I was the first Kiev royal member to adopt Christianity. 5 I was credited with being the first translator of the entire Bible into English. 6 I was the first woman to serve as bishop in the Church of England. 7 I was the first major philosopher of the Christian era. My most famous work was “The City of God”. 8 I was leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII. My work contributed to “The Book of Common Prayer” and “The Thirty -Nine Articles”. 9 I was Roman Emperor from A.D. 306-337 and the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. There is a statue of me outside York Minster. 10 I was the monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. I was considered to be “the apostle to the English”. 11 There are stories about me nailing my “95 Theses” on the door of a church in Wittenberg in 1517. Answers on page 27 feeding elephants who enlivened procedures by producing mock charges at the vehicle. In camp Alison proved an outrageous flirt, learning all about the lads who staffed the camp, the rest of our stay these lads were running to satisfy Alison’s every whim. The next day was Kathleen’s 60th birthday, dinner by the river bank with full hippo chorus, champagne and candles and this bloke with three well dressedwives! Even a noisy Texan realised he had been outgunned. Later on that trip we stayed at Victoria Falls Hotel, all four of us sharing one large room. At dawn we visited the Falls to watch the sunrise. I explained to the Shona tribesman at the gate that times were hard supporting three wives and could he manage a discount for me. He inspected the three well set up ladies, pronounced sotto voce “Verra strong man, no discount”. For ever after, on our many trips to Africa, Alison styled herself ‘Wife Number Two’. Christopher Whitfield
8 FOOD ITEMS NEEDED ARE: Tea bags, Tinned fish, Tinned fruit, Rice, Packets of noodles, Vegetarian food items (tins or packets), Cooking oil, Pasta sauce, Long life milk, Long life fruit juice, Jam/spreads, Custard/rice pudding, tinned tomatoes, Biscuits, Shower gel , Treats, Toothpaste, Toilet rolls. ITEMS NOT NEEDED ARE Cereals, Pasta Supporting Foodbanks: more important than ever St Mary’s is a Redbridge Food Bank collection point. Woodford Baptist Church on George Lane is both a collection and distribution point (Distribution 2.30 - 4.30 pm Fridays.) Donate food | Redbridge Foodbank Over 90% of the food distributed by foodbanks in The Trussell Trust network is donated by the public – that’s why your food donations are absolutely vital to our ability to give everyone referred to us a balanced and nutritious three day supply of food. Our shopping list on the right shows the food items that we need right now – all of which should be undamaged/ unopened and before the sell by date. Further information https:// redbridge.foodbank.org.uk/givehelp/donate-food/
9 Feedback from the Foodbank While our foodbank continues to meet the needs of those who are referred to our service we realise that this is only skimming the surface of the problems our customers are facing. The bigger question of why our question customers need to come to the foodbank and addressing these issues is what we have been focussing on over the past year. The pandemic and the cost of living crisis brought a wide range of individuals and families to our foodbank, particularly people who are in paid employment and just cannot seem to make ends meet. To help address these issues we have been working closely with our local Citizens Advice Redbridge (CAR) and now have a dedicated CAR Advisor to whom our foodbank customers can have direct access. Our hope to see people free from needing to use the foodbank and this partnership with CAR has already brought some amazing results. Between April and September 2022 our CAR Advisor dealt with over 100 new foodbank referrals and half no longer need to use the foodbank after accessing our CAR advice and support service. Once again thank you for helping us make a difference. Jocelyn Davis Lord, I do not know what thus day may bring, but each moment is in your hands and I offer it to you in advance. Nothing that will happen or be said today can separate me from you. Let me rest assured in that peace. In Jesus Name. Amen Our Father in heaven We thank you that you have brought us Safely to the beginning of this day. Keep us from falling into sin Or running into danger, Order us in our doings And guide us to do always what is right in your sight. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
10 The Oberammergau Passion Play The Oberammergau Passion Play dates back to a vow made in 1633. At that time the plague was rampant including in Oberammergau. The people of Oberammergau pledged to portray the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ every ten years. From that moment on not one person succumbed to the Black Death and the residents of Oberammergau have kept their vow with a performance once a decade. Initially the performance took place in the open air in the cemetery next to the village church but the number of visitors meant a move to a permanent Passion Play theatre. Whilst a copy of the original pledge has not been located to date, the original Parish Register supports the claim that no further deaths from the Black Death occurred after 1633. The play is truly a local production with various residency restrictions in place as to who may take part, whether on stage as an actor, member of the choir/orchestra or supporting the production as ushers etc. Until the Passion Play of 1984, married women and women over 35 years of age had been excluded from participating. Up to and including the Passion Play of 1990, only Christian citizens of Oberammergau were allowed to take part; for the Play of 2000 this regulation was revoked and Muslim citizens of Oberammergau participated in the Play for the first time. The only exception to the residency requirements is for members of the orchestra where if there is no one in Oberammergau suitable the orchestra director is permitted to recruit from outside Oberammergau. In October 2018 the renewal of the vows took place and the performers for the 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play in 2020 were announced. From Ash Wednesday 2019 all performers were no longer allowed to have their hair cut and men had to grow beards. In September 2019 all the main performers spent time in the Holy Land visiting the historical sites for the Passion Play. Sadly in March 2020 just 8 weeks before the first 2020 performance date a decision was made that in the light of the coronavirus pandemic the play would be postponed to 2022. In February 2021 the hair and beard decree came back into force. The official website advises that the 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play celebrated its premiere on 14 May 2022 and ended on 2 October 2022 after 110 performances. More than 412,000 spectators from all over the world attended the Passion Play 2022 and almost 1,800 Oberammergauer took part. It should be noted that any resident of Oberammergau who wishes to take part in the production must be found a role - on stage or as support staff! Most of us have heard of the long tradition of the Passion Play in Oberammergau in Bavaria, usually produced every ten years, but how many of us have been? Here are some reflections from some of out congregation who have been, to be continued in a later edition of the magazine.
11 The Oberammergau Passion Play The next Passion Play will take place in 2030 but I understand that there may then be a 400th anniversary season in 2034. Oberammergau also has a long tradition of woodcarving and the Bavarian State Woodcarving School is located there. All around central Oberammergau are dozens of woodcarver shops, with pieces ranging from religious subjects, to toys, to household items. One shop I visited even had a few rooms dedicated to everything you would need to make your own family Nativity scene alongside carved Nativity sets. Whilst travelling around Austria and Bavaria I saw a number of Nativity scenes on display in various churches and museums. Oberammergau is also famous for its "Lüftlmalerei," or frescoes, of traditional Bavarian themes, fairy tales, religious scenes or architectural trompe-l'œil found on many homes and buildings. The whole trip was a pilgrimage including prayers and services. With our six months’ focus on prayer you might be interested in some of the prayers used and provided to our group of pilgrims. Below is a prayer as we left Oberammergau for our homeward journey. Anne Jones From the production in 2022 Lord God, we release into your hands our homes, Those whom we love and care for, And those who feel vulnerable without us. We release into your hands O Lord our work, The pressures that weary us, the problems that would pursue us, The tasks left unfinished. Bless to us the road which is before us, bless to us the friends who are around us, bless to us your love which is within us. Amen
12 The Oberammergau Passion Play Jackie Peacock writes of her visit to the Passion Play at Oberammergau in 2022 When I was a child I attended Sunday school regularly. The highlight each year was our annual outing to Durham Cathedral. It was on one of these occasions whilst eating my packed lunch in the cloisters that I first found out about the Passion Play at Oberammergau. Since then I have always wanted to go but somehow time didn’t allow. In 2019 I was thinking about holidays for 2020 when I realised it was the year for the play, I was unsure how to arrange a visit independently but discovered that One Traveller were offering a tour of the Austrian lakes and mountains as well as two days in Oberammergau. I booked it with great enthusiasm. Then Covid struck! Luckily the play was simply postponed until 2022. I spent eight days in Austria enjoying wonderful weather and spectacular scenery including tours of Salzburg and Innsbruck. This was a fitting build up to the highlight of the trip. We stayed very close to Oberammergau for two nights. On arrival we walked around the town and visited the theatre for an introductory talk. Interestingly the speaker was Muslim. He played the part of Nicodemus and was also the assistant director of the production! The play has been rewritten several times and in the current version a genuine effort has been made to address the past criticism of antiSemitism. The day of the performance I was somewhat apprehensive about sitting for such a long period of time and wondered how I would cope. The first half in the afternoon lasted for two and a half hours followed by a three hour break for dinner. The second half resumed in the evening
13 The Oberammergau Passion Play for a further two and a half hours. There was no need to worry however as I was so absorbed in the performance that the time flew by. We were given an English copy of the text and on the advice of our guide bought a clip on light, which came in useful when darkness fell. The performance was extremely moving and it was incredible to see so many villagers of all ages on stage at any one time. They were all very convincing and I felt as though I was transported back in time to observe and feel the events of Holy Week as they happened. Between each scene living tableaus were staged. These allowed time for reflection. The character of Judas stood out for me, as he was very remorseful. The agony suffered by Christ was quite overwhelming and will live long in my memory. I have a copy of A Pilgrim’s Guide to Oberammergau and its Passion Play, should anyone wish to borrow it. Jackie Peacock . From the production in 2022
14 1. UPRINGING I was born and brought up in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire, a small Pennine town with a fine steel factory which provided the sole source of employment for my father Jack and everyone else who lived there. My father's sister (Madge) was a teacher at the church school where my grandfather was head teacher and where my brother and I were educated until we were eleven when we gained scholarships to attend Penistone Grammar School. At that time, the 1930's, we travelled there by train from a station well over a mile away to which we walked. This was a civilised country school where the head believed in promoting cultural activities as well as securing examination success. Thus he arranged play readings for sixth formers every Friday afternoon and produced in the local parish church the first performances of T. S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral after those at Canterbury Cathedral. I was the Third Priest. In 1942, still at Penistone, I was entered for and gained a Durham University history scholarship tenable at St Chad's College which was then a theological college. Of course fighting for King and Country took precedence over theology and I was trained (at Blackpool where all the boarding houses had been commandeered) as a Royal Air Force wireless operator. This was my first time of living away from home and to say that I was homesick is a gigantic understatement - so much so that one memorable weekend I deserted and caught the train home, being calmly persuaded to return by a wise and practical father. Curiously enough during my brief desertion an air raid siren sent the whole family into the cellar of our stone house where a stray German plane from the savage Sheffield blitz unloaded its bombs on the Stocksbridge steel works. Wireless training completed, I was sent on active service to India after a gruelling sea journey lasting over three weeks. India however proved Remembering Philip Swallow 1925-2023 AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY Philip revisiting Durham in 2018
15 Remembering Philip Swallow fascinating because I had postings in every part of the country from Calcutta to Quetta and Bangalore to Poona, and was able to take a leave at Darjeeling, reached by means of the famous narrow gauge steam rack line, in the shadow of the Himalayas. Thanks to a rifle abandoned on a train in the North West Frontier area, which my superiors seemed to think important, I was awarded a week in prison. When the German war ended in May 1945 the Royal Air Force was flown into Rangoon in Burma where I was assigned to a group clearing and restoring Rangoon Anglican Cathedral which the Japanese had used as a brewery and currency printing factory. We took piles of the worthless money home every night and played Monopoly with it. After a year we were offered UK home leave on a lottery basis which I refused because I did not want to endure the trauma of returning to Burma at the end of it. However a friend of mine - with whom I was in love - entered my name without telling me and astonishingly it came up. As I could hardly refuse to go I returned to the UK as the Japanese war was ending only to discover that those service men and women who had university places were to be allowed to take up their places in the autumn of 1946. Eventually my belongings in Burma arrived home but not my lover whom I never saw or heard from again. Durham was superb. Renewed involvement in education after wartime experiences was wonderful in spite of rationing, lack of heating in college (studying was done clad in eiderdowns and blankets) and six feet of snow in The Bailey during the winter of 1947. Nevertheless I fell in love again at least three times but decided firmly that ordination was not for me. Fortunately my degree study was Modern History and I gained what was termed at that time a Two One at a university which is second to none in quality, fully collegiate of course and infused with an Anglican ethos in a most attractive city with a world heritage Cathedral which dominates the whole environment. 2. A CAREER IN EDUCATION And so to education, but not easily. It was quite impossible to get a job in Yorkshire with Arthur Clegg as Chief Education Officer; his popularity was much too great. A family friend already teaching there got me a temporary post which finished in July 1950 when I wrote to Essex Education Committee because Essex County Council was building new towns and I was offered a post teaching English at Lucton Secondary Modern School in Debden near Loughton. The school was in the secondary modern category and was headed by an old-fashioned,
16 Remembering Philip Swallow avuncular man who cared deeply for all his pupils and staff. I worked hard there and obtained my teaching qualification at London University Institute of Education. I progressed through the salary scales, ending as Head of English after nine years. The caring Head fancied himself as a matchmaker and no one was more delighted than he when I married Audrey who was a member of my Department. Indeed he called a special school assembly to congratulate us and commissioned the Head Girl to make the wedding cake. The honeymoon was in Switzerland and after one year our son Malcolm was born, just after my success in gaining a post in another new town, Harlow, as Head of House and Head of English in a newly established Passmores Comprehensive school. After seven years there I moved to Romford as Deputy Headteacher at North Romford Comprehensive School, and finally, in 1969, to Ongar as Head of a little known secondary modern school about to be reorganised as a comprehensive. This reorganisation I completed successfully, and the school expanded from four hundred to sixteen hundred pupils and became nationally well-known as a centre of excellence. However in 1987 and for political reasons, the County Council decided closure on the grounds of falling rolls, accelerated by a somewhat vindictive catchment areas reorganization. Although even then the school, as a major community asset, could have continued to operate at around eight to nine hundred. Our enemy was the Essex Education Committee who favoured other neighbouring schools remaining intact. The local community ran a vociferous campaign against closure which I was part of, and we even raised the funds for an appeal to the High Court which we lost although the Judge was clearly on our side but could not find illegality on the part of the County Council to give judgement for us. And so in July 1989 Ongar Comprehensive School closed. Interestingly too our foe, the Essex Chair of Education, although made a peer, was committed to prison in 2013 because he had seriously defrauded both the Government and Essex County by means of expenses claims! The school closure was marked by enormous publicity both locally and nationally, not least because during the 1980's I was President of the National Association of Head Teachers, travelling the United Kingdom and Europe, meeting Government ministers on a regular basis, speaking often on radio and television. It was very pleasant to attend garden parties at Buckingham Palace despite my reservations about the Monarchy. Of course I spent the last two years of the school's existence making sure that every pupil and every staff member had as good a fresh position as possible to ensure
17 Remembering Philip Swallow their future success. The only person left out of this process was me because after the campaign against closure I was persona non grata in Essex Council headquarters. Indeed no one there would speak to me anymore. In the more than thirty years since closure all the former councillors I have met have told me that they have come to realise that closure of what was a landmark successful community school was quite wrong. To amplify 'successful' it is gratifying that so many former pupils have attended university and now operate successfully at high levels, in many professions and vocations, and that former staff attained many senior educational positions in the country. 3. AFTER 1989 What of me after 1989? In spite of being awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 for services to education and in spite of my work in developing one of the largest and most successful schools in Essex I was offered nothing at all. Such was the churlish attitude of one of the largest local authorities after I had dared to cross its path and oppose its inflexible course of action. It was only on the final day of the school's existence that I was telephoned by a good friend at Chelmsford who was a County Council officer, to suggest that I was unlikely to relish enforced idleness and to tell me that he knew of an international company based in London that was seeking an education manager. Accordingly I talked to those responsible for the social and educational policy of the company (Grand Metropolitan now Diageo) and formed a headquarters in the former Truman’s Brewery, a spacious and most attractive building in Brick Lane, and later on in an even more beautiful, former royal building in St. James's Square. I conducted and established educational policy. The company was Grand Metropolitan which owned Cinzano, Baileys and Burger King to name a few brands, and my role was to promote education - industry liaison in a great variety of forms. But it was never me, because for me education belongs in schools, colleges and universities and not in a department of a commercial company where the budget level depended on the company's profitability level. Nevertheless I managed at the same time to keep my hand in with pure educational activity by acting as education consultant at Avon Valley School in Rugby whose head was a good friend of mine. However it staved off idleness, which arrived in 1994 on my retirement from Grand Metropolitan - the same year in which my dear wife Audrey died from a virulent cancer. She was sixty nine years of age and sadly was keenly looking forward to her seventieth birthday and her fortieth
18 Remembering Philip Swallow wedding anniversary in 1995. Almost one year after Audrey's death as a result of advertising in the gay press for a companion I had a response from someone with an unusual accent who paid me a visit as soon as I invited him. This was Jesus Goyogana who lived in Teddington but came originally from the Basque Country, We spent much time together for fourteen years - at which point we felt we knew each other well enough to enter a more formal relationship. Accordingly, at the suggestion of our good friends Bronwen and Ian Taylor, we entered a Civil Partnership at Redbridge Register Office in July 2008 and, later the same day, a marriage ceremony at their house, Fenstanton Manor, conducted by two other good friends, Revd. Quentin Peppiatt and Revd. Richard Kirker, in the presence of many of our relatives and friends. Was this my final retirement? not quite. First I was elected Chair of Governors at a Redbridge primary school at Wanstead and subsequently Chair of Governors at Stratford School in the London Borough of Newham. The latter was an appointment which I resisted initially but which the Department for Education asked me urgently to help them with due to the problems the school was enmeshed in. The then Head was under assault from a particular group of Governors trying to take over the management of the school and to turn it into a faith school. I led the team to resist the attempts, and restore things to an even keel. After I had been a Governor for some fifteen years, I was elected Chairman of the Governors at Stratford School. The final end of my career and my final retirement? I cannot answer that question because no one can foretell the future. However, I will conclude the narrative section of this document by recalling a number of educational or quasi educational activities over the years that amplified and illuminated a number of aspects of my career:- · I chaired, for example, a national employment training body that aimed to give opportunity to young people neglected by main education. · I developed a system of
19 Remembering Philip Swallow home-school contracts that formed strong links between home and school, · a training scheme for school governors, · and an overarching 14 - 18 curriculum policy similar to that which is now taken for granted. · Somehow I managed to fit in ten years of General Synod membership (resigning as soon as women's ordination was voted in - something I had always campaigned for) · and active membership of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement which presented me with the chairmanship of the Christian Homophobia Commission which produced a clear and detailed account of the damage - much of it deliberate - done by other Christians who believe that human sexuality has only one form. There is not an inch of space for recreations and hobbies: reading and more reading (and no obeisance to the internet), the theatre and opera, listening to music, gardening and searching out my beloved trams and trains. John Philip Swallow
20 John Dod (or Dodd*) was a Doctor of Physic who lived at Ivy House with his wife Catherine, and their family. Their large house stood on the west side of Salway Hill with extensive grounds stretching up the hill to the west. Part of the old wall can still be seen near the junction with Empress Avenue. He must have been born around 1681 as when he died in February 1762 he was said to be 81 years of age. It seems from his will that he owned about £5,000 in ‘India bonds’ apart from his other property. His will also tells us that he wanted to be buried in the churchyard of St Michael’s at Theydon Mount near the vault of his ‘good friend’ Sir Edward Smyth. This was either the 3rd Baronet (1686-1744) or 4th Baronet (1710-1760). The Smyth family lived at Hill Hall and this ancient church has several wonderful memorials to members of the family. His memorial stone, near the south wall of the chancel records, ‘Under this stone and (by his particular desire) as nigh, as might be, to his Worthy Friend Sir Edward Smyth Bart, lyes interred the body of John Dod, M.D. whose skill in his profession was equalled only by his integrity in practising it. He was remarkable for a simplicity of manners, which The Dod Family of Woodford & Theydon Mount : connections to St Mary’s Local history Salway Hill
21 would have done honour to a better Age than that in which he lived. He loved the truth; & spake it freely regardless whether it displeased if it would benefit others. Yet this disposition prevented him not from performing all the social duties of a Man, from displaying all the graces of a Christian. The doctrines of Religion were his study.’ John and Catherine had (at least) one son and four daughters: Rebecca was baptised at St Mary’s, Woodford, in November 1722, William on 26th May 1724, Mary on 9th February 1729/30, Frances Elizabeth on 25 th November 1733 and Ellen (Helen) on 20th November 1735. According to the Woodford burial register Catherine Dod was buried 14th May 1745 and her husband is recorded as buried 28th February 1762. This last entry is very difficult to decipher. Their daughter Mary is also recorded in the Woodford burial register for around June-October 1760. No memorial or grave has been recorded at St Mary’s, Woodford, for any of the family with the Dod or Dodd surname. There are memorials to the eldest daughter Rebecca who died 10th March 1804 and Ellen, the youngest daughter, who died on 28th December 1814 in the Theydon Mount churchyard. William was still living in 1804 and no record of his death has been traced so far. However, Frances Elizabeth is buried at St Mary’s Woodford. She married William Selwyn of Lincoln’s Inn by special licence on 15th September 1763, at Woodford. They lived at Grosvenor House, in Hoe Street, Walthamstow. William Selwyn was a King’s Councillor and one of their sons, who was also William (1775–1855), became a highly distinguished barrister who was selected to give instruction on the English legal system to the Prince Consort in 1840. He had four sons (grandsons of Frances) and all three who survived to adult life attained great success, notably George Augustus Selwyn became Primate of New Zealand and later Bishop of Lichfield, and Charles Jasper Selwyn was a Lord Justice. Frances Elizabeth Selwyn was buried beside the north wall of the church and is commemorated by a stone slab inside the church on the other side of the wall to her tomb - the last memorial on the right, as you face the altar. Above is another tablet which describes a bequest made anonymously by her sister Ellen in her will. This mentions that Five pounds and six shillings is to be distributed in bread to the poor parishioners each year, at specified festivals and a sermon preached. © Georgina Green, 13th January 2023 *Dod and Dodd are both used for members of the family. John uses the spelling ‘Dod’ in his will.
22 Music at St Mary’s The music of Johannes Brahms is widely considered by professional and amateur musicians alike as one of the pinnacles of European classical music. He is considered a late romantic composer, and as such his music is rich, deeply personal, passionate and highly expressive. See, for example, the New Yorker music critic Malcolm Ross’s recent article where he describes how Brahms’s music supported him through the grief of the death of his mother. He claims that ‘Brahms is the great poet of the ambiguous, in-between, nameless emotions. In a repertory full of arrested adolescents, he is the most adult of composers.’ In St Mary’s Chamber Music Ensemble’s programme on April 15th (7.30 pm) we will explore the music of this most adult of composers in a programme entitled Glorious Intimacy: The Music of Johannes Brahms. In particular, we will be focusing on an aspect of his output that performers themselves often notice but don’t often talk about: its intimacy. As usual, we will be presenting a selection of music of different genres. As well as a selection of songs which will be sung by Deborah Aloba, Peter Wall and I will be playing his first violin Sonata (Op 78). The programme will also include Brahms’ autumnal yet sublime late work; his Clarinet Trio for Clarinet (Op 114), Piano and Cello. This will feature a guest performer, the clarinettist Patrick Sewell, and a long-time friend of the ensemble, cellist Tim Handel. Finally, we will end with a more youthful work, his first Piano Quartet (Op 25), which contains, as its finale, perhaps some of the most exuberant, life affirming, music Brahms ever wrote! Here we introduce a new member of the ensemble, Sarah Watson, as well as friends Tim Handel and, of course, Peter Wall. In conclusion, I leave you with another quote from Malcolm Ross’s article. Come with an open mind! April 15th, 7.30. John Bradley St Mary’s Chamber Music Ensemble: Glorious Intimacy! People who claim to find Brahms dry or dismal—it’s not an uncommon opinion, even among otherwise discerning music lovers—are speaking gibberish that I can’t debate, because I don’t understand a word. I find him the most companionable, the most sympathetic of composers. Malcolm Ross
23 Your money: environmental considerations The only thing you have to do is give your new bank details to anyone who pays into your accounts – like salary or pensions. But even if there is a delay in getting details to them, the old bank will send payments across for up to three years, so there is nothing to worry about there. Also, if you have a savings account with the old bank, you do have to transfer that manually, including any payments you make to or from that. So if you have been thinking about moving to a more ethical or environmentally conscious bank, do it! The big four don’t have to have it all their way! Viveca Dutt I’ve been thinking about changing banks for a while; my previous bank was very good and had great customer service but was part of a bigger banking group that still invests in fossil fuels and works in some dubious countries. But it was still a scary thought to move my money somewhere else – would it work I kept asking myself? But I finally took the plunge . I opened an account with Triodos Bank https:// www.triodos.co.uk who are one of the most ethical banks around: https:// www.moneyexpert.com/currentaccount/ethical-banking/ And it was really easy: they are part of the current account switch service which transfers all your account details including standing orders and direct debits, so you don’t have to do anything. It took less then a week; and the existing bank accounts function right up to the date of closure. Changing Banks – not as scary as you think.
24 Family Focus Listening to prayer As a congregation, we have looked at the big questions related to prayer. But what is prayer? Prayer is the communication between people and God. It allows us to talk to him and ask for advice. Prayer enables us to grow a deeper connection and relationship with him as God guides us through our lives. There are four main parts of prayer: adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Although these are the four main ideas of prayer there is still another part that is just as important but is rarely considered, and that is listening. This is a vital part of prayer but it can sometimes get missed out because we just don't know how to listen to God’s message. I know that I have always found it hard to listen to God's response because if he is not speaking words directly to me how do I know if the message he has sent is actually the message and not something that I have just made up? But I think that praying and talking to God is the first step to getting an answer. If we reflect on the prayer that we have spoken, we are part way there to listening to his response. Even if we don't understand the message that he has given us fully or if we can't even hear it, it is important to keep in mind that God loves us and wants to protect us. Another thing I should point out is that God always answers prayers but the answer may be ‘no’ or different from what you were expecting, and this is okay. When I was little I was always told that God works in mysterious ways and I think remembering this is very important. Gold is above all human understanding but he has a plan for each of us, even if we do not understand it yet. This is why God is so special to me. So I invite you all to try to listen to what God has to say to you the next time you pray. It may be hard at first to try to distinguish between your thoughts and God’s message. Even if you don't understand what to do, or how to change to become a better person, we have to remember that God will guide us through everything. We have all been through tough times and still face challenges, but if we trust God in God there is some hope in the darkness. It's okay not to know or understand and I know the unknown is scary but if we have faith in him we should never give up hope. Becky Goodchild Junior Church leader
25 THE PESSIMIST Sees a dark tunnel THE OPTIMIST Sees light at the end of the tunnel THE REALIST Sees an express train THE TRAIN DRIVER Sees three idiots standing on the railway line DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW
26 Julian: Woman of our Day Edited by Robert Llewelyn Publisher: Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd ISBN: 023251674X This book of essays on Julian of Norwich, looks at this woman who has been variously described as a ‘mystic’ a ‘visionary’ and a ‘theologian’ amongst other things, from different angles. I have enjoyed studying this book, taking notes on each essay, studying an essay per week, with my friend and baptism sponsor, Roberta Flynn. I'd like to share some of my reflections on the book. The introduction muses on various topics including the subtitle, ‘Woman of our Day’. Michael McLean describes Julian as ‘our contemporary’, as he felt she had particular relevance to his time of writing in the mid 80s. However, I would suggest Julian has insights which are perennially relevant. There then follow eight essays which touch on themes such as the hopeful nature of Julian's writing, the tradition within which she was writing, her leaning towards a belief in Universalism (the idea that all will be saved), Julian's prayer life, Julian as mystic, Julian's conception of God as being without wrath, and comparisons between Julian and priest and ‘radical’ John Ball (who took part in the Peasant’s revolt) and between Julian and 16th century Spanish Saint Teresa of Avila (a mystic and religious reformer) . It's impossible to give justice to the range of ideas explored in these essays, however, I will end with one idea that stood out to me. This is the idea that how we conceive God's nature has personal and even social implications, because it has a knock on effect on how we treat ourselves and others. If we conceive God's nature to be consisting of goodness and love - as Julian did - and accept we were made in His image, then we are prompted to view ourselves and others with more compassion and forgiveness, not blame for our sins. As Julian says at the end of her Revelations, "Would you know your Lord's meaning in this? Learn it well. Love was his meaning." Bryony Bennett Book review: A woman for all times
27 she is as readable and as inspirational today as in her own time. Julian is not officially a saint, but is commemorated annually in the Anglican Church with a Lesser Festival on May 8th. Roberta Flynn The Recluse atte Norwyche Dame Julian: author, mystic, theologian (1342-post 1416) ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ is not only a great spiritual classic, but also the earliest known English-language work written by a woman. It was inspired by 16 visions of God and Christ experienced by Julian during a serious illness in May 1373, when she was 30, and completed in 1392 after many years spent meditating on the meaning of the ‘shewings’. By then she had become an anchoress at St Julian’s Church, Norwich, from which she probably acquired the name we know her by. Though enclosed in her cell, she was not without human contact: a will of 1415, naming her as beneficiary, leaves small bequests to ‘Sarah her maid, living with her’ and a former maid, Alice. She also received visitors seeking spiritual counsel, among them the mystic Margery Kempe, who reports spending ‘many days’ with ‘Dame Jelyan’, who gave wise and sympathetic advice. Despite her modest claim to be‘a simple creature, unlettered’, Julian’s book reveals her to be highly intelligent, well-versed in Scripture and certainly literate in Middle English. Her writing style is spontaneous and unaffected, engaging the reader with homely imagery and vivid description. A mystic with a practical streak, full of love for God and her ‘even-Christians’, Quiz Answers (from page 7) 1 John Wesley 2 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 3 The Venerable Bede 4 Olga of Kiev 5 John Wycliffe 6 Libby Lane 7 St Augustine of Hippo 8 Thomas Cranmer 9 Constantine (the Great) 10 St Augustine of Canterbury 11 Martin Luther Bishop Libby Lane Back cover: 19th century cartoon of the composer Johannes Brahms
28 A big thank you to everyone submitting contributions and photographs to this edition Please keep them coming, as without them we wouldn’t have a parish magazine: articles, prayers, book reviews, favourite music, recipes, gardening tips etc. We would love some children’s drawings as well: the choice is yours! Email directly using a subject heading to: [email protected] or pass to Penny Freeston who will type up your handwritten copy. Our next copy date is 10th April 2023 Magazine team: Elizabeth Lowson, Penny Freeston, Cheryl Corney, Bryony Bennett and Peter Wall.