Reverend Steward

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J. Eric Steward was the vicar of St John the Evangelist from 1939 - 1958

Report by Douglas Tilbury in 1944 (in WW2) when I joined the church choir, aged 10, it consisted mainly of men and boys.   The Choir leader was Reverend Steward.

Basses sat in the back pew on the right. Boys in front of them.   Ladies sat in the back left pew.

but Revd. Steward preferred a choir of men and boys.   During war time, a few ladies were permitted.

Harold Williams, who played the organ, was a Navigator in the Royal Air Force flying Mosquitoes.   In the winter, evensong was held at 3.00 p.m. due to the “blackout”, which was strictly enforced here, as Bomber Command was only a mile away.

The choir vestry consisted of a heavy curtain, partitioning off an area, where the curtain was later replaced with wood.   Boisterous boys were frequently hushed by the vicar prior to services.

 Choir pay was sixpence and a bag of sour apples from the vicarage garden at harvest time.

Lacey Green School had services in the church on Saints Days.   Ash Wednesday and Ascension were always popular as the school had the rest of the day off

The vicar frequently rode his bicycle and later his Corgi Scooter around the parish of Lacey Green, Loosley Row and Speen.    The Corgi was not very powerful, and had to have “foot power” assistance around “Devil’s Elbow”, when he went to Speen School to take the Communion Service at 8.45 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month.

He was unmarried and had a house keeper “Miss Varney”.   Earlier in his career he had been a missionary in Africa.   The piano which he donated to the church, (and is still in use) was built to withstand the African climate.

A party for choirboys was held on the Vicarage lawn during the summer.   If you were lucky the vicar would allow you to push his new Motor-sythe lawn mower across the lawn!    The senior choir party was in the vicarage during the winter months.   As it was wartime refreshments tended to be bread and jam and a cup of tea. During the morning services, aircraft could be heard taking off from The airfield behind Lacey Green school, as the prevailing wind normally blew from over the church.  There were very high conifers around the vicarage, and it was a steep climb to get over them even though the tops had been taken off.

At the age of fourteen, after their voices had broken, most boys left the choir for various reasons.  Those that stayed within the church became servers or acolytes, until they had to start National Service at the age of 18.   Fred Harbour joining the army, joining the Coldstream Guards.   I joined the Royal Air Force and became an aircraft mechanic, serving the 56^th squadron.   On demob many returning young men were asked to serve on the PCC (Parochial Church Council).   

1953 The Church Choir. by Rosemary Mortham

My brother Andy Oliver, joined the church choir about 1953.   At that time the choir was entirely made up of men and boys, led by Reverend Steward.  He was very musical and trained the choir himself.   The organist was Harold Williams.   Sadly Harold in later life suffered from epilepsy, and would occasionally have a fit while playing the organ.   To this day the organ has the switch to one side, so that the electricity could be turned off if he fell across the keyboard.

Research Note. A church choir of male singers was not really suitable and the choir fizzled out. It was brought back by Julia Beaumont and Madeline Cleaver for the 150th celebrations of the church in 1975

The Parish Magazine of St. John the Evangelist, Lacey Green. November 1955. Vicar's letter by the Reverend J. Eric Steward :----(archived in the Village Hall)

My dear people,

There are one or two events to which reference must be made since this is the first opportunity to do so in the Magazine. First of all, there was the Thanksgiving for the Harvest, at the end of September. Though the Church always looks beautiful in its decorations, yet this year they seemed more beautiful than ever. We are grateful to all who sent their gifts for this purpose. Considering how difficult the latter part of the season was for flowers it was amazing what a wealth of bloom appeared. We are grateful too, to all who took part in the services and by their reverence and dignity gave the services that day their impressive character.

Then three weeks later came the Confirmation. It was a great joy to see so many parents and friends who came to give the candidates the support of their prayers and their presence. It was a beautiful service, moving in its simplicity and we are grateful to the Bishop of Buckingham for his words of encouragement. By the time these words appear, those who were confirmed will have made their First Communion and I would very earnestly commend them to your prayers that they may persevere in the new communicant life upon which they have entered.

The third thing to which reference must be made is the new Sanctuary carpet. This is the gift of The Mothers’ Union and I know that we are all most grateful for, and appreciative of, their efforts which have made such a beautiful gift possible. It is a seamless Wilton with a Persian pattern and by its beauty has added greatly to the dignity of the Sanctuary. It was dedicated before the Sung Eucharist at the Harvest Thanksgiving. As it is of woven 'worsted and not woollen, it should have very many years of useful life. It is a great joy and pleasure to express our gratitude for this gracious and lovely gift.

Fred Martin Memorial The provision of the form of this memorial has progressed since I wrote about it in the September Magazine. At their last meeting the Parochial Church Council considered further details of the designs submitted by Mr. Ivor Newton. As the amount of money subscribed is not sufficient to provide two pairs of gates, even of the less expensive design, the Council decided: that it would be far better to concentrate on ‘one pair of gates of really good design, at the Church Lane entrance. The Diocesan Advisory Committee has approved the design and the order for them las been placed with Mr. Newton. It may be a little while before they are erected as Mr. Newton seems.to have many orders to execute. It will be an advantage, I think, not to have them erected during the dead of winter, with the liklihood of frost damaging the new foundations. I expect that most of you have seen and appreciated the very delightful water-colour in the Church of the proposed gates. The purpose of this is not to give the details of the design but to provide a general impression of how the gates will appear when they are erected. The artist is to be congratulated on conveying this idea so well. As it seems likely that these gates will not cost quite all the money subscribed, it is proposed to use the small balance towards restoring the two west doors of the Church to their original state, by the removal of the existing green paint and the underlying coats of successive paint which have obscured their original beauty.

Gift Day for Church Overseas. By now, I hope you will all have received a copy of the letter about our Gift Day for the Church Overseas on Tuesday, 29th November. For many years now, this has been our great effort to help in what is a primary need of the Church and an attempt to obey our Lord’s Command to preach the Gospel to every creature. There is no need for me to enlarge upon it here but I would commend this effort very warmly to your prayers and your generosity so that we do not come behind in the offering that we have been able to make in past years.

Christmas. By the time this. magazine is in your hands our thoughts will be turning to the great Christmas Festival. As Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year there will be Even-song at 6pm as usual. The Christmas services will be found in another part of the Magazine. I hope that all of us, besides making our Communion either at Midnight or 8am will also try and take part in the Church’s worship on this great day either at 11am or 6pm. Our traditional Service of Lessons and Carols will be on the following Sunday, January 1st at 6pm.

It is well to remember that the Christmas story is not just something which we are invited to contemplate and make the occasion of festivities once a year. It is something which we are meant to take right into our lives where it will become within us, daily, a well-spring of newness of life. We are meant to take the inspiration it brings, into all our daily doings, into our office or shop or works, into our homes and into all our social relationships.

That the holy Birth at Bethlehem did become a new starting point for the world, bringing into it a new spirit and a new behaviour which had not been there before, is an evident fact of history, and it is God’s will that we should live and act and think differently because Jesus Christ His Son was born for us at Bethlehem. If we really accept this good news of Christmas with humble and thankful hearts, this is what it will do for us.

I hope that when Christmas comes, it will be time of blessing for you all.

Your affectionate Vicar,

J. Eric Steward

Christmas Services

24th December, Christmas Eve. 12 Midnight. Blessing of the Crib and Midnight Eucharist

25th December, Christmas Day. 8am. Holy Communion. 11am. Sung Eucharist and Sermon. 6pm. Evensong, Short Address and Carols

1st January, Feast of the Circumcision and New Year’s Day. 8am, 11am and 3pm. Services as usual for the First Sunday in the month. 6pm. Service of Lessons and Carols.

We shall be very grateful for gifts of flowers, holly and evergreens for the decorations. They should be sent to the Church by 10am on Saturday, 24th December. Also, we shall welcome the assistance of any who can come and help with the decorations on the Saturday morning.

Mothers’ Union. It was encouraging that so many of our members were able to accept the invitation of the Princes Risborough Branch to be present at the dedication of their new Banner on 25th October. Opportunities for meeting members of other branches. does much to deepen and encourage the spirit of fellowship and it is hoped that it may be possible to arrange similar gatherings in the future. In the same week we had our monthly meeting and it is surely a sign of life that so many were there. Everyone enjoyed Mrs. Herher'’s visit but little did we realise that it was her last. At the end of the week we heard of her sudden collapse and death on the Saturday. It has come as a shock to us all, especially having seen her so recently and our sympathy and prayer go out to her son Peter in his sudden and unexpected loss.

The meeting in November is on Thursday, 24h November at the Vicarage at 3pm. The speaker is Mrs. McCurry, of Sands. This is Mrs. McCurry’s first visit to us, so we hope there will be a good gathering of members to welcome her.

The December meeting is on Thursday, 15th December. There will be a Service in Church at 3pm., followed by tea at the Vicarage. We hope that our members will do their best to come to this.

A Thought “It is within my power either to serve God or not to serve Him. Serving Him I add to my own good and the good of the whole world. Not serving Him, I forfeit my own good and deprive the world of that good, which was in my power to create.” – Leo Tolstoy.

Altar Flowers

20th November Miss Fletcher; 25th December. Mrs. Bateman; 1956. 1st January. Mrs. W. Dell; 8th January. Mrs. R. Hickman; 15th January. Mrs. Waite. click Sir Geoffrey,FRCS,KB & Lady Bateman; Bill & Phyllis Dell; and Arthur & Joyce Waite for more about Mrs Bateman, Mrs W Dell and Mrs Waite

Parish Register Baptisms. 4th September 1955 Mark Edward Lawrence also 4th September 1955 Alison Noreen Hussey

Marriage

20th August. William James Theodore Brown and Marie Ellen Elsie Leftwich