Burbage Parish Memoranda

The following was written in August 1879 by Rev. T.L. Kingsbury, the departing vicar, as a guide to his successor. It provides a fascinating in-site into the village life of the time and, for example, it is interesting to compare the number of church services held with that of today.

The work consists of a single hand written notebook and was amongst several historic documents recently re-discovered in the parish church’s archives. I am indebted to Rodney Stone and the other members of the Parochial Church Council for permission to inspect the volumes.

1879 – August – Burbage Wilts

Short Notes

On Burbage Esturmy, Wilts

Made by T.L. Kingsbury

(Vicar from May 14 : 1875 to August 14 1879),

on leaving that Parish for Kingston Deverill.

Burbage 1879 - Vicarial Tithes

Bank, Marlborough were

The Glebe including Vicarage Premises & Garden is estimated at 8a.2r.13p.

Gross estimated rental £30. The Vicarial tithe is rated at £300.

The House and Land at £25.

Burbage Aug 1879 - Poor Rate & Highway Rate for the Three Years ending Michaelmas 1879

1^st Year 1876 – 77

Oct 1876 one shilling in the pound collected by two instalments

Tithe £15:0:0d

House & Lands £1:5:0d

April 1877 one shilling & sixpence in the pound collected in two instalments

Tithe £22:10:0d

House & Lands £1:17:6d

Total Poor Rate for Year £40:12:6d

2^nd Year 1877 - 78

October 1877. Poor Rate 1/- in Pound

Tithe £15:0:0d

House & Lands £1:5:0d

April 1878. Poor Rate 1/- in Pound

Tithe £15:0:0d

House & Lands £1:5:0d

Poor Rate for Year £32:10:0d

3^rd Year 1878 - 79

October 1878. Poor Rate 1/3d in the Pound

Tithe £18:15:0d

House & Lands £1:11:3d

April 1879. Poor Rate 1/- in Pound

Tithe £15:0:0d

House & Lands £1:5:0d

Poor Rate for Year £36:11:0d

Annual Poor Rate on Three Years

1st Year Poor Rate £40:12:6d

2nd Year Poor Rate £32:10:0d

3rd Year Poor Rate £36:11:0d

Yearly Average £36:11:0d

Burbage Land Tax - Income Tax & Inhabited House Duty

1^st Year 1877

Land Tax £4:18:9d

Schedule A at 3d in the £ £5:7:3d

Schedule B at 1¹/₂ d in the 1/1d

Inhabited House Duty £1:10:0d

£11:17:1d

2^nd Year 1878

Land Tax etc. £5:14:9d

Schedule A £5:7:3d

Schedule B 1/1d

Inhabited House Duty £1:10:0d

£12:13:1d

3^rd Year 1879

Land Tax etc. £15:14:8d

Burbage Vicar's Legal Expenses for 1879

Poor Rate £36:11:0d

Land & Income Tax £15:14:8d

Insurance & Parsonage 1/8d

Annual Payment to Queen Anne's Bounty 14/9d

£54:8:5d

Burbage Church Services 1879

There are three services on ordinary Sundays

Morning at 10:30 - Matins and Communion Services

Afternoon at 3:15 - Litany & lessons from Scriptures

Evening at 6:30 - Evensong

A Sermon or Address is given at each service.

On All Saints Day and Holy Days there is, at least, a Morning Service, generally at 11:15 which is attended by the school children, and at which the Clergymen give a short address or Catechising.

Besides Saints Days there is Morning Service every Friday at 11:15 attended by School Children: at which Mothers an churched and the Clergy give a short address or Catachising.

The Holy Communion is administered after Morning Service on the First Sunday in every month and - on Christmas Day, Easter Day, Ascension Day, Whitsun Sunday, Trinity Sunday and some other times - with an early celebration occasionally.

It has been our custom to omit the Afternoon Service for 4 to 6 Sundays in the Summer and the Evening Service for a similar period in the winter after Epiphany.

Notes on Church Services and Seasons

Christmas Eve

The Church is decorated. Short Evensong at 7pm with Choir Practice.

Christmas Day

Morning Service at 10:30 with Sermon and Holy Communion.

Afternoon Service at 3:30 or 4:00, Evensong - Baptisms - Carol Singing etc.

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New Years Day

On this day the women's names are entered for the Clothing Club & their first payments taken. They are expected to attend Morning Service at 11:15 a.m. at which an Address is given them by the Clergymen.

Evensong with Sermon at 7p.m.

Epiphany

Morning Service at 11:15 with Sermon.

Evensong at 7p.m. with Sermon

Christmas decorations kept up 'till Candlemas

Sunday Evening Service suspended for 4 or 6 weeks after Epiphany. The omission not liked by the people. In 1878 the Evening Service was kept up throughout the year.

Septuagesima

Evening Service on Sunday resumed

Quinquagesima

Special notices given of the Observance of Lent.

Ash Wednesday

Morning Service at 11:15. Organ not played, except with hymns. Short Service attended by school children. Short Sermon.

Evening Service at 7p.m. Short Service, address before Commination Service, Communion Service. Note: It has been my practice to read the Commination Service on Ash Wednesday Evening instead of at the Morning Service, and to preface the Reading of the Commination with a short address on the meaning of the Service and the best way of keeping Lent. It has generally had good Congregations on Ash Wednesday Evenings.

40 Days of Lent

Daily Service except on Saturday

Monday at 5p.m.

Tuesday at 5p.m.

Wednesday at 11:15a.m.

Thursday at 5p.m.

Friday at 11:15a.m. and at 7p.m. with Sermon

Holy Week

This year the Services were as follows and good congregations obtained:

Monday at 5p.m. Evensong - one hymn. The Epistle and Gospel read as 1^st and 2^nd Lessons.

Tuesday at 5p.m. Evensong as on Monday

Wednesday Morning at 11:15. Short Service to school children. Evening - 7p.m., Short Service.

Maundy Thursday. Morning - 11.15, Short Service to Children. Meat Tea for Aged Persons at 5p.m. Evening Service at 6:30 with Sermon.

Good Friday is kept as Sunday.

Morning Service at 10:30

Afternoon Service at 2:30. This service is fixed early in order to include the Time of our Lord's Death.

Evening Service at 6:30

Easter Eve. Church is decorated at Easter and the decorations kept up 'till Ascension day. Evening Service at 7p.m. Choir practices.

Easter Day

Early Celebration at 8:15a.m.

Morning Prayers - Sermon and Holy Communion at 10:30

Afternoon Service. Litany, Baptisms, Sermon

Evening Service at 6:30p.m.

Easter Monday

Vestry Meeting for Election of Churchwardens

The Schools have a Holiday this week

Rogation Day

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day.

On the two first days service was held at 5p.m. The Litany, hymns and Lessons from Scriptures.

On Wednesday, Morning Service at 11:15 and at 6:30, Evening Service with Sermon

The Day of Intercenial was kept on Rogation Sunday

Ascension Day

(This Year) Early Celebration at 8:15

Morning Service and Sermon at 11:15 (also Celebration when not at 8:15)

The Children have a holiday

Evening Service at [time not given] with Sermon.

Whit Sunday

Four Services as on Easter Day

Early Celebration at 8:15a.m.

Morning Service at 10:30 - Sermon and Second Celebration

Afternoon Service. Litany at 3:15, Christenings, Sermon

Evensong, Sermon

Whit Monday

Festival of the Burbage Friendly Society, now (1879) 60 years old with over 300 [written in error as 3000] members and a Capital of £3500.

Annual Service attended by Members at 12 o'clock. Evensong - Sermon followed by

Dinner at 1:30

Tea at 5:30

Trinity Sunday

Holy Communion after 10:30 Service.

The School Festival

Held when possible on a Saints Day:

Saint Peters (29^th June)

Saint James (25^th July)

Saint Bartholomew (24^th August)

Service at 2 or 3 p.m.

Tea for about 330 in Vicarage Garden or School Room.

Advent

The Season is marked by Morning Services on Wednesday and Friday and an Evening Service on Thursday with Sermon.

The Choir

The present Choir was formed in 1878 and began to wear surpluses on All Saints Day.

It consists, when full, of 12 Young Men, 14 to 16 Boys and 12 Girls. The Girls do not attend the Evening Practices with the Boys. They are under the charge of the School Mistress, Miss Hopel.

The Choir sing

The Venite

Te Deum or (in Lent) Benedicite

Benedictus or (rarely) Inborlate

Magnificat

Mimic Dimittis

They also sing the Athanasian Creed and the Introit at Commencement of the Communion Services.

Church Officers at Easter 1879

Vicar T.L. Kingsbury

Curate I.E. Gordon Bond

Churchwardens W.H. Gale & G. Lewis

Sexton Thomas Nutley

Sextoness Mary Fisher

Organists M. Walton , James Edwards, Miss H.M. Kingsbury

Choir I [Young Men]

Choir II (Boys)

Choir III (Girls)

Charitable Foundations

1. Burbage & Easton Friendly Society

200 members; £3500 Invested; Festival on Whit Monday

2. Womens' Clothing Club

About 90 members; Bonus of 3/-

3. Childrens' Sunday School Clothing Club

About 270 members; Bonus of 2/-

Mr. Philip Pearce's Charity

Two half yearly dividends on £2130:9:11d given "between the Xmases" in gifts of Flour to the "Second Poor".

Mr. Robert Highetts Charity for Coal & School

A Bequest of £500. Two half yearly dividends given one in gifts of coal the other in aid of School Funds.

Archdeacon Stanton's Charity

Extract from the Will:

"To the Poor of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Burbage belonging to the Vicarage. I give Two Hundred Pounds the Capital to be invested with the Charity Commissioners and the Interest thereof to be annually expended in the purchase of good Blankets and Cloaks and given annually in November by the Vicar & Churchwardens of the Mother Parish of Burbage to the most deserving Poor".

The sum invested was £180 which purchased £194:1:5d in New Three Percent Annuities in 1875. In 1876; 1877; and 1878 the Vicar gave 12 red cloaks to aged women and 12 pair of Blankets for which the Charity charged £11:6:0d.

The Fund was not drawn upon until August 1979 when £17:9:0d stood to the account of Vicar and Churchwardens in the Capital & Counties Bank, Marlborough. I then withdrew £16:10:0d of which £5:10:0d is to be given in Cloaks to the Men this year (1879)