is the property of Sir William Curtis Baronet, the Lord of the Manor, and
he gave a portion of it to the parish for the erection of Holy Trinity
Church in 1829. In May, 1830, Holy Trinity, which was the Chapel of Ease
to the Parish Church, was consecrated. The first minister appointed was
the Rev. George Hodson Thompson. He lived at the corner of Page Green,
and was succeeded by the Rev. George Brewster Twining. In the centre of
the Church were benches which were free, and there were doors to the
pews; there was always a full congregation. The gallery was mostly used
for the children of the Green School on one side, and on the other the
boys from Sherboro House School, Stamford Hill, of which Dr. Williams was
the Principal. Mr. Barton was the organist, Peter Rickard the clerk, and
the pew-opener was Mrs. Perrin. Occasionally the Rev. Mr. Newcome, the
Vicar of All Hallows, would take the service. Once he told the
congregation he would he unable to preach as he had left his spectacles
at home. My grandmother called the pew-opener and sent him hers, which
fortunately suited his sight. In those days a clergyman could hold two
livings at a time. He was Vicar of Tottenham, and also of Shenley, where
he resided. He used often to come and see my father, and always gave my
mother his blessing. I remember once hearing him say, “I give you my
blessing my dear, and oh what a pretty gown you have on!” At one time a
lady living on the Green who was one of the congregation, asked my
father, as churchwarden, to have the middle post at the entrance moved to
make a wider space as she was so stout she could not get through. He at
once complied with her request. I must not forget to mention how
beautifully the churchyard was turfed, and how lovely it looked with the
long-stalked white daisies. On coming out of Church I occasionally gave
way to the temptation of gathering a few, although my mother used to say
I ought not to do so, particularly on Sundays. I used to wonder why it
was worse to do it on Sundays than other days.
I must not forget to mention at one time the organist played a voluntary
between the prayers and the Litany, but it was discontinued as it was not
generally liked.
For a great many years Mr. Twining rented a cottage in “Bull-row” to
provide a home for four poor old women. They had one room each, and were
very thankful for it.
There was always a large bonfire and fireworks on the Green on the 5th of
November. This was discontinued when the traffic increased, as it
frightened the horses. Boys used to play cricket here, and horses and
cows were allowed to graze. On the occasion of the marriage of the
Prince of Wales, now our King Edward VII., we had a captive balloon on
the Green, and anyone who liked to ascend could do so. John Fowler, the
beadle, availed himself of the offer. He did not appreciate the trip, as
it made him feel very ill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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