The bell that is known as the saints or vestry bell was given to the
Church in 1801 by Humphrey Jackson, Esq., M.D., who lived for many years
in White Hart-lane. This bell has upon it an ornamented cross on which
are fleur-de-lis and on the upper part the inscription “Sit nomen Domine
Benedictum I.H., Fecit, 1663,” together with two medals and an ornamental
border. On the lower part there are other medals, on one of which is a
representation of the Virgin and Child. This bell was the alarm bell to
the garrison of Quebec, and was appropriated by some drunken sailors
during the siege of that place by the force under General Townsend. It
is believed there is a quantity of silver in its composition, which
accounts for its melodious sound.
In former years some poor pensioner was allowed to make a home in the
room over the porch. The last was Betty Fleming. She kept a great many
cats, and used to place saucers with milk for them all round the
churchyard. She died in 1790, aged 100 years, having lived in that room
forty years.
A dog would not be permitted to enter a church now, but I remember when
Charles Bradford (old blind Charlie as he was called) was led in by his
dog, and it remained with him all the service, so quiet that no one would
have known it was there.
One Sunday evening in the summer of 1876 there was a terrific storm. All
through the sermon it had been getting darker and darker, and when the
last hymn was being sung the storm broke out in great fury, the last
verse had to be omitted, and the Vicar gave the Benediction. The noise
was deafening; the hailstones were immense; they smashed the Lanthorne
light, and glass was flying in all directions. Outside the water was so
deep that those who attempted to leave the church were obliged to come
back. To add to the confusion one lady went into hysterics. Some one
covered her with a waterproof so that she should not see the lightning.
Fortunately I had a bottle of strong smelling salts with me, which I sent
to her, and after a time she recovered. Everyone, I believe, was
frightened; some were deadly pale, and it was a great relief to all of us
when the storm abated. But many people had cause to remember it as it
did so much damage, destroying the crops in the market gardens and
smashing such quantities of glass.
At one time the churchyard was sufficient, not only for Tottenham, but
for Wood Green as well, and one could wander over the grass and amongst
the graves. There were not any very curious epitaphs; one I thought very
beautiful was on a stone erected to the memory of a pupil at Bruce
Castle. It commenced, “Far from his native home the little Sulliot
came.” On another was written, “Charlotte, we shall meet again.” The
stone was erected by a man who lost his wife. But after a time his grief
subsided, and he married again, whereupon he caused these words to be
erased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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