As reported in The Barwicker No. 47 the rector of Barwick, Rev. Herbert Lovell Clark re-launched the parish magazine in July 1935. The front cover of this edition contained a list of the parish officials at that time, and this was reproduced in our earlier article. The list is as prescribed by the Barwick-Scholes Constitutional Committee's report of January 1935. This provided for a parochial church council consisting of the rector, the curate, the churchwardens and 32 elected members - 16 from Barwick and 16 from Scholes. These elected groups could sit separately when purely Barwick or Scholes business was discussed.
The changes represent a significant increase in the standing of St. Philip's in relation to All Saints church, Barwick.. The rector is clearly enthusiastic about the new arrangements. "The Barwick-Scholes Constitutional Committee laid a solid foundation for the future development of the work of the parish in general and of Scholes church in particular.
One of the most important enterprises we have carried out in the last two years was the change in the constitution, which has given Scholes 16 elected representatives on the parochial church council and a legal churchwarden. Valuable initial work has been done by the Scholes Church Commission, appointed to explore the possibilities of securing land and of ultimately building a new church and church rooms at Scholes."
At the end of 1935, the elected Scholes Church Council took over the responsibilities of the Scholes Church Commission and appointed a Scholes Church Extension Committee to carry on this work. It would be over 30 years before a new church was built.
The interior of the original church at Scholes
The first edition of the magazine records that the curate, Rev. John Douglas Heath, L.Th., Hon. CF. had left Barwick during the previous month after three years in the parish with special charge of Scholes. When he arrived here in 1932 he was in his forties, with a variety of experience of ecclesiastical office.
He attended St Aidan's, University of Durham, starting in 1909. He was ordained deacon in 1911 and was appointed curate in Longridge in that year. He was ordained priest in 1912 in the diocese of Manchester and was awarded a licentiate in theology in 1913. In 1914-1915 he served in the Society for the Propagation of Gospel Mission in Accra in what is now Ghana. From 1917 to 1919 he was a temporary chaplain to the Forces. He had permission to officiate at St. Simeon's, Leeds, from 1927 to 1929 before serving as curate there from 1929 to 1931. He served as curate here from 1932 to 1935. In June 1935, he was appointed Vicar of Eryholme, near Doncaster. On 16 June at Scholes church, the Rector, on behalf of the subscribers, presented Mr Heath with a chiming clock. At his institution in Eryholme, Barwick parish was well represented. His replacement, Rev. Eric Victor Cave, took up his appointment in October 1935.
In the meantime the arrangements for services at St. Philip's were altered. Holy Communion, led by the rector, was put back from 8.0am to 8.45am each Sunday. Matins at 11.0am was usually taken by Mr A.B. Jessop , the Diocesan lay reader (who had been churchwarden at Scholes 35 years earlier in 1900). In addition, at this time, Holy Communion was celebrated on the 2nd and 5th Sunday of each month, taken by the rector or another priest. The evening service was put back from 6.30 pm. to 7.15 pm. conducted by Mr Jessop but the rector came from Barwick in time to preach. In this way worship at Scholes has continued during a difficult period.
The edition for April 1938 reports the death at the age of 76 of John William Vine who was for 36 years headmaster of the C. of E. Endowed School at Newton Kyme and organist at St. Andrew's Church there. On his retirement he came to live in Scholes where he became for some time churchwarden and organist. This was likely to be in the late 1920s. There is little written about the organ itself but, in a move to rationalise the finances of the church, a separate organ fund was set up in June 1934.
The organist and choirmaster at St. Philip's when the magazine was republished in January 1935 was Mr Appleyard of 4, Carberry Terrace, Burley, Leeds. He resigned in September 1935, the rector recording; "His work in Leeds made it impossible to continue his appointment with us. We thank Mr Appleyard for his services." He was replaced by Mr G Alderson Dent of 25, Wensley Green, Chapel Allerton, Leeds 7. In June 1937 it was reported that: "Mr G A Dent has had to resign from the post of organist owing to ill-health. He was always most interested in the services of the Church and spared no effort to be useful. He cycled in all weathers from Chapel Allerton, even for mid-week services and early Festival services. Mr Carrette BSc (of Devonshire Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds 8,) has been appointed to succeed him. We are grateful to Mr FC Kitchen for acting as organist for so many busy weeks.
Mr Carrette resigned in May 1938 to take up an appointment in a Leeds Church. He was replaced by Mr H Jordon of 102 Dibb Lane, Grange Park, Leeds 8. Soon after his appointment he obtained his MRCO. He hoped for pupils in pianoforte and music from Scholes where he was already giving lessons. He was still in the post at the end of 1939.
The question of expense was never far from the minds of the church officials at that time and heavy demands were sometimes put on the finances of the church. In March 1934, Scholes Church Council insured against workmen's compensation and third party risks. They took out a burglary policy on the church plate, etc., increased the fire insurance on the church from £800 to £1300 and accepted a tender for a new boiler for the heating equipment at a cost of £17.10s.0d. There were however compensations. The number of Easter communicants rose from 78 in 1933 to 115 in 1935.
Church collections for the four Sundays in May 1935 were £7.19s.3d for Barwick and £3.17s.3d. for Scholes. The total for Scholes was about half that for Barwick compared with about one-fifth in 1900, indicating the relative growths of the two villages. The offerings at Scholes just covered the church expenses but left no margin for expansion.
With this in mind the church council decided to set up a Scholes Church Membership Fund to put the finances on a firmer basis before the arrival of the curate, Mr Cave. The plans involved a regular monthly contribution from the members. By October there were 43 members of the scheme with subscriptions ranging from 1s. To 7s.6d. a month. The total donated between 1 July and 10 October was £8.17s.9d. The scheme was pronounced a success but an appeal went out for more people to join.
In his summary in the parish magazine of the previous few years, Rev. Lovell Clarke records that in February 1932, the Scholes Church Guild was set up. The object was the care of the church particularly the sanctuary and altar fittings.
The officers were:
Chairman
Mrs Buckingham
Secretary
Mrs Woodward
Treasurer
Mrs Mirfin
Committee
Mr Bellingham, Mr. R Ferguson and Mrs Burns
The achievements were impressive:
"1932: A new dorsal curtain was provided; two Credence table cloths were made; Mrs Jessop and Mr Farrar presented a new communion set in memory of their mother; Mr Jessop presented a Bible; the choir stalls were stained and varnished and new hassocks were provided.A new green altar frontal and desk fall materials were purchased and made up by the ladies; whist drives and a Guild Christmas party were held. The year's work resulted in a balance (credit) of £17.10s.0d.
1933: A flower and fruit stall was provided by the Guild at the village hall bazaar held April 26th, 27th and 28th. £40 was handed over to the treasurer of the village hall. A gift of £10 from the Guild was made towards the new organ. £12 was handed to the churchwardens of Scholes Church towards church expenses. A sale of work in November made £48 profit. Balance (credit) at the end of the year was £49.
1934: Successful social functions were held. Mrs Ackroyd presented a pair of brass altar vases. Attention was paid to the cassocks and surplices. A second fair linen cloth was purchased and necessary work carried out by two ladies of the Guild. The Guild purchased and fitted a frame for the altar frontal. The guild purchased and fitted carpets and curtains for the vestry. Credit balance at end of year was £50.
1935: The Guild took over the Flower Fund, which had a credit balance of £1.9s.8d."
Mrs Buckingham and her husband emigrated to Australia in 1935 but the work of the Guild continued. Further fund-raising events in 1935 included a 'military' whist drive, a 'solo' whist drive and a Christmas party. The March 1936 magazine published the constitution of the guild. The stated aims were "To encourage a spirit of fellowship amongst church people. To co-operate with the clergy and Scholes Church Council and help either financially or with personal service."
In January 1935, a men's fellowship was formed in Barwick and was so successful that a similar organisation was set up in Scholes in October of the same year. All men were invited "whether Church or Chapel or neither". It is perhaps an indication of the pressure put on the space in the building by the increasing population of Scholes that the fellowship met not in the church but in the village hall, opened in 1931. They met twice a month at 3.0 pm on a Sunday, apart from the summer months. The attendance at the first meeting was 37. They had an impressive programme of speakers, many as a result of the Rector's Rotary connections.
In the summer of 1937, the committee of the Scholes Men's Fellowship took the no doubt controversial decision that the fellowship should be changed into a general one, for women as well as men. It took this step to meet the wishes of many Scholes women and an invitation was extended to all to take part in the life and work of the fellowship. "It was a fellowship for all Christian people."
The Barwick fellowship, however, remained for men only. When the programmes re-commenced in October, 'Freedom' was the subject of one of the Barwick talks! Their isolation lasted only a year and in the summer of 1938 they decided to "make all meetings open, as it was felt that the quality of the speakers deserved a larger audience than could be provided by men only. Accordingly on or after the re-opening in October, it will be a general fellowship for both men and women." It was clearly a case of where Scholes leads Barwick follows! Both societies continued to meet regularly until in October 1939 they did not reconvene after the summer break, presumably because of the war.
