These dates are sourced from Crockfords Clerical
Directory and the House Visitors' Book that father kept from his time in India.
The comments have been taken from the Visitors' Book and 'Newsletter of WICKMERE with WOLTERTON, and LITTLE BARNINGHAM
The Visitors' book is more complete than Crockfords.
1936
Deaconed and Priested at Gloucester Cathedral
1936 – 38
Curate of St James,
Gloucester (He lodged at 27 Brunswick Square with the Buckett family.)
1938 – 44 Principal of the
SPG Arts Industrial School, Nazareth, Tinnevelly, India.
1944 - 47 Rector of
Littledean (Returned to England because of Partition of India.
He would have been somewhat
rootless so a return to Littledean where he lived as a boy makes sense in the
first instance. He makes a visit to his old friends the Bucketts by then living
in Edmondsham and choses ‘the prettier one’ – his words.)
5 Oct 46 Married
Mollie Edith Buckett at Edmondsham, Dorset
1947 – 49 Curate of St
Luke’s We1st Norwood, in charge of St Paul’s.
Grandfather - W.R.Buckett visits Jan
12-15th 1948 “A short but most enjoyable visit.”
JFH born 20 January 1949
1949 – 50 The Hollies,
Sandford, nr. Bristol, Somerset. The move must have been in
July 1949, as someone called Doris was looking after me during the move from her
entry in the Visitors’ Book.
28/07/49 “I have enjoyed these
moving times, especially the happy hours with Judith.” Doris.
1950 – 54 Vicar of
Great and Little Oakley, Northamptonshire.
(P.B.Buckett) is the first visitor in July (3rd-7th) “Very nice staying with you
all again and seeing your new house + surroundings. Glad to revive memories of
Kettering days. Judith is a little duck!”
Phyl.
Robert born 24 July 1952.
Wilfred the cat came to us and somehow coped with all the moves. He was
still with us at Milton Malsor. W.R.Buckett visits September 1953 and no hint of
immanent removals.
1954
76 Westwood Road, Leek, Staffordshire
No entries in Visitors’ Book.
1954 – 55 Rector of
Wickmere w Wolterton and Little Barningham. Norfolk.
Grandfather - W.R.Buckett visits 10th
-12th November 1954. “A short visit to Wickmere Rectory for the Institution and
Induction of the Rev G.E.Hubbard to the United Benefice of Wickmere with
Wolterton and Little Barningham. It was nice to see the new home of Mr. & Mrs.
Hubbard. Judith is growing in stature and intelligence and is a sweet tempered
girl. Robert too has grown and is a sturdy bright boy. They will enjoy the
freedom and roominess of this Rectory”
Grand-dad.
October 1955
Newsletter of WICKMERE with WOLTERTON, and LITTLE BARNINGHAM
The Rev. G.E. Hubbard writes - It may come as a surprise for some of you to
learn that, by the time this Magazine reaches you, Wickmere Rectory will one
more be empty. Until the question of clergy housing is fairly and squarely dealt
with by the Church authorities, there will be this coming and going of
incumbents which is so prevalent today. After ten months as Rector of Wickmere,
I just cannot stomach any longer this dreadful, worn-out, old house with its
quarter-mile drive.
Apart from the very bad state of repair of the Rectory, it is all wrong
for any parson to be so isolated from his parishioners [and parishioners from
their rector], as is the case at Wickmere – to say nothing of being so remote
from shops, school, bus routes and civilisation generally.
The garden too! – what a garden, two-and-a-half acres of it, nettles and
other weeds everywhere, covering paths, lawns, flower beds, vegetable garden and
orchards. Benefice income, though reasonable enough for moderate-sized property,
is wholly inadequate to maintain this vast estate in the way it should be
maintained. Everything was in a shocking state when we came here last autumn,
but it is in far worse condition now.
Another aspect that has decided me to leave Wickmere at short notice and
after being Rector for so short a time, is the present acute shortage of
man-power in the Church. I consider that I should be frittering away the
remaining useful years of my life were I to stay on indefinitely in Wickmere
under existing conditions. Rather than waste my time, I have accepted the offer
of work in a Liverpool slum parish [Christ Church, Bootle]. I shall be assistant
curate to an elderly vicar who is a very sick man, badly crippled with
arthritis, and in urgent need of help.
So at the end of this month [September] we shall be exchanging the
bracing climate of Norfolk for the sights, sounds and smells of Merseyside; a
tumble-down country rectory for a small, down-town terrace house; acres of weeds
for a tiny backyard; wide stretches of unwanted glebe for the amenities of
civilisation [with a Woolworths and a fried-fish shop just around the corner!]
and mere existence for a worthwhile job. And, believe me, I know which I prefer!
Now, all too soon, the time has come for me to wish you all Good-bye. But
here’s hoping that before long a small convenient rectory will be built in the
centre of Wickmere [not miles outside it] for the mutual benefit of my
successors and of the people of Wickmere themselves. Good-bye and good luck to
you all.
G.E. HUBBARD.
Sept 1955 Bootle,
near Liverpool. (3-4 weeks at the most) There is no mention of this in the
Visitors’ Book
1955 - 57 Curate of
North Abingdon. Berkshire.
Nov.29th – 1st Dec 1955 “It was nice to
see you all again in happy surroundings. Judith getting so grown up and Robbie
so talkative – not forgetting soft, furry Wilfred. Thank you so much.” Phyl.
Nicolas born 5 December 1956
1957 - 58 Vicar of
Kenton w. Ashfield and Thorpe.
22nd-25th Nov.1957 “We visited Kenton
Vicarage to attend the service of Institution and Induction of the Rev
G.E.Hubbard to the United Benefice of Kenton with Ashfield cum Thorpe. We hope
that the family will be very happy here and that God’s blessing may rest on the
work done in his Name.” Grand-dad and Auntie Phyl.
1958 - 59 Curate
Halesowen w Hasbury (in charge of St Peter, Lapel)
Judith and Robert spent 12 days at Edmondsham and I accompanied them here to
their new home on August 6th 1958 + stayed 2 nights. Glad to see the new house +
surroundings and hope that you will all settle happily. “ Auntie Phyl
1959 – 66 Rector of
Milton Malsor, Northamptonshire.
Rosemary Chapman, a friend of mine from Quinton came to stay 3rd-8th August 1959
so we would have moved possibly in the July after the school term; although my
parents never took things like that into consideration in those days. Grand-dad
and Auntie Phyl stay in August as well.
This was the longest stretch of time spent anywhere by the family.
My education was already wrecked and Robert had emotional difficulties. It
was important for all our sakes to stay put. Mother was able to get part-time
and substitute positions. The parish was easy – one church, one village. He was
62 and to have yet another move would have been too exhausting
1966
Retired
1966 – 67 The Cottage,
Blisworth, Northamptonshire
1967 - 76 37 St David’s Road,
Northampton
1976
31 Ivy Road, Northampton
There was some other miniscule move which Nick remembers – but I’d left home by
then……
Father dies 2 March 1979