vicars past and
present
| 2000 - present |
Rev. A. J. M. Sinclair, B.A. Exon. |
| Andrew Sinclair became vicar during the year when the chancel stencilling
was being restored. Educated at Sherborne School, Exeter University and Westcott House Cambridge, Andrew served in Sheffield, Rotherham, Edinburgh and Dunstable before
moving to Verwood. Since arriving with his wife Julie and twin boys
John and William, he has helped
establish a brand new Voluntary Aided Church School - Trinity CE VA First School. |
| 1986 - 2000 |
Rev. Canon A. A. Gill. |
| Prior to being ordained, Alan was a Dorset dairyman. He was instrumental
in the building of Emmanuel CE Middle School, and also instigated the purchase and refurbishment of the old village
school into the Parish centre. In the latter part of his ministry, he guided
six of his congregation into the priesthood. |
| 1977 - 1986 |
Rev. J. A. D. Roberts, B.D., A.K.C. |
| Anthony and Hilary came to Verwood when Nicholas, their eldest son, was
a young child, and presented the church with a Christmas baby when Jonathan
was born on 24th December 1978. This incumbency saw the greatest change
since the days of Claud Brown with the extension of the Parish Church. |
| 1968 - 1977 |
Rev. D. Halworth-Jones, M.A. Ox & Cudd. P. |
| The Reverend Denis Halworth-Jones is still remembered by some of the present
congregation. It was in 1976 that the theme of angels was increased in
the church when the old plain hassocks were replaced by the present ones. |
| 1963 - 1968 |
Rev. F. H. Phillips, M.A. Ox & Ely. |
| Although he was by no means a young man, Father Phillips struck a chord
with the youth of the church, and as well as organising entertainment for
them, enlisted their help in the construction of the Memorial Garden. On
his death, his ashes were brought back to Verwood and interred in this
garden which he had created. |
| 1958 - 1963 |
Rev. L. R. Kingsbury. |
| Rev. Kingsbury was middle-aged when he came to Verwood. He was the first
Vicar to live in the present Vicarage which had previously been occupied
by Misses Bradford, one of whom is commemorated in a stained glass window
in the church. He supervised several much needed improvements to the Church
School. |
| 1957 |
No incumbent. |
| 1935 - 1956 |
Rev. J. Lynes, L.Th. Dur & Sarum. |
| He was the last Vicar to live in the old Vicarage which, after 1956, was
permanently let, becoming a Bible College before its demolition. Being
the Vicar during the war years, he had his share of personal tragedy when
his son was killed while serving in the Royal Air Force. One of his achievements
was to read Greek with the local Congregational Minister. |
| 1927 - 1934 |
Rev. Wilfrid Arthur Jeayes, M.A. Camb. |
| Rev. Jeayes had quite a large family, and so took over again the Vicarage
which had been let since the days of Claud Brown. His wife was amongst
those who started the Verwood Carnival to replace the annual Verwood Fair
on Church Hill, which had lapsed some years previously. He died at the
age of 45 after an operation in London which went wrong, and is buried
in the churchyard. |
| 1925 - 1927 |
No incumbent. |
| 1924 |
Rev. F. M. Nightingale, M.A. Dub & Lich. |
| He had lived in Australia for several years before coming to Verwood. The
then Bishop of Salisbury had also been in Australia, and wanted Reverend
Nightingale to join him, which probably explains the short incumbency. |
| 1917 - 1924 |
Rev. Rupert Shiner, M.A. Camb. |
His family had a sawmill in South Dorset. Out of three brothers, one remained
in the business and the other two took Holy Orders. He was unmarried when
he came to Verwood, and let the Vicarage as it was too large for his needs.
He later married Mrs. Sanderson, widow of the Vicar of Alderholt, who was
living at the Manor House, and went to live there.
He ran the Boy Scout troop, and on Scout Sunday, the choirboys wore their
uniforms instead of robes. In the evening, they walked to Three Legged
Cross to be in the choir here, then played tracking games on the way home. |
| 1887 - 1917 |
Rev. Claud Brown, M.A., Wadham College Oxford. |
A book could be written about the Rev. Claud Brown and his impact on the
village. In brief, he was a man of substantial private means, and had a
powerful personality. Many gifts to the church and improvements were made
during his incumbency.
He also began a nursing service in Verwood, and provided a wheelchair in
which those unable to walk could be pushed by relatives to visit the doctor
in Cranborne. This was an innovation which would scarcely be appreciated
today, but for which the then sick of the village and their relatives must
have been most grateful.
For a short while, West Moors was also in the Parish of Verwood, and Claud
Brown built the church there, and one at Three Legged Cross. Two curates
assisted him in looking after these churches, travelling around the parish
by bicycle.
At this time, the road to Three Legged Cross ran by way of St. Michael's
Road to Crab Orchard, through Manor Farm. There were three gates across
the road, and it is told that the farmer, who could be very awkward, used
to lock the middle gate on occasions, causing the maximum annoyance to
travellers from either end.
Claud Brown built a fine Vicarage, now demolished, but which stood on the
site of the present day Montrose flats, giving Vicarage Road its name.
The coach house and stables in Copse Road have now been converted into
dwellings.
There used to be a windmill in the gardens to pump water, and one parishioner
recalled that it was her Sunday treat to be taken by her parents to watch
it going round.
According to the custom, his staff had to appear in church in their Sunday
best, maids in bonnets. Boys and girls were expected to bow or curtsey
on meeting the vicar and his wife.
Although he kept a coach and horses, these were never used on a Sunday,
and often he would walk three times a day to Three Legged Cross to take
the service there. He was instrumental in getting the bridge at Potterne
built after his carriage overturned in the ford then there. His concern
seems to have been more for his coachman, Samuel Parker, licencee of the
Albion, than himself. |
This page contains excerpts from "St. Michael and All Angels Verwood.
A Guide and History of the Parish Church", an excellent booklet by
Jill Coulthard, and available for £3.50 from the Parish Office. |
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