18935327 Select Vestry 27th March 1895 p379-p382

379

Meeting of Select Vestry was held in Seagoe Parochial schoolroom on Tuesday the 5^th of February 1895 the Dean of Dromore in the chair for the purpose of supplying the sustentation Fund with their collecting books and revising the list of general requested vestrymen.

Present at the meeting

Messrs _ James Collins _ John Montgomery _ George Calvert _ Robert Woolsey _ James Albin. James Atkinson _ Capel W. Reid and Joseph Monroe.

The Dean revised the list of Requested Vestrymen and the books were given to the collectors.

Abraham Dawson – Chair

James. Atkinson Sec.

380/1895

Proof of the Design for the East Window in our Parish Church which the Baroness Von Stiglitz proposes to erect at her sole cost in memory of her Brother, the late Stewart Blacker Esq. D. L; and we desire to record our grateful thanks for this renewed instance of her munificence to the Parish of Seagoe.

Unanimously agreed to.

Referring to the minutes of the vestry on page 141, above, it is recorded that at a meeting of the Vestry on the 30^th June 1876 it was unanimously agreed on the proposition of MessrsLeonard Jennett and James Calvert, that the Select Vestry on the part of the Parishioners of Seagoe, should have a Brass Plate erected in the Church to record the liberal act of Major Stewart Blacker who originated a plan which secured in perpetuity a sum of £6365.10.4, as the common amount of a Parochial Re-endowment Fund; Major Blacker himself contributing to this end the sum of our thousand pounds , and advancinga portion sum of £1600, as a loan, so asto enable the Vestry to obtain and capitalise the Curates’Composition Balance (£3182.15.2).

No further action in this matter is recorded, and the Resolution of the Vestry as above, is still unfulfilled. It secured fitting that on the occasion of placing the East Window in the Church the parishioners should carry out the aforesaid Resolution by erecting a Memorial Brasswhich should record the numerous Benefactions of the Blacker Family, as well before as since the special act of Major Blacker in the origination of the Parochial endowments fund.

The Chairman presented the inscription which he had drawn up for engraving on the Brass. It had been carefully revised by Mr Drew in accordance, with the ancient form and use of such inscriptions, and it is to bear the Arms of the Sec on one side of the plate, and those of the Blacker family on the opposite side Mr. Drew recommend that the execution of the plate should be entrusted to Messrs. J. W. Singer and Sons of Frome Somerset. Who are famous for their products in Metal Work. A letter had been received from Messrs Singer in which they wrote that “as near as they could tell this Tablet would cost £30 complete.”

The proposed inscription is as follows:- “ To the Glory of God, and in Record of the Munificence of Stewart Blacker , of Carrickblacker, Esquire , Deceased anno 1881 and his surviving Sister Dame Hester Anna Baroness Von Stiglitz to this parish of Seagoe.” They, following the pious example of their forefathers , ( of which it is of record that Valentine Blacker rebuild about 1662, the ancient parish Church ruined in the Rebellion of 1641; and the Very Reverend Stewart Blacker, Dean of Leighlin, with the Rev. George Blacker, Vicar, by their exertions built this Church in 1816) in 1876 by a gift of £1000, and an advance to the Vestry of £1600, secured to the Parish, at the Disestablishment of the Irish Church , a Parochial Endowment Fund , now , in 1895 (1896) amounting to £6710.”In 1891, the Baroness Von Stiglitz generously aided the Parishioners in the rebuilding of the Nave of this Parish Church, and the erection of the South Aisle; and at her sole cost added the Chancel, in loving memory of her aforesaid Brother , Stewart Blacker, providing it with suitable furniture and adorning it with many costly gifts and offerings, toward the comely and reverent worship of the Almighty God: and in 1895 (1896) she presented the Glazing of the great East Window, in sympatheticaccord with the grace and beauty of this House of God.

“We glorify God in the behalf of these Benefactions, and humbly Pray that they may be had in everlasting Remembrance before Him.

Abraham Dawson A,M.:

Dean of Dromore and Reactor of Seagoe

Geo. Calvert Churchwarden

Jon Lavery Churchwarden

Anno 1895. (1896) “

It was proposed by Mr James Atkinson seconded by Mr. Abraham Macoun, and unanimously adopted –

“Resolved. That in accordance with the Resolution of the Select Vestry of Seagoe, at a meeting held on June 30, 1876, that a Brass Plate should be erected in the Parish |Church to record the Benefaction of Major Stewart Blacker towards the Re-endowment of the Parish. We now accept this.