August 1909

Seagoe Parish Magazine

AUGUST, 1909.

Clergy:

REV. JAMES E. ARCHER, B.D„ Rector, the Rectory,

Seagoe.

REV. WALTER R. CRICHTON, B.A., Curate, Seagoe Villa.

N.B.—It is most important that in all cases of illness notice should be given to the Clergy of the Parish without delay.

Churchwardens:

MR. JAMES ALBIN, Rector's Churchwarden.

MR, JOHN G. GRACEY, People's Churchwarden.

Select Vestry:

WOLSEY R. ATKINSON,

GEORGE CALVERT,

JOHN MONTGOMERY,

T, J. MONTGOMERY,

ROBERT GRACEY,

T. E. MAGINNIS.

WILSON IRWIN,

THOMAS MARTIN,

MAJOR S. W. BLACKER,

T. J. ATKINSON,

J. H. STEVENSON,

JOSEPH MURRAY.

MR. W. R. ATKINSON, Secretary and Treasurer.

Hacknahay Summer Fete,

THE Summer Fete and Variety Sale will take place in Hacknahay School, on Thursday, August 26th. Great preparations are being made for it, and the Committee is exerting itself to the utmost to make it a real success. The grounds surrounding the School are extensive, and they will be utilised for outdoor amusements of different kinds such as Aunt Sally, Ring Quoits, etc, etc. A shooting range will also be erected and, if you are a good marksman, you will have an opportunity of winning valuable prizes. Inside the school building the various stalls will be arranged, and we can promise those who patronise the Sale that they will get excellent value for their money. The Farm Produce Stall is in charge of Miss Calvert and her assistants, and from what we hear we believe that it will be splendidly stocked with all sorts of good things to suit the appetites of the most fastidious. The Variety Stall is being arranged by Miss Neill and her helpers, On this stall you will get all sorts of things 'from a needle to an anchor ' A special stall for the sale of Cakes will be in the capable hands of Miss Rachel Templeton. Cakes of all kinds may here be had and splendid value will be given to purchasers. The Refreshment Stall is always a most important item on such occasions, and Miss Wilson with her assistants will dispense ‘the cup that cheers' to all who patronise the stall. The Opening Ceremony will take place at 3 0'clock, and the Sale will remain open until 10-30 p.m. A handbill will be issued in a few days containing full particulars regarding the Opening Ceremony. The charge for admission will be 6d, Children under 14, half-price. We forgot to mention that there will be a Toy Stall in connection with Miss Wilson's, Stall where the "wee" ones can get the kind of things they like the best, dolls, rocking horses, and everything that delights the infant heart.

The object of the Sale will commend itself to all our readers. The importance of having a good Day

School in the neighbourhood of the new and flourishing Factory at Blacker's Mill must be clear to everyone who has the welfare of Seagoe Parish at heart. Besides there is the fact which appeals

especially to those who appreciate the historical associations of Seagoe, it is this, that Hacknahay was one of the first schools established in the neighbourhood and continued to carry on a splendid educational work for 70 years. We are glad to think that since its reopening twelve months ago, it has resumed its former educational importance, and we believe that in the near future it will become one of the most efficient schools in the District.

We hope and expect that the forthcoming Fete and Sale will receive the liberal support of all who wish well to Seagoe.

A Brave Deed,

We offer our heartiest congratulations to Sergeant Long and Sergeant Turner on the distinguished

honour which has recently been conferred on them in recognition of a brave deed performed by them. On a recent occasion, when there was a holiday crowd at Portadown Railway Station a man tried to cross the rails in front of an incoming train. Without a moment's hesitation Sergeant Turner jumped down on to the rails to rescue the man. In endeavouring to get the man up on the platform Sergeant Long came to his assistance, and was himself almost dragged down in front of the train, in fact would have been so but for the timely intervention of Mr. Irwin, the Station Master. In recognition of the bravery shown by Sergeants Long and Turner they were last month summoned to London to receive at the hands of the Prince of Wales a certificate recording their act of bravery. All our readers will join with us in congratulating our local heroes. Sergeant Long is a most efficient and popular police officer, and we are fortunate in having in our Seagoe barrack one who can perform his police duties with so much tact and discretion. Sergeant Turner is at present residing at Gillhall, Dromore. He was also most popular in Portadown, and everyone regretted his departure.

The District Services.

The District Services held on each Sunday evening in Tamnificarbet, Drumgor and Hacknahay are fulfilling a very important work in the Parish. One of the most serious shortcomings in the Parish is the non-attendance at Public worship of the parents and more elderly people, This is not due to distance from the Parish Church for no part of the Parish is more than three miles from the Church, but can only be attributed to an evil habit, which has crept in amongst our people, of not regarding attendance at Public Worship as an essential part of the Christian life, and a most important element in the proper observance of Sunday. We are glad to find an increasing recognition on the part of our people of this primary duty, but if we were to publish the statistics now available as to the number of non-Churchgoers in the Parish they would be startling reading. In one townland quite near the Church only 8 out of 30 adult Church people attend Church and this proportion is in excess of some other townlands, The District Services are useful in reaching the class of non-Churchgoers, and we believe that in course of time those who are beginning to value the Services will become regular worshippers on Sunday mornings in the Parish Church. We have received much help in each of the Districts from our regular Churchgoers and we hope they will encourage all in their neighbourhood not merely to attend the District Services but also the Services in Seagoe Church.

Old—Age Pensions-

Old-Age Pensions have proved a great boon to many of our Parishioners, A very large sum of money is paid across the Post Office counter to the recipients. We hope those who receive this generous sum weekly will not forget to devote a portion of it to God's work. We heard recently of a parishioner who has promised to give one week's pension to the Sustentation Fund. This is an excellent example and we hope it will be largely followed in the Parish.

Offertories for July.

"What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits."

Morning. Evening.

£ s. d. £ s. d.

July 4th—4th S. after Trinity 1 14 9 0 9 6

,, 11th—5th S. after Trinity 3 4 9 8 14 6

,, 18th—6th S. after Trinity 1 6 11 0 11 0

„ 25th—7th S, after Trinity 1 5 1 0 8 7

Week Days ______ 0 6 1

Total £7 11 6 £5 9 8

Items.

The Day Schools re-opened after the holidays on Tuesday, August 3rd.

Seagoe School has been re-painted and the playgrounds improved in several respects during the vacation.

New Flags were flown from the Church tower during July, but the strong winds have injured them.

An improvement has been made in the ventilation of the Church by the opening of a small window

near the roof.

A thrush brought out a fine brood of young ones in a nest just under one of the Church windows.

We hear that the Great Northern Railway intend to do away with level crossings. This will cause

some changes in Seagoe Parish if bridges are built over the level crossings.

Mr. Smith, G.N.R., lately resident in Seagoe Villa, has been appointed superintendent engineer

over the new Goods Depot works, under construction at Adelaide and Windsor, near Belfast,

The Vestry spent an enjoyable evening at the Rectory last month. Some of them proved very skilful in a game of Lawn Golf.

Mr, Alfred Murray, T.C.D., is taking the Rector’s Bible Class every Sunday morning this month.

We hope some of our Bible Class members will volunteer to act as Sunday School Teachers. It

a splendid work to engage in.

We hope shortly to publish in the Magazine a portrait of the Rev. John Campbell, who became

Vicar of Seagoe in 1687, and who brought a party of Seagoe men to help in the defence of Derry during the famous siege.

Saturday, September 11th, is the date fixed for the Annual Festival of the Dromore Choral Union.

The Festival this year takes place in Gilford Parish Church.

There is promise of an abundant Fruit Harvest this year.

We notice a letter from Dr. Hadden in the local press advocating less noise from the Factory Syrens in the town. He does so on medical grounds.

We hear rumours of building operations about to be commenced in the neighbourhood of Seagoe Church. The finely situated ground at Seagoe Turns is being mapped out for Villa sites.

A Stop Watch Competition in connection with Hacknahay Fete, has been very successful. All the

tickets have been sold in quite a short time. Whoever gets the splendid gold watch will be very

fortunate,

Mr. Goscombe John, the sculptor to whom was entrusted the making of the statue of Colonel

Saunderson, for erection in Portadown, is generally regarded as the best of living English sculptors.

The statue when placed in position should prove a great ornament to Portadown. It will be of bronze.

Nineteen out of every twenty books borrowed from Portadown Free Library are works of Fiction. This seems to be an undue proportion, and is an unhealthy sign of the times.

Extensive additions are being made to the Factory at Blacker's Mill, and several new workers' cottages are being erected.

Baptisms.

“Jesus took a child, and set him in the midst."

July 3rd—Robert, son of Henry and Edith M'Reynolds.

,, ,, William, son of Robert and Mary Jane Livingston,

,, ,, James, son of James and Anne Best.

,, 13th—Orby Shackleton, son of William John and Maud Browne.

Marriages,

“Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder."

July 9th—England George Sturgeon, Drumnacanvey, to Mary Anne M'Murray, Ballynaghy.

,, 13th—John Coulter, Edenderry, to Annie Sewell, Portadown.

,, ,, Joseph M'Loughlin, Lisnisky, to Edith Clarke, Ballyhannon.

,, 14th—James Trainor, Lurgan, to Ellen Margt. Sloan, Drumnagoon.

,, ,, William James Browne, Edenderry, to Margaret M 'Cormick, Ballydougan,

Burials.

“The world passeth away."

July 4th—Joseph Wilson, Drumnagoon, aged 28 years

July 12th—Maria Sherman, Belfast, aged 47 years.

The Anniversary Services.

On Sunday, July 11th, special services were held in Seagoe Church. In the morning the Rector preached on behalf of the County Armagh Protestant Orphan Society. The offertory was, we rejoice to say, much larger than last year. In the evening the Church was crowded, in fact many would-be worshippers were unable to gain admission. A very large number of Orangemen were present, and filled a large portion of the Church. The Rev. Percy Marks, B.D„ Rector of Annaghmore, preached from Psalm 146-7, “The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."

The offertory was on behalf of the Protestant Orphan Society and Enniskillen Orphan Fund.

The music at the service was very heartily sung. Special hymn sheets were provided, which enabled

all to join heartily.

Nature Notes for August-

August is the month when all Nature seems to come to perfection. The fruits are beginning to

ripen, the flowers are blooming everywhere, and, the farmer looks out with glad contentment upon his ripening crops. The cutting of the meadows makes a great change in the face of the country, and it is a good opportunity to the lover of nature. As the mowers go out into the long, deep meadows they are sure to find traces of the Corncrakes and other birds who shelter themselves in the long grass during the summer days and nights. With the ripening of the fruit the wasps will sally out from their nests, and frighten, if not hurt, some of us with the poison of their stings. August is also a good month for observing the habits of young birds. Although nesting time is over, a great many interesting points may be noted regarding habits of flight and feeding, which cannot be observed at an earlier stage of bird life.

Those who are interested in Trees and their methods of growth should always be on the look out

for unusual foliage marking the presence of uncommon trees. In Seagoe parish the Maple tree may be seen growing wild in the hedge along the steep hill leading from the Reservoir towards

Ballyhannon. It has a very pretty leaf with a notched border.

The direction of the prevailing winds may also be learned from observing the way in which trees grow. A very good example of this may be seen in the long line of poplar trees running at right angles to the Lurgan road, about 100 yards on the Lurgan side of the 'Moss Lonin.' They lean to the east showing that the prevalent wind is from the West.

In the case of trees standing by themselves in an open field it is possible to tell the points of the compass by noting their growth. The branches are always thinner and fewer on the north side because it gets less of the sun. Having determined one point of the compass you can easily find the others.

Quarterly Church Attendance and Efficiency Cards.

It is with feelings of thankfulness that we publish the following list, shewing, as it does, the

exceptionally fine attendance of many members of our Sunday Schools. We hope the parents will encourage the children of our Sunday Schools, not merely in regularly attending Church and School, but also in the careful preparation of the Sunday School lessons for each Sunday. This will promote the greater efficiency of our Sunday Schools. The following cards have been received up to date.

FIRST CLASS (50 points and over).

Bella Magee, 65; Thomas England, 64; Sarah Dawson, 61; Maggie Smith, 58: Jane Dawson 53; Maria Cox, 52; Jemima Allen, 52; Maggie Magee, 52; Jennie England, 52; Hannah Johnston, 52; Agnes Johnston, 52; Maggie Lewie, 52; Minnie Crawford, 51; Sarah M 'Cann, 51; Susan Allen, 50; Maggie Roney, 50; Hugh Killow, 50.

SECOND CLASS (45 points and over),

Minnie Allen, 49; Kathleen Moore, 48; Mary J. Best, 47; Jack Stoops, 47; Maggie Bradshaw, 47; Lily M 'Nally, 46; David Frazer, 46; Fanny Thompson, 46; Flora Templeton, 46; Maria Roney, 45; Arthur Allen, 45; Leonard Haire, 45.

THIRD CLASS (40 points and over).

Maggie Irwin, 44; Sissie Martin, 43; Ethel Preston, 43; Theresa Ramsey, 43; William Wilson, 42; Dinah M'Na11y. 42; Joseph Wilson, 41; Sam Magee, 40; Bertie Holland, 40.

Old Seagoe Notes.

AUGHACOMMON NATIONAL SCHOOL, 1843. —Aughacommon School formerly belonged to Seagoe Parish, and it was the first School in the Parish taken over by the National Board. This was in the year 1843, shortly after the National School system was introduced into Ireland by Sir Robert Peel. The School at that time had 102 boys and 71 girls on the rolls. Archdeacon Saurin, when Rector of Seagoe, used regularly to hold services in Aughacommon School.

SERVICES IN SEAGOE PARISH, 1836. — Besides the usual morning service every Sunday, two evening services were held in Schoolhouses at opposite ends of the Parish, probably at Aughacommon and Hacknahay. The Sacrament of Holy Communion was administered 14 times in the year.

ARCHITECT'S PLAN OF SEAGOE CHURCH — The original plans for the building of the present Church are in the possession of the Representative Church Body in Dublin. They are signed by George Ross, architect, and dated 23rd January, 1813. Apparently the builders did not follow the plans quite in the way they were drawn out. Narrow side windows, are to be seen in the plans, at each side of the front entrance. The arms of the Diocese of Dromore were to be placed immediately over the door. On the top of the tower there was some perforated stone work, which does not appear in the present building. The width of the doorway or porch in the plan was 12 feet. The present gate leading to the Church is of an interesting character. It is the original gate dating from 1816. The iron uprights forming the gate are in the form of pikes, and suggest some unpleasant recollections of the Rebellion of 1798, then of comparatively recent occurrence. The gate, pillars also date from the year 1816. The Vestry Order for the erection of the gate, pillars, and boundary wall are extant in the Parish Registers.

SEAGOE TOWNLAND, 1743.—An ecclesiastical “Terrier" or statement regarding Church lands, dated August, 1743, gives the following list of holdings in Seagoe Townland at that date :—

1. r. p.

1. Rev. Arthur Forde, 58 3 16
2. The Churchyard, 0 3 34
3. The Schoolhouse Park, 1 2 27
4. Antony Metcalf, 13 1 10
5. Henry Porter, 7 0 5
6. John Collins, 1 1 15
7. George Medcalf, 10 2 10
8. Wm. Page (Adam Best) 6 1 20
9. Widow Ramsey and Widow Davis' garden (Henry Collins) 0 2 20
10. Widow Medcalf (Henry Medcalf) 6 3 24
11. John Medcalf 30 0 23
12. Janobin Eneas 11 0 14
13. Meredith Atkinson 45 2 32
14. Thomas Robinson 39 2 8
15. Widow Sanderson 18 0 10
16. Moss 16 2 9

The survey was made by order of the Rev. Arthur Forde, Vicar of Seagoe, and the surveyor was Thomas Gilpin.

The report made on the Rectory at that date was—“upon the whole a very bad house." It was rebuilt a few years later. The old house was built of "stone and lime," and had an outhouse attached for "washing and brewing."

A SUMMER FETE AND

VARIETY SALE

WILL BE HELD IN

HACKNAHAY SCHOOL AND GROUNDS,

On Thursday, August 26th, 1909.

Opening Ceremony at 3 p.m. Admission—6d.

Proceeds in aid of Hacknahay Day School.