August 1924

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

AUGUST, 1924.

Rev. Robt. W. Johnston, L.Th.

(By kind permission of the Portadown News." )

We present our readers this month with a photograph of the Rev. R. W. Johnston, now one of the

Curates of Seagoe. Mr. Johnston was ordained for the Curacy in St. Aidan's Church, Belfast, on Sunday„ July 6th. This photograph was taken in 1916 when Mr. Johnston was a Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. He served with the Battalion from the end of July, 1916, until the fatal Sixteenth of August, 1917, when so many of those who had survived the disastrous July 1st, 1916, were wounded or killed. On that day Colonel Somerville, who had succeeded Colonel Blacker in command of

the Battalion, was killed' and also Lieutenant Shillington.

Royalty in Seagoe.

It is not often that Royalty visits the Parish of

Seagoe, but on Tuesday, July 22nd, the Duke and

Duchess of York alighted from their train at Portadown

Station and spent a busy 15 minutes receiving

an Address, inspecting the guard of honour, and

smiling at the hearty welcome from the children

and their parents. Seagoe Parish was well represented

in the crowd. The Duke and Duchess seemed

to be greatly pleased with their reception. The

Station was beautifully decorated with flags and

banners, and everything passed off with great success.

Edenderry

Now that the Rev. R. W Johnston has come to

help us in our work in the Parish we hope to see

a great development of Church life in Edenderry.

Every Church home in that great district should be

a centre of loyalty to the Church and the Divine

Head of the Church. There. are 205 Church house-

holds in the District. The Afternoon Sunday School

is now very large, and quite fills the Parochial Hall

In our next issue we hope to give an outline of our

special work arranged for the coming winter months.

In the meantime we ask all our Edenderry people

to help us by prayer and work so that our efforts

may have the Divine blessing.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Seagoe at Wembley.

A large number of the Parishioners have already

visited the great Empire Exhibition at Wembley and

have enjoyed this wonderful picture of the activities

of the British Empire. Two of the pupils of Seagoe

.School have e successfully passed the examination

held last month for free passes to London and the

Exhibition ; they are Willie Livingston and Jack Hill.

We congratulate them on their success and wish

them a very pleasant holiday in London.

Weekly Freewill Offerings.

It is very important that all those who have taken

sets of Envelopes should bring or send in their

offerings without delay. The success of the system

depends upon punctual payments by each contributor.

Do not get into arrears with your payments,

and, if you have, please pay in the arrears as soon

as possible. The proper way is to bring the Envelope

with you to the Parish Church each Sunday

and place it reverently in the collection so that it

may be offered up with the other offerings on the

Holy Table. It is your gift to God for His work.

Read carefully the. verse of Scripture which is printed

on each Envelope. It will help you to give in

the right spirit, and from the right motive.

Portadown Station.

Important work is being undertaken at Portadown

Station by the G.N.R. It was necessary to undertake

extensive excavations at the upper end of the town

to provide room for new engine sheds, and the

surplus earth is being brought down to the

neighbourhood of the Station to enable additional lines to be

laid so as to give more accommodation for carriages

and trucks. Perhaps at some future date when

Portadown grows—as it will grow—the Bann meadows

will provide a space for the rolling stock necessary

for increased traffic. The same process of development

has taken place in Belfast, where the extensive

Bog Meadows have been annexed by the Railway

Company. Portadown is gradually obtaining a

stronger position in Northern Ireland owing to its

central position. The visit of the Duke of York will

help to strengthen this position.

Edenderry Parochial Hall.

The New Heating apparatus for the Parochial Hall

will in a short time be installed. The underground

Furnace chamber is now finished and the drain connecting it

with the main sewer completed. It is a

good piece of work, but the expense will be considerable.

Those who are disposed to help would oblige

by sending a subscription to Miss Atkinson, Eden

Villa, who is Secretary of the Parochial Hal) Committee.

The Urban Council have now completed the

paving of the footpath outside the Hall, and the

appearance of the place is greatly improved.

From Canada.

The Archdeacon of Ontario writes to the Rector as

follows :—

St. James' Rectory,

Ontario, May 7th, 1924.

Reverend and Dear Sir,—Your letter to hand. I

have twice called on them and shall do my best to

interest them in the Church. J shall strive to have

them prepared for Confirmation. Thanking you for

your information, and with best wishes,

I am, sincerely yours,

ROBERT H. FERGUSON, Rector.

The Canadian Church is alive and active, and

looks well after our Emigrants. We thank them

for all they have done.

A Curates' House.

As Seagoe Parish has now a staff of two Curates

the need of a suitable residence for them within

the bounds of the Parish becomes more than ever

a necessity. Such a residence should be situated

near the Church so that the work of the clergy may

be centralised as much as possible. It has not been

found possible for the assistant clergy to get lodgings

within the Parish, and so they have had to find

shelter in a neighbouring Parish. At a recent

meeting of the Select Vestry the, subject was discussed,

and it was suggested that such a house might be

erected on the plot of ground belonging to the Select

Vestry between the School and the Teacher's Residence.

Seagoe School.

The term " National " is no longer to be applied

to our Day Schools. The new name is to be "Public

Elementary School." The School will re-open (D. V.)

on Monday, August 11th, at 9.30 a.m. sharp. The

Select Vestry are repairing and cleaning the School

premises during the holidays. Seagoe School has

had a wonderful record of health. It possesses a

splendid playground. The rooms are well lighted

and well ventilated, and the danger from fast traffic

is reduced to a minimum owing to its being situated

off the main road. In wet weather the children

can use a roomy shelter in the playground. A

thorough and up to date education is imparted to

the children as is evidenced by the recent record of

the School in winning Scholarships and Prizes. The

Senior Pupils are taught gardening in a special

School garden, working under the supervision of

Mr. Bignold, the Inspector of Agriculture and

Gardening under the Government of Northern Ireland.

The clergy of the Parish visit the School once a

week to give Religious Instruction. Each day the

School is opened with Prayer. Religious Instruction

is given to the children daily from 9.50 a.m. to

10.20 a.m. Parents are asked to see that their

children are punctual in attendance.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

New Houses.

Building operations are again after the cessation

caused by the Great War, becoming noticeable in

the Parish, chiefly in Edenderry. A large Villa has

been built in Stewart Avenue, Mr. Shanks has built

two pretty houses in Carrickblacker Road, and two

other roomy houses have been built beside Mr. Wm.

Sherman's. We hear of other houses in contemplation.

People who have built houses are anxious to

give them nice names, but there are now so many

Edens in Edenderry that it has begun to be called

the Garden of Eden. Edenderry House, Edengarth,

Eden Mount, Eden Bank and many others are now

in use. We would suggest that as far as possible

the names of new houses and of new streets should

embody the history and the natural features of the

Parish. We have one example in Edenderry—Goban

Street, which was so named by the Rector on the

invitation of Mrs. Hamilton Robb when the street

was first made. Goban or Gobhan was the founder

of Seagoe in the 6th century A.D. Tydba was the

name of Seagoe Parish in medieval times. As

possible names we would suggest Carrickville, Blacker

Avenue, Saurindale, Forde Street (after the Rev.

Arthur Fforde, a former Vicar of Seagoe in the 18th

century), Bannvale, Campbell Drive (after the Rev.

John Campbell, Vicar of Seagoe, who brought a

party of Scagoe men to the Siege of Derry and was

also present at the Battle of the Boyne). The

"derry" in Edenderry means an oak tree. Derry

might be used as Derryville or Oaktree Cottage,

OakFarm, Oaklands, Oakley. These are but a few

of the names which are suggested by the history

and surroundings of the neighbourhood

Seagoe Churchyard.

Again we would ask holders of grave plots to

please keep their grave plots tidy. Some have very

kindly done so already in response to our request,

but some of the plots are a wilderness of weeds.

Where our dead rest should he the best kept bit of

ground in the Parish. It is God's acre.

Seagoe Men's Class.

The Seagoe Men's Bible Class will resume work

(D. V.) on Sunday, August 3rd, at 10 a.m. The Class

Will be held in Seagoe Church. We invite to this

Class all the old members who in pre war days were

so regular in attendance and enjoyed so much the

instruction in God?s Word which they received. The

Class will be held each Sunday. Thy Word is a

lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

Parish Register for July.

Baptisms.

The following were Baptized in Seagoe Parish Church on 5th July, 1924

Abraham—Robert Henry, son of Samuel John and Mary Elizabeth Abraham, of Breagh.

Sponsors—Samuel John Abraham, Margaret Mayes.

Partridge—William, son of Benjamin and Olivia Partridge, of Portadown.

Sponsors—Maria Jane Fcrd, Olivia Partridge.

Atkinson—Jane Anna, daughter of Gardner and Sarah Jane Atkinson, of Belfast.

Sponsors—Mary White, Sarah Jane Atkinson.

M'NeilI—Victor, son of Samuel George and Anna M'Neill, of Ballymacrandle.

Sponsors—Edith Kilpatrick, Anna M'Neill.

Porter—July 2nd, 1924—Martha Georgina, daughter of Robert John and Margaret Anne Maud

Porter, of Lower Seagoe. Sponsors—Margaret Porter, Margaret Ann Maud Porter.

Johnston— July 27th, 1924—Norman Charles, son of James Alexander and Helen Mary Johnston,

of Kernan. Sponsors—William Duncan, James Alexander Johnston, Mary Elizabeth Johnston.

Marriage.

White and Ruddy June 28th, 1924, Ephraim White, of Lylo, to Ellen Jane Ruddy, of Lurgan.

Burials.

M'Kee—June 29th —Mary M'Kee, of Tarsan, aged 47.

Wright—July 11th,1924-—Mary Alice Wright, of Tamnificarbet, aged 42 years.

Hewitt—July 18th, Samuel Hewitt, of Edenderry, aged 37 years.

M'Cu110ugh—July 28th, Richard M'Cu110ugh, of Balteagh, aged 1 year.

Interred at Donaghcloney.

Obituary.

We had not space, last month to comment on the

long list c! those whose names appeared in the roll

of Burials. It is seldom that within a short month

we have lost so many of our Parishioners. Especially

sad was the death of Mrs. Whiteside of Lower

Seagoe. In the prime of life and after a very brief

illness she was taken from among us. Another

name in our list, Thomas M'Crory, recalls to mind

the great interest he took in Edenderry Men's Bible

Class, which he attended without missing single

Sunday for over nine years. He was always very

proud of the Medals and Certificates he had won-

Some of those whose names appear, John Hickland,

David Rainey, Emma Jane Malcomson and Harrison

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Gracey had been in weak health for a long time,

while Mrs. Eliza Hughes passed away after a brief

illness: Joseph Craig, though advanced in years,

had been active until quite recently. The names of

two children appear in the list—Myrtle Elizabeth

Simpson, an infant, and Irene Gladys Ruddell, whose

death occurred quite suddenly from septic scarlatina.

In this month's list there, are fewer names,

but still four have been called away. Mary Alice

Wright, who had been in weak health for many years;

Samuel Hewitt, well known and very popular in

Edenderry, had a long and ,trying illness, as had

also Mrs. Mary M'Kee, of Tarsan. Mr. and Mrs.

M'Cullough of Balteagh have lost their little son, aged

only 12 months. A specially sad thing was the death

of one who had only been in the Parish a month.

Lavinia Michel came from the Parish of Innisrush

in the County Derry and was a maid at the Manse,

Lurgan Road. Her illness was very sudden. She

passed away a few days after her admission to the

Infirmary. The Rev. J. and Mrs. Heney showed her

great kindness. She was interred at Innisrush on

Sunday, June 29th, the Rector, the Rev. J. O'Connor,

M.A., officiating at the grave. Our prayerful sympathy

goes out to all in the Parish who have suffered bereavement.

Father in Thy gracious keeping,

Leave we now our loved ones sleeping."

ITEMS.

The continuance of wet weather has made hay

making very difficult this year.

Seagoe Choir is practising for the Choral Festival

to be held in Maralin Church on Saturday, September

6th. The Rev. Dr. Aldwell, LL.D., Rector of

Ballylesson, is acting as Trainer and Conductor of

the Choirs.

A glance through our advertising columns is

recommended to those who desire in their purchases

to get full value for their money.

Shankill Parish Magazine is keeping up its high

standard of interest. Its local news is crisp and

brightly written. The present issue has a

complimentary reference to our new Curate, the Rev. R. W.

Johnston.

At the July Anniversary Service held in Seagoe on

Sunday evening, July 6th, the collection for the

Enniskillen Orphan Fund amounted to £10 5s 10d.

The Teachers in Seagoe Afternoon Sunday School

presented Mr. W. E. Dickson with a Fountain Pen

on the occasion of his leaving the Parish.

A large number of Seagoe people have already

visited the great Exhibition at Wembley.

An enlarged copy of an interesting snapshot of our

1924 Sunday School procession taken by Mr. Twinem,

U.S.A., has been kindly presented to the Rector. We

hope shortly if possible to print it in the Magazine.

We print here the addresses of the Curates or

Seagoe—The Rev. W. T. Wilson. M.A., 21 Edward

Street ; the Rev. R. W. Johnston, L. Th., The Cottagey

M'Gredy's Nursery, Portadown.

The Lurgan Road is still under repair. One piece

of the road at the Lurgan end is in a disgraceful

and most dangerous state. Some serious accident

may happen at any moment. As we write there is

a large and deep hole at the point where the Urban

and Rural Portadown boundaries meet. Who is to

blame? The sturdy frame of a B.S.A. motor cycle

snapped the other day on Lurgan Road. Fortunately the cyclist escaped injury.

A lady in Utah, U.S.A. (we hope she is not a

Mormon) is making a collection of all the Baptismal,

Marriage, and Burial entries of all the families of

Best and Robinson in the Parish of Seagoe from 1672

to the present day.

If you are in arrears with your Weekly Envelopes

please bring them in and you will greatly help the

Parish Funds.

Mr. George Wilson, of Lower Seagoe, hag been

appointed Hon. Sec. of the Finance Committee.

Some of the young men in Seagoe are negotiating

for the rental of a field for recreation purposes.

You are invited to attend the midweek Service„

which is held in the Parish Church every Wednesday evening at 8 p.m.

Miss Isabel Best is on holiday from the Training

College, and has kindly taken a class in Seagoe

Afternoon Sunday School each Sunday. Willie Best

has been elected to the Masonic Orphan Boys' School

in Dublin and goes there in September.

Mr. M'Dowell, U.S.A., has arrived at Killicomaine

for his usual Trans-Atlantic holiday. He never forgets the old Parish.

Mr. Victor Walker has purchased a house at,

Broadstairs, Kent, and has named it " Seagoe."

Some of those who had intended emigrating to the

States have found it difficult to get permission owing

to the restrictions introduced by the American

Government.