December 1927

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

DECEMBER, 1927,

A Christmas Wish.

We Wish all our readers at home and abroad

wherever they may be, a Very Happy Christmas and

a Bright and Prosperous New year.

NORTH

xxx

G,N.R,

xxx

SOUTH

THE SITE OF THE SEWAGE TANKS.

THIS outline map will help people to understand what the Urban Council are intending

to do in Seagoe. It shows the position of the Seven Acre Plot, which the Council have

purchased, and into which they have expressed their intention of dumping the Sewage

Of Portadown with its 12,000 inhabitants and its large public works, The letters on the Map

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE

will explain the relative positions of buildings io

the immediate neighbourhood. T. proposed Sewage

Tanks, R. Rectory, V. Seagoe Villa, R.B. River Bann,

G.N.R. Great Northern Railway, S. Seagoe P.E.

School, C. Seagoe Church, O.C. Old Seagoe Church

and Graveyard The asterisks denote residences in

close proximity to the tanks. The double line at

rear of the Rectory shows the only method of

approach to the tanks. It is the old back entrance road

to the Rectory, and is exactly 30 feet from the house.

All the sludge from the tanks would be carted along

this road. The map is North and South. The prevailing

winds are from the West or River side of

the map, and thus the smell and noxious vapours

from the tanks, with their accompanying germs,

would be distributed wholesale through the inhabited

area of Seagoe.

Christmas Services.

This year Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. The

following Services will (D.v.) be held

8 a.m. Holy Communion.

11.30 a.m. Morning Prayer, Sermon and Holy Communion.

7 p.m. Evening Prayer and Sermon.

The offertory at Morning Prayer will be given to

the Poor Fund of the Parish.

Christmas Carols will be sung at the Services on

Christmas Day.

Resolution Cards for 1928,

During December Resolution Cards will be distributed

through the Parish. They will contain a

Resolution promising to attend Public Worship

regularly through the New Year 1928. A space will

be left for the person's signature at the end of the

resolution. Those who wish to sign their card, may,

if they wish, drop their card signed into a box in

the Church porch on the first or second Sunday of

the New Year.

Drumgor Harvest Services.

Our Harvest Services came to an end at Drumgor

on Thursday, November 10th, and the following Sunday.

At both services the congregations were. large,

but on Sunday the Hall was crowded with a

congregation numbering 250 people. The Rev. G. C.

Johnston preached on Thursday, and the Rector

preached on Sunday. The collection on Thursday

was for Foreign Missions, and on Sunday for the:

local Sunday School. Mr. Robb had charge of the

music and had carefully trained a large choir, who

sang very nicely. The Hall was tastefully decorated

with fruits and flowers.

Grand Concert.

A grand concert will be given (D.v.) in Portadown

Town Hall on Thursday, January 26th, at 8 p.m. It

is being organised by Mm T. H, Wilson on behalf of

Seagoe Church Choir. Tickets, 2s 6d each, Secure

your ticket and seat without delay. A first class

party of Belfast performers have beep secured.

Almanacs and Kalendars.

The Seagoe Parish Almanac, price 2d, and the

Seagoe Kalendar, price Ild, are now on sale at Mr.

Vance's, Bridge St., or may be had from the

Superintendents of the Sunday Schools.

A Meeting of Protest.

On the evening of Monday, November 14th, a

largely attended meeting was held in Seagoe School

to protest against the proposed sewage tanks at

Seagoe. The Rector presided, and speeches were

made by Messrs. Forsythe, Capel Reid, and Rennix.

A deputation was appointed to wait on the Urban

Council. A letter was read from Mr. Jackson Greeves

expressing his objection to the tanks being placed in

Seagoe.

Acknowledgment.

We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the

following sums towards the excursion deficit—Mr.

W. H. Atkinson, 5s; Three Sunday School Teachers,

7s 6d.

Sunday School Conference.

A Sunday School Teachers' Conference was held

in Carleton St. Parochial Hall (St. Mark's), on

Wednesday, November 2nd, at 7.30. A large number

of our Seagoe teachers were present. A most useful

and practical address was given by the Rev.

Marrable Williams, B.D., Rector of St. Luke's,

Belfast. St. Mark's Parish most kindly entertained the

teachers from the Parishes of Seagoe and Drumcree.

Armistice Day.

The two minutes silence was observed as usual at

11 a.m. on November 11th. The school children were

drawn up in front of the Memorial Pillars and gate

at the Church. Prayers were offered by the Rector

and a hymn was sung, and the National Anthem.

Jack Allen, whose father was killed in the war, held

the Union Jack. During the silence a Robin perched

on neighbouring branch, sang sweetly during the

two minutes.

Advent Services.

On each Wednesday during Advent a Service will

be held in the Parish Church at 8 p.m. On Wednesday,

Dec. 7th, the Preacher will be the Rev. T.

Martins Rector of Rathfriland.

Parish Register for November.

Marriage,

Hewitt and Alien.—November 22nd, 1927, William James Héwitt, of Tamnificarbet,

to Charlotte Allen, of Edenderry.

Burials,

Corkin—November 4th, Margaret Corkin, of Lurgan; aged 51 years.

Holmes—November 21st, David Holmes, of Edenderry (formerly of Killicomaine) ; aged 73years.

Classey—November 29th, Christina Glassey, of Edenderry; aged 22 years.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

With the Faugh-a-Ballaghs

Darkest Africa in 1893.

BY SERGEANT THOMAS RUSSELL.

Having joined up early in the year 1893 in that

good old 2nd R.I.F., it was not long before we met

with our old Colonel Mooney. I was the Regimental

cold shoer on the Transport at the time, and hearing

that the Mounted Infantry of the Battalion were

about to mobilise for the Rhodesian campaign, I

decided to volunteer for foreign service. As I was

at the time on the home establishment, I was not

available for drafts, so I went up to my Captain,

offered my services, and was accepted as shoeing

smith with No. 2 Section, Smith Company, Mounted

infantry. It was not long before we were on the

big ship across the Channel to Milford Haven, and

then to Aldershot, where we got served out with our

lovely white "Tobys" or helmets; we then got our

gee gees, the four legged boys. Then before long we

met our good old Commander, Col. Alderson, who

took over command under our gallant Scout Colonel

Baden Powell. We embarked on the S.S. Dunera for

the Cape. We had a good voyage till we came to

that bit of water called the King's Bay of Biscay.

then she

Began To Rock a Bit.

and so did the "gee gees" and ourselves, for about

30 hours. We sailed past Las Palmas, Cape St. Vincent

and the Cape Verde Islands All we had to

do to the gee gees was to pull their lugs early every

morning so as to bring a circulation of blood to our

long faced chums. This continued till we came to

the big flat mountain overlooking Table Bay, where

we disembarked. Later, we re embarked on a coasting

vessel galled "The Arab." She was rightly so

called for she fought the ground swell well up the

East African coast. Soon we passed East London,

Port Elizabeth and Durban, and on then to Beira, a

Portugese port. I can assure you it was a rough

six days' sail. Beira, being a shallow water port,

we had to sling the horses off the " Arab" into small

flat bottomed boats called puttors, and it was no

easy job. They landed us at a dirty wee hole called

Fontesvilla, where our gee gees got a brush down.

Then we set out on our long journey to meet the

savage Mashona Tribe. We marched along for days,

till we came to a place called New Fort Hynes, where

we lost our good Captain Hayes, of the Rhodesian

Horse.

In our early morning. shift to Makona's

Kraal on 1st August, 1886, we had

A Few Casualties

of the Faughs, also of the Rifles, 18th Royal Irish

Regiment, and the Dublins. It was a big stunt. It

lasted from daybreak to about 9 a.m. Then the

“Cease, Five" sounded, and we got the old dark

Makonas rounded up and taken prisoner. You should

have seen us coming back with goats crying, sheep

bleating and men cheering, and our good old Sergeant

O'Brien, of the Dub1in's, shouting out “Well done the

Faughs!" You would have laughed if

you had. After this we joined up with Sir Frederick

Carrington's and had some rough times of it for

few months, scouring Mashonaland and rounding up

the Mashona Tribe. They were vicious fighters.

They had their flesh all tattoed with pictures. We

marched up and down through Rhodesia till we got

a little rest at a place called Fort Salisbury, the

capital of Mashonaland. It did our eyes good to

see a few white settlers there after seeing so many

block faces, and they and our good Colonel Alderson

congratulated us on what we had done.

Our commander, General Sir Frederick Carrington,

was a fine big man and knew the country well, also

our good scout, Colonel Baden Powell. So we

finished up with the Mashona Tribe in '96, and

were preparing to come home early in '97, when we

got word that the Matabele Tribe had broke out in

Matabeleland. We, the Faughs, were not long before

we got on their tracks. We went up to the Hartley

Hills, and got reinforced with the Remington Guides

—the " Tigers" as they were called—and we were

well pleased at that, as the Faughs had got down,

in numbers through malaria fever. The next morning

early—it was 15th February, 18979 or thereabouts,

Corporal Davis, a Belfast man, and Tom Phelan,

Lance Corporal, also Tommy from somewhere beside

Portadown, came and whispered to me, Shoey, we

will soon be into it again; we want you to put two

shoes on each of us." Well,

I had to Laugh Hearty

at that transaction. Just then we got word to pack

up and start for Magumba's stronghold, away up

in the Hartley Hills. Mountain Gun Battery No. 10

began on March 4th to ping again. They were lovely

wee guns, drawn by mules, but very deadly. We

dismounted and the No. took the horses We got into

extended order, under our good Section Commander,

Lieut. Southey, with Sergt. Pollock, mounted men

of the 18th R.I. Regiment, formed No. 1 section, and

we, the Faughs, were No. 2, the " Dubs" No. 3, and

the R.I. Rifles No. 4. So we had a bit of hot stuff.

The fight went on till about 3 in the afternoon, when

there was a throw-up with the Big Chief Magumbie,

so we marched some miles to the foot of the Hills,

where we rested for the night and for Roll Call.

can assure you there was

A Big Casualty List.

Our good Trooper Dick Rainey, of the: Rifles, came

in severely wounded. The poor fellow lost his leg

and was sent down to Salisbury Hospital. He was

a great footballer and ,sport, was poor Dick. So was

Scout Latham. We marched about for a long time

through Northern Rhodesia, having odd skelps at

the Matabele, till we finished up hostilities late in

April. I was three weeks in Salisbury Hospital with

malaria. When the Faughs came down from

Buluwayo we went down to Fort Napier, Pietermaritzburg,

and stayed there some time with our

old friends, the 7th Hussars and the 10th Mounted

Battery. When we were packing up for Blighty our

friends the Rifle boys got the dug out. As their old

Battalion was coming to the Cape they had to join

8EAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE

them. More honour to them. It was funny, too, that

we went out as Mounted Infantry and came back as

2nd R.I. Fusiliers. We had to leave

Our “Geegees" Behind Us

for the newly formed Rhodesian Police. But none

of our boys transferred to the Police, as far as I

know. I know I did not, for when you joined the

Faughs or Blayneys it was a sure stick to them. So

we got the route for Blighty and had to face the

foam this time. We embarked on the good ship

" Pembroke" from Table Bay, and as we sailed out

we struck up " Barossa" and " Norah Creona." We

had nothing to do on board, only those that: were

able had a little physical jerks to do. I had none

to do for a long time, as I had got to be champion

lightweight at 8 stone pounds. She did rock fairly

well till we came to some of the old scenery again.

We passed St. Vincent, which the Faughs have on

their colours, Cape de Verd, Las Palmas, Madeira.

Then we were not long till we began to pitch again

in the Bay between France and Spain. Further

along, on the homeward journey, there came to our

view Southampton lights, and the green grass around

Netley Hospital. Then we started to cheer, ' saying

" The Faugh-a-Ba11aghs are home again." It was

not long till we entrained for Aldershot, where we

started from. When we arrived and were marched

to our respective camps each band met its own men.

It being the Queen's birthday, our band was up in

London, but there were as many of the Drums left

as could strike up Barossa. Man, dear! they gave us

a hearty welcome back. Brother Faughs! it made

the blood flow high when our good Colonel, Major

John Reeves, congratulated us and welcomed us

back, when we all enjoyed a three months' furlough.

God bless the men that were there, and long may

He spare the 87th and 88th Royal Trish Fusiliers.

Old Seagoe Notes,

The Burleigh Family—A Beautiful Tribute to

Seagoe Mother.—ln our August issue we published

notes on the Burleigh Family. The following touching

tribute by George Burleigh to his mother's

memory has been copied by Miss Georgie Atkinson,

of Eden Villa, from a Prayer Book in her possession

George Burleigh was the third son of Hercules Burleigh,

and was a graduate of T.C.D., ( entered T.C.D. In 1718)

and afterward Curate of Tullylish, and of Carrickfergus. His

mother, before her marriage, was Miss Margaret

Pearson, daughter of Mr. George Pearson, of Harwood

Shields, Northumberland. We cannot identify

the " R.B." who adds the impressive little postscript.

" This Prayer Book belonged to my dear and ever

to be respected mother. She was born in the year

1713, and died Sunday, March 20th, 1785, at half past

nine o'clock in the morning, in her 72nd year, to

which age she arrived, with great honour, having

passed through every period of it with uncommon

merit. She was a good Christian and never

neglected her duty to God, as this book will shew; she

was the tenderest and best of mothers, her memory

shall be for ever reverenced and dear to me, and

I am thankful to God for having blessed me with

such a parent. She was endowed with every Christian

virtue, meek, humble, compassionate and

charitable, and practised the duty of self denial to

the utmost. May God enable me to follow her

example, shall be my constant prayer.—Geo,

Burleigh. P.S.—May all thy prayers be as fully

granted.—R.B."

SERVICES

THE PARISH CHURCH.

HOLY COMMUNION—1st Sunday after Morning

Prayer ; 3rd Sunday at 8 a.m., and on the Chief

Festivals.

HOLY BAPTISM—1st Saturday of Month at 3 p.m.,

and during any Service in the Parish Church

if notice be given ; Two Sponsors at least are

required, and they must be Confirmed members

of the Church. Churchings are held at each

Baptism. Mothers are expected to bring a thank

offering. (See Book of Common Prayer.)

MORNING PRAYER—Sundays and Chief Festivals

11.30 a.m.

EVENING PRAYER—Sundays 7 p.m., Wednesdays

8 p.m.

DISTRICT SERVICES.

Hacknahay—Last Sunday of Month at 3.30 p.m.

Drumgor-—Second Sunday of Month at 4 p.m.

CLASSES,

ADULT CLASSES-=Sundays at 10 a.m.

For Men—Edenderry. For Women—Seagoe

School.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS—IO a.m. Edenderry Parochial

Hall and Seagoe School. 3 p.m. Seagoe, Edenderry

Parochial Hall, Levaghery, Hacknahay

Carne, Drumgor.

Men's Recreation Room, Bridge St., open every

night from 7 p.m.

Seagoe C.L. Brigade in Edenderry Parochial Hall

on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

Mothers' Union, Edenderry 1st Tuesday, at 4 p.m.

DAY SCHOOL—Seagoe, 9.30 a.m. Principal—Mr.

Rennix.