March 1931

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

MARCH, 1931.

CLERGY :

Rev. Canon Archer, B.D., The Rectory, Seagoe,

Rev. W. F. Hayes, B.A., Edendale, CarrickBIacker

Road, Edenderry, Portadown.

CHURCHWARDENS :

Rector's—Wm. H. England.

People's—Gilbert Price.

Special Services.

During Holy Week, which begins this year on

Sunday, March 29th, special Services will be held in

the Parish Church each evening at 8 p.m. Addresses

will be given on subjects connected with the Passion

of our Lord. We invite the Parishioners to be present

at these Services, which will be a helpful preparation

for the solemn Services on Good Friday

and for the joyous celebrations of Easter Day.

Good Friday.

On Good Friday (April 3rd) the following Services

will be held in the Parish Church:—

11.30 a.m.—Morning Prayer and Litany.

8 p.m.—Evening Prayer and Sermon.

The offerings ut these Services will be given to the

Jews' Society.

Easter Day.

On Easter Day (April 5th) Services will be held in

the Parish Church as follows:—

8 a.m—Holy Communion.

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

Communion.

7 p.m.—Evening Prayer and Sermon.

On Easter Day the offerings at all Services will

be in aid of the Parish Sunday Schools. A great

work is done each Sunday by a devoted band of

Sunday School Superintendents and Teachers in our

two Morning Sunday Schools and in our seven Afternoon

Sunday Schools, Please help on this good work.

Confirmation,

The Lord Bishop has slightly altered the date of

the Confirmation.

It will be held in the Parish

Church on Wednesday, June 24th, at 8 p.m., instead

Of Thursday, June 25th, as previously arranged. In

Our next issue we will announce the arrangements

for the Preparation Classes in connection with the

Candidates must have reached the

age of 14 years before Confirmation.

A Confirmation Prayer.

The following Prayer for Candidates for Confirmation

is in the newly revised Book of Common

Prayer. Readers will find it in the Prayers which

inserted after the Litany. It is a beautiful

Prayer and we ask sponsors and candidates to use

it in their private prayers each day.

O God who through the teaching of thy Son

Jesus Christ didst prepare thy disciples for the

coming of the Comforter; Make ready, we beseech

thee, the hearts and minds of thy servants who at

this time are seeking the gifts of the Holy Ghost

through the laying on of hands, that, drawing near

with penitent and faithful hearts, they may be filled

with the power of His Divine presence; through the

same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Easter General Vestry

The Easter General Vestry Will (D.v.) meet in

Seagoe School on Thursday April 9th, at 7.30 p.m.,

for the election of a People's Churchwarden and a

Select Vestry. A statement of accounts will be presented

by the Hon. Treasurer. A full attendance of

all the members of the General Vestry is requested

A Sad Accident,

We record with deep regret the death of Mr.

Terence FitzRoy Blacker youngest son of Lt. CoIonel

Blacker. Mr. Blacker was cutting down a tree at

Chidcock Manor, Bridport, Dorset, where the family

have been residing for the past year, when the tree

fell suddenly and caught him before he could get

away, fatally injuring him The accident occurred

on Friday, February 6th. Heartfelt sorrow has been

expressed by everyone in Seagoe at this terrible blow

which has befallen Colonel and Mrs. Blacker and

their family. He was " a dear companion, so sunny

tempered and full of interest." He been living

with his parents for the past year Since leaving

school and had accompanied his father on a visit to

CarrickBlacker last year. His death is the first break

in a most united and family circle. It

is some consolation to learn that there was no

suffering and no disfigurement and that death was

instantaneous. Our readers will understand what a

burden of grief must rest upon those nearest and

dearest to him, and we feel that we are expressing

the thoughts of the people of Seagoe and the

neighbourhood when we convey to Colonel and Mrs.

Blacker our deep and sincere sympathy with them

in their sad loss and our prayers that our Heavenly

Blacker was just 20 years at the time of his death.

The funeral took place on Tuesday, February 10th.

At a meeting of Seagoe Select Vestry held in

Seagoe School on Tuesday, Feb. 24th, a resolution of

sympathy 'was passed with Colonel and Mrs.

Blacker. The members stood for a few moments in

silence to mark their sorrow and deep sympathy.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Prize Distribution.

We have had a busy time last month with Sunday

School Prize Distributions. A very large number of

Bibles, Church Service Books, and stories have been

given to those children who attended Sunday School

regularly during last year. In last month's issue we

recorded the distribution at Drumgor. On Feb. 5th

Bocombra held its first distribution.

The Rector presided, and after a splendid tea, a short

programme of music and recitations was performed.

The Hall, which had been kindly lent by the Orange

Lodge, was crowded. Games followed and then

speeches by Mr. James Twinem, Superintendent, and

Mr. Boyce, of Bocombra. Many references were

made to the need of a new Church Hall in the

neighbourhood. We hope before long to see the

foundation stone laid and the walls going up. Bocombra

Hill is a beautiful site for a Hall.

It is exactly 214 feet above low water mark, and beats Standard Hill

in height by just 12 inches, the latter being 213 feet

.above low water mark. Bocombra is the highest

point in Seagoe Parish.

Hacknahay held its festival

on Friday, Feb. 6th. The large schoolroom was

filled with a gathering of children and grownups.

A very attractive programme had been prepared,

which followed a plentiful supply of tea and cake.

The, Rev W. F. Hayes presided. Mrs. Atkinson, of

Gleneyre, kindly distributed the prizes and also gave

some special prizes, kind gift from herself, to

children who had not missed a Sunday during the

year. The Rector, in a concluding speech, thanked

Mr. T. E. Maginnis, the Superintendent, for his

efficient management or the School. and also Miss

Calvert for the good work which she had done as a

teacher and trainer of the choir. Each child as it

passed out received a gift of an orange from Miss

Calvert. On Tuesday, Feb. 10th, Levaghery Sunday

School held its prize-giving. There was a large

attendance. After tea, games were enjoyed and then

a splendidly decorated Christmas tree laden with

gifts appeared and each child got a gift from it.

The prizes were distributed by the Rev. W. F. Hayes,

who presided. On Monday, Feb. 16th, two distributions

were held—Seagoe and Carne. At Seagoe

the Rector presided.

Tea was spread on

neat tables and cakes (without hags) dispensed

to the eager pupils. Mrs. Scott had prepared a

splendid programme, which the audience greatly enjoyed.

The prizes were handed to the successful pupils by

Mrs. Scott. The Rev. W. F. Hayes presided at Carne.

There was a large gathering. A fine display of tea

and cake was handed round. Games followed, and

the prizes were then distributed. Mr. David Murray,

the Superintendent, had made excellent arrangements for the gathering.

Edenderry came in on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 17th, at 7.30 p.m. The Hall

was filled with children arranged in their classes.

Mr. M'Clements and his helpers had everything

well arranged. An interesting programme of songs

and recitations followed. The prizes were very

numerous and were handed to the children by the

Rev. Canon Archer, the Rev. W. F. Hayes and Mr.

R. McClements. A large number of parents were

present.

The Rector having expressed his thanks

to all who had helped, the meeting concluded.

At Birkenhead.

Mr. Gracey is very busy with his studies at St.

Aidan's College.

“Flu" has invaded the College,

but we are glad to say Mr. Graeey has escaped. He

is playing full back on the Hockey 2nd XI., and they

beat Lewis's big team recently by six goals to three.

Lewis's is the biggest firm in Liverpool and usually

takes a lot of beating. The College concert was

held on a recent Saturday. Mr. Gracey hopes to be

back for the Easter holidays towards the end of

March.

Seagoe Mothers' Union.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10th, notwithstanding very

severe weather, a large gathering of the members

assembled in Seagoe School. After tea, the Rector

introduced the Rev. T. S. Hall, B.D., who gave a very

interesting address on " South America" in connection

with the South American Missionary Society.

With the aid of a large map he pointed out the

various centres of Missionary work. The members

expressed their appreciation of the lecture by a

hearty round of applause.

The members of the Mothers' Union will not hold

a, meeting this month but are invited to attend in a

body the Lent Service in the Parish Church on

Wednesday, March 11th, at 8 p.m.

Old Seagoe in Australia,

A Seagoe correspondent in Queensland sends us

the following cutting from a Sydney newspaper:—

Woman's 111th Birthday—Mrs. Kathleen M'GinIey,

of East Maitland, has celebrated the 111th anniversary

of her birth. She was born in Ardmore (foremerly

in the Parish of Seagoe, Co. Armagh) on

December 24th, 1819. Her father was a small cattleman

who travelled through the country with his

herd. Mrs. M'Ginley came to Australia in the sailing

ship " Lady Alma Bruce" in 1859. She has three

daughters and two sons, the youngest of whom is

nearly 70 years of age.

The Climate of Seagoe.

The Meteorological Department of the Air Ministry

has supplied the following interesting particulars

(based on at least 10 years of continuous observations

as to the average annual rainfall in

inches in Northern Ireland—Lurgan is the driest

place with 29.70 inches, Donaghadee 30.60, Armagh

31.70, Banbridge 32.10, Waringstown 32.20, Seagoe and

Portadown 32.60, Belfast 34.60, Warrenpoint 35.50'

Foffany, where the Portadown water comes from

64.40. It is remarkable that the rainfall at Seagoe

exceeds that at Lurgan by 3 inches annually. The

general deduction from the above figures is that the

neighbourhood of Lurgan and Seagoe and Portadown

is the driest part of Northern Ireland.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE

Parish Register for February.

Baptisms.

The following were baptized in the Parish Church

February 7th, 1931:—

Russell-—William John, son of William Alexander and Margaret Russell, of Drumgor.

Sponsors—William Alexander Russell, Margaret Russell.

Bonis—Jane, daughter of Robert John and Elizabeth Bonis, of Kernan.

Sponsors—Elizabeth Webb, Elizabeth Bonis.

M'Crory—Bertha, daughter of Joseph Alexander and Margaret M'Crory, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Christina Honey, Margaret M'Crory.

Brown—Hannali, daughter of Francis and Sarah Brown, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Ellen Pepper, Sarah Brown.

Millar—-Amy, daughter of Robert and Edith Florence Millar, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Caroline Guy, Edith Florence Millar.

Boyd—Winifred Margaret, daughter of David and Minnie Boyd, of Edenderry.

Sponsors Eva Porter Minnie Boyd.

Thompson—Sarah Jane, daughter of William and Charlotte Thompson, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—William Thompson, Charlotte Thompson.

Marriage

Sloan and Hill—-Feb. 27th, 1931, Ernest Sloan, of Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone,

to Clara Hill, of Edenderry.

Burials.

Liggett—Feb. 3rd, George Liggett, of Edenderry, aged 17 years. Interred at Drumcree.

Hall—Feb. 6th, Ellen Margaret Hall, of Edenderry, aged 68 years. Interred at Annaghmore.

Craig—Feb. 13th, James Craig, of Drumgor, aged 81 years.

Acknowledgment.

The Rector thanks very heartily those who have

sent their good wishes for Seagoe and the

Magazine—Mr. and Mrs. England (New York), Mr.

and Mrs. David Johnston, of Thompsonville, Conn.,

Mr. and Mrs. Greenhalgh, Neepawa, Canada, Mrs.

Nesbitt, of Brisbane, Queensland (Christmas number

" The Australasian" and " Brisbane Cathedral

notes safely received), Mr. and Miss M'Dowell,

Port Jackson, Florida, and Mr. James porter (photos

of Melbourne received).

It is very pleasant to hear

so many old friends across the sea. We here

at home do not forget you.

Service of Song.

On Thursday, Feb. 12th, the Service of Song "Won

by a Song" was given in Seagoe School. There was

a large attendance, who greatly enjoyed the music

and pictures.

The story was read by Mr. Scott, and

the accompaniments were played by Miss Isa Best.

Messrs. Isaac Clayton and Willie Best were at the

lantern. A much appreciated feature of the

programme was the singing of several glees and part

songs by the Everest Quartet from Belfast. They

perfect precision and time. The proceeds

of the entertainment were given to the Seagoe Sunday School Prize Fund.

A Games Evening.

A novel entertainment has been arranged to be

held in Seagoe School on Friday, March 20th, from

6 p.m. to 10.30. All kinds of games of skill will be

arranged—shooting, dart throwing, midget golf,

etc., etc. Valuable prizes will be given to successful

competitors. The proceeds will be on behalf of the

Parochial School Repair Fund. Mr. John H. Twinem,

with a committee, is organising the entertainment.

The charge for admission will be threepence.

Old Seagoe Notes.

The Hesilrige Family in Seagoe.—An interesting

connection exists between the ancient and distinguished

family of Hesilrige and the Parish of

Seagoe. The Hesilrige and Buckley grave is in the

chancel of Old Seagoe Church. The link which

united the Parish of Seagoc to the Hesilrige family

was the fact that time Rev. Richard Buckley, Vicar

of Seagoe from 1762 to 1796, married on June 5th,

1760, at Kibworth, in Leicestershire, Elizabeth, the

eldest daughter Of Sir Arthur Hesilrige, the 7th

Baronet of Nosely Hall, Leicester. They had a large

family of 9 children, 5 sons and 4 daughters. The

most distinguished member of the Hesilrige family

was the 2^nd Baronet, Sir Arthur Hesilrige. He was

Oliver Cromwell's right hand man, and threw himself

with whole hearted zeal into the work of the Commonwealth.

Cromwell made him Governor of

Newcastle with a general oversight of the Scotch

border, especially around Berwick on Tweed. Hesilrige

had a fiery temper and before long he fell out

with Oliver and for a time became his bitterest

enemy. Thomas Carlyle in his “Letters of Cromwell”

publishes one of Cromwell's letters to Hesilrige.

On one occasion Cromwell refused to allow

Hesilrige to enter the House of Commons, of which

he, was a member. Sir Arthur, after stormy

career, died on January 7th, 1661. The present

Baronet, who spells his name Hazlecig, still resides

at the family seat of Noseley Hall, Leicestershire.

Seagoe in the Olden Days.—40 years ago there were

still some surviving who remembered the old church,

and who in their youth worshipped within its walls,

about the close of the first decade of the last century.

It was lighted on the south side, and in the

Transept, by small square headed windows. Those

in the east and west gables were narrow and

pointed; and all, like the, whole edifice, were entirely

devoid of ornament in any form. The roof was

covered with oak shingles, as was usual in all large

buildings in early days. It was only in 1795, that

Carrickblacker house discarded shingles for slates.

In 1827 the offices of the rectory were still covered

with shingles when they were consumed by an

accidental fire. To this day, the spire of the quaint old

parish church at Waringstown retains its covering

of shingles. The church was entered at the south west

corner by the small porch in which was a seat

on either .side. . There was a descent of two steps

into the nave. The sidewalls appear to have been

little more than ten feet high, but the ceiling being

coved some additional height was gained in the

centre. On the left of the entrance, inside the church,

rose the steps or stairs leading to the gallery. Here

hung down the bell rope from the belfry overhead,

and the bell ringer stood on the stairs when he

performed the duties of his office. The first seat on the

gallery was occupied by the successors of ' the singing

boys,' to whom it had been appropriated, and

they were aided by three or four flutes—' black flutes,'

it is specially noted—and a great bass fiddle. In the

opposite corner, under the gallery, was the dressing

room, with the old font beside it, as has been

already described. The pews were made of black

oak, and conspicuous on the middle of the south

wall, and facing the transept, was the structure, also

of oak, which provided for the clerk's seat, the reading

desk and the pulpit. The latter had sounding

board resting at the back on a panelled frame of

oak, and supported in front by two turned pillars.

On the front ledge of the sounding board was carved

date which has been variously stated by eye

witnesses to have been ' 1656,' ' 1661,' and ' 1666.' It

is hard to decide in such a case, but, on the whole,

the earliest date appears correct. In Mason's statistical

Survey (vol. 11. p. 524), Blacker is

justly indignant at the taste which three years before

he wrote (1815) had painted the fine old black oak

pulpit and reading desk ' a muddy yellow." Beyond

the pulpit, in the south east corner was the Blacker

pew. It was a large structure with curtains, and

bearing a canopy overhead, supported on pillars, and

having pendent draperies, suggesting to an aged

informant the bravery of ' a tester bed-stead.' Beside

it was the little communion table enclosed with rails;

end in the opposite corner was the minister's pew,

which reached to the intersection of the transept.

On a Sunday morning, the Vicar, Rev. George

Blacker, might nave been seen walking from the

Glebe house, by the private way (still in great part

existing) to the church, wearing his ministerial

gown. On reaching the dressing room he put on the

surplice, which he changed again for the gown before

he ascended the pulpit. Mr. Blacker died in 1810,

at the early age of 46, after being fourteen years

vicar of Seagoe. His memory is still revered as

that of a pious and devoted minister. One who has

now passed his fourscore years retains yet the

solemn impression made upon his boyhood by the

bitter wailing of the many poor who followed his

corpse to its resting-place in the old church. The

only tablet which has kept its place upon the old

walls is that sacred to his memory. It has not been

moved, it is said, from its position on the wall over

the family pew. Under an urn the tablet is thus

inscribed:—

To the Memory of the

Rev. George Blacker, late vicar of

this Parish.

A sincere Christian, a warm friend,

an exemplary clergyman:

who illustrated by his actions

the Gospel which he preached

He lived beloved and

Died deeply lamented

May 1st, 1810, aged 46.

An Israelite without guile.'

Another tablet to his memory was afterwards

erected in the new church.

Among Mr. Blacker's labours were efforts to have

a new church built for the increasing need of the

parish. Six years before his death, there is record

of his beginning the provision for the great work

but he had passed away four years ere the foundation

stone of the present church was at length laid

Mr. Blacker was succeeded by his eldest brother

Stewart Blacker, Dean of Leighlin. Dean Blacker

had been collated Rector of Seagoe and Archdeacon

of Dromore in 1777. These offices he now resigned

and became vicar of Seagoe. Soon after he appointed

his assistant, his cousin, Rev. Richad

Olpherts, who ' commenced curate June 1810,' and

lived in the Glebe-house. the Dean is remembered

coming in stately fashion on Sunday morning from

Carrickblacker, arrayed in his surplice, or his gown

(probably when about to preach), and always wearing

the clerical peruke—familiarly known as ' the

cauliflower wig'—reserved for occasions of ceremony

or official occupation. impressive reading of

the lessons is recalled; and some of his sermons

incised by repetition, were long remembered. On

favourite text has escaped the oblivion of seventy

years and is still repeated with traces Of the

preacher's manner:—' Give me neither poverty nor

riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest

I be full and deny Thee, and say, who is the Lord'

or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of

the Lord in vain.' (Prov. xxx., 8, 9).

[The above is an extract from the " Portadown

News" of March 3, 1883, written by the late Dean Dawson.

ITEMS.

The proverbial good health of Seagoe is illustrated

by the fact that while the town schools are closed

with " Flu" Seagoe P.E. School continues its normal

attendance.

The new villas at Seagoe are of nice design. They

are built in groups of two and are finished with

fine pebble dashing. We hope they will be given

nice names. We suggest "Spire view" (Drumcree

spire) , Saurindale" (a memory of the Saurin

family), Sydney Villas"' (in memory ot the great

Sydney patriot, Mr. Wentworth of Killicomaine)

(as a survival from the time when

Etragh-ville" as a survival of the time when

Upper Seagoe was known as "Seagoe Etragh"

River view" or " Bannvale" might also be suitable