September 1926

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

SEPTEMBER, 1926.

CLERGY :

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

Portadown.

CHURCHWARDENS :

Rector's—Mr. James T winema Lylo and Edenderry.

People's—Mr. Moses Gilpin, Drumnagoon.

Seagoe in Connecticut, U.S.A.

The Rector has received the following interesting

letter from Mns. David Johnston, who with her

husband and family recently left Seagoe for the States.

It will be read with interest by their many well wishers in Seagoe.

155 Spring St., Thompsonville, Conn.

July 20, 1926.

Dear Canon Archer,—This is just a few lines.

Hope it will find you well, as this leaves us all enjoying

the best of health, I was down in South

Manchester on July 10, and saw the first Orange

Procession I have seen since I came to this country.

I saw a lot of people from home ; some from Seagoe.

they all met in South Manchester. They were from

about 40 miles around. The Orangewomen came

first and then the men ; next there were three men

on horseback, and then a kiltie band heading them.

I said here is Edenderry Kiltie Band. I saw the

first arch ; it was at the Orange Hall, and the Union

Jack flying beside the Stars and Stripes. It was

good to see them all. Then on Sunday I was at St.

Mary's Church. The men went there. I was speaking

to the minister there. He preached a nice sermon

to them. He said he would have loved to have

been in Ireland that day, but he could not get a

boat to be there in time. He was leaving on Tuesday,

the 13th, for a trip to the old country. He is to

preach in St. Mark's Church on July 25th. I told

him if he would be in Seagoe to tell you he had

seen me. I saw Mrs. Coulter's brother in the choir.

You will know Mrs. Tom Coulter, who lives at the

reservoir. I knew him on her. The choir all wear

white surplices ; they walk in from the vestry before

the minister, and they were singing " Stand up

for Jesus."

It is a

Very nice tittle Church.

I met Mrs. Robinson there who I went to school

with. We were in the one class together. She is a

sister to Sarah M'Dowell, of Killicomain. Now, I

think I have told you all the news. I may tell you

that We are having very warm weather, and we

have some very heavy thunderstorms, too. I hope

that dear old Seagoe Church is doing well.

I will see it some day. I say the Mother's Union had

their trip. I am sure they all enjoyed it. Though

I am far from them always think of them and the

good old days we had together. I was at a

Missionary meeting and I sang the Mother's Union hymn

for them.

I told them about the Mother's Union at

home. which is very dear to me. Time lady said to

me she believed God sent me over the sea to them

to be a help to them. I told them I would never

forget the Mother's Union and its cause i hope it

will grow year by year. My sister and daughter

send me all the news about it, and I look for it, too.

All my family are well. John still goes to High

School and little David— he is

A real Yankee

now, if you heard him talking. I don't know what

he will be when he starts school. My husband and

all the rest are working every day, and in good

health. Thank God for all his goodness to us. Now

you will get tired if I write any more, so I think I

have told you the latest news. I hope dear old

Seagoe is getting on well.

I will close with the

best of good wishes. From your old parishioner,

A. JOHNSTON.

A Serious Accident.

A serious motoring accident occurred to Mr. and

Mrs. Rennix and their niece, Miss Lily Rennix, last

month. In a collision at cross-roads their motor

was overturned, and Mrs. Rennix had her left arm

broken, and Miss Rennix sustained a severe injury

to her head which rendered her for a time unconscious.

Mr. Rennix fortunately escaped injury.

Under the circumstances the results of the accident

might have been much more serious. On behalf of

the Parish we desire to express our sympathy with

Mr. and Mrs. Rennix, and our hope that Mrs. Rennix

will soon have made a good recovery. Several accidents

have occurred at the place where this accident

occurred, near Hillsborough, but no warning

notice had been placed there. There are still in

Seagoe Parish several places where accidents might

easily occur owing to hedges being left uncut. We

wish some of those in authority would take a tour

through the Parish and make a note of such places,

and at their next meeting see that an order is made

for the removal of the obstruction.

ITEMS

The road past Seagoe Church has been asphalted

and is much improved thereby. We hear that Church

Lane, which has for some time been impassable in

wet weather, is about to be put into thorough repair.

Miss Isabel Best. has been appointed Assistant

Teacher in- Knocknagor School, Parish of Tullylish.

The Principal if the School is Mr. Boyle, a former

Assistant teacher in Seagoe School.

Good hay weather has come at last, and the last

of the mesdows are being rapidly cut.

SEAGOE PARL>H MAGAZINE.

A Letter from Africa.

[Many of our readers will remember Capt. J. J.

Dobson, who acted as Lay Reader in the Parish for

a year and a half, up to the time when the War

broke out. He is now in a Govcrnment post iri Kenya,

East Africa. Mrs. Dobson writes this interesting

letter, giving [heir experiences since arriving in

Africa some months ago.]

Nairobi, Kenya Colony, B.E.A.

July 6th, 1926

Dear Canon Archer.—My husband asked me to

write to you and tell you how we are getting along.

As he is kept very busy, I generally do his letter

writing for him.

I hope you are keeping well, and that you are

having a nice summer. We like Africa very much,

and my husband has got good job under the

Government. He is at present 70 miles from here

and 20 miles from a P.O., so I do not hear very

much from him, but as soon as he can find a place

we shall go and join him. It is really a lovely

country, but living is very dear. When we first

came out we were about 200 miles up country, and

it , was most lovely. We stayed with friends on

Lord Delamere's estate. It was very wild, and we

sow lots of hippo. and lovely birds, and several of

the others saw a lion, but did not. The climate

is beautiful, not any hotter than a real summer

day at home, and quite cool from 5 0'clock in the

evening till 9 next day. Bobbie had a go of fever

after we came to Nairobi and nearly died ; had a

temperature of 105. Dr. Berkett was so kind, and

stayed with us for hours, and got him better by

sponging him with cold water. Fever has been bad

here for months, so we shall be glad to get up

country. There is a very nice Church about a mile

and a half from here. We like the service very

much. We are sharing a bungalow here with some

friends who came out a few months before we did.

It so nice for ne having them to stay with. We

a day, at Marseilles, Port Said, 3 days at Port

Sudan, and a few hours at Aden, and then a day

at Mombasa before we came up here. was all

very interesting. We find the black boys, are good

servants. We have six here—most of these we

brought down country with us, as wages are very

high here—a cook gets as much as 80s a month. Of

course one maid at home would do what the six

black boys do here. We have lots of lovely flowers.

Roses do awfully well, and in the garden at my

friend's house up country they had beautiful fruit.

At present we get pineapples, oranges, cape

gooseberries, mangoes and bananas. With very kind regards.—Yours sincerely,

MARIE F. DOBSON.

Seagoe Mothers' Union.

A meeting of the Mother's Union will (D.v.) be

held in Seagoe Parochial Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 7,

at 4 pm. Miss Hartford, the head of the Women's

Settlement in Belfast, has kindly consented to speak

to the mothers. Tea will be provided for those who

attend.

Parish Register for August.

Baptisms,

The following were baptized jn Seagoe Parish Church on August 7, 1926 :—

Ellis—William Victor, son of James and Agnes Ellis of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Agnes Ellis, Margaret Ellis.

M'Cann—George, son of James and Minnie M'Cann of Edenderry:

SponsorsSarah Kane, Minnie M'Cann.

Stanfield-Roy, son of Thomas Edward and Mary Jane Stanfield, of Levaghery.

Sponsors—Annie Best, Mary Jane Stanfield.

M'Kibben—Eileen, daughter of Hugh and Anne Ellis M'Kibben, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Emma Jane White, Anne Eliza M'Kibb

Donaldson—Muriel Elizabeth, daughter of David and Margaret Agnes Donaldson, of Edenderry

Sponsors—Sarah Telford, Margaret Agnes Donaldson.

Abraham—George Henry, son of George Henry and Margaret Anne Abraham, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—George Henry Abraham, Margaret Abraham.

Marriage

Dunlop and Chapman-—August 11th, by special licence, the Rev. John Dunlop, Rector

Lissan, Co. Tyrone, to Violet Constance Chapman, Erindale, Edenderry.

Burials.

Magee—June 26th, at Boston, Mass., U.S.A., Thomas Joseph Magee, formerly of Kernan.

RuddeII—Ju1y 7th, James Ruddell, of Balteagh; age 85 years.

Carville—Aug. 4th, Joseph Carville, of Killicomaine aged 3 years.

YewdaIl—Aug. 26th, Frank Yewdall, of Elland, Yorkshire; aged 3 months.

M'DoweII—Sept. 1st, William James M'DowelI of Levaghery.

Rainey—Sept. 2nd, Samuel Rainey, of Edenderry aged 5 years.

Hacknahay,

The annual Harvest Thanksgiving Services will be

held (D.v.) in Hacknahay School on Sunday, Sept

26th, at 3-30 p.m., and on Monday, Sept. 27th, at

8 p.m. Announcements regarding the other district

Harvest Services and also the Services in the Parish

Church will be made in our next issue.

Rector of South Manchester, U.S.A.

The Venerable Archdeacon Neill, Rector of St.

Mary's, South Manchester, U.S.A., preached in St.

Mark's Church, Portadown, on a recent Sunday

Archdeacon Neill is well known to many from Seagoe

who have emigrated to South Manchester. A large

proportion of his parishioners came from Seagoe

and Portadown. He is a faithful pastor and is most

interested in the spiritual welfare of his people. His

father came originally from Ulster.

SEAGOE PARISH ,MAGAZINE

Obituary.

The list of burials this inonth reminds us of the

losses we have sustained recently in the deaths' of

well known parishioners. Mr. James Ruddell, of

Balteagh, whose death occurred in July, had reached

an advanced age. He formerly resided in Lower

Seagoe, and was always much respected for his

kindliness of manner. It was always said of him

that was " a good neighbour" and ready to help

and sympathise with all. He will also be remembered

for his love of order and neatness. All

through his long life to the very end he held to this

habit. We will miss him much from our Parish life.

The tragically sudden death of Mrs. Louisa Fox,

which occurred on July 25th, has removed from our

midst one who was known to many amongst us.

Great sympathy is felt for her husband and family

in their sad and sudden bereavement.

The death of Mr. William James M'Dowell, of

Levaghery, which took place after a brief illness,

removes. from our midst one who was much beloved

by everyone. His straightforwardness and

readiness. to help everybody endeared him to all

who knew him. Until some years ago he had been

a member of the Select Vestry and had from time to

time done useful service for the Parish. He leaves

behind him a large family of young children, with

whom, and with Mrs. McDowell great Sympathy is

expressed,

Three little children have been called away—Frank

Yewdall, Samuel Rainey and Joseph Carville. Our

sympathy goes out to all those who have suffered

the loss of their dear ones, but " We sorrow not

as those without hope for them that sleep in Him."

Many will regret to hear of the death of Thomas

Joseph Magee, late of Kernan.

Particulars concerning him have not Set been received by his relatives.

The Weekly Envelopes

We would like to remind those who have the

weekly Envelopes of the importance of not allowing

them 'to get into arrears. Sometimes quite a

large batch of envelopes is brought or sent in. It

is a good thing, of course, to pay up arrears which

are due, but it is much more satisfactory to have

the envelopes brought in each week. We hope, too

that some at least of those who now contribute but

small sum each week will endeavour to increase

their gift, on which the welfare of their Parish so

largely depends. Is a penny a week a worthy offering

, remembering that it represents your contribution

to the Sustentation Fund as well as to the

offertory. The amount at present being subscribed

through the envelopes each week is not sufficient

cover the ordinary annual expenditure of the parish.

Those who give should keep before them

thought of Him to whom the gift is given, our

precious Heavenly Father, whose we are and Whom

we ought to serve.

Our Graves in France

he Rector, during a recent visit to France, had

an, opportunity of visiting three of the British ,Military

Cemeteries where our dead heroes rest. He saw

in the Communal Cemetery at Wimereux the grave

of John Matthews, younger son of the late Mrs.

Matthews, of James St. He served in the 26th Battalion

of the Australian Infantry Corps. He died from

wounds on 21st June, 1916. 'Two other Cemeteries

visited were Etaples and Abbeville the former is

the resting place of Private Thomas Flannigan, of

Edenderry, who served in the Canadian Medical

Corps and was killed in the air raid of 19th May,

1918. The grave of Private Thomas Kilpatrick is in

Abbeville Communal Cemetery. He died from

wounds on 11th July, 1916. He served in the 9th

Batt. Royal Irish Fusiliers. The British Cemeteries

in France are beautifully kept. English flowers are

growing in profusion round the upright stones. The

grounds are cared for by English gardeners, ex—

soldiers. At Etaples there are 11,000 graves to be

tended, at Abbeville 2,000, and 1,500 at Wimereux.

The grass sod is kept closely cut, and the edges are

kept perfectly neat. There is a space of about one

foot between the graves. There is a printed register

'Of the names of all who are buried in the Cemetery

placed in a small metal receptacle at the entrance

to the Cemetery.

Men's Recreation Room

We hope to reopen the Men's Recreation Room in

Bridge St. for the winter session on October 1st.

When the dark evenings come the men will value

the warmth and brightness of the old room. We

believe the new session will bc very successful.

Old Seagoe Notes.

Exemption from Hearth Money, 1705.—In the old

Seagoe Records the following entry occurs—it' Form

of certificate to exempt a poor man from payment or

Hearth Money—

" Cnunty Ardmagh. We doe hereby certifie that

K.R- of the Parish of Sego is a very poor man, and

fives upon Alms, and is not able to get his living

by his work or labour, and soe not Iyable to be

charged with the payment of Hearth Money by

neither of the Acts. Dated ye 3rd day of April,

Curfew Bell in Seagoe, 1782 —The Curfew Bell was

rung in Old Seagoe Church for many years: Before

people had clocks or watches they could not ten

what time it was. The rising and setting of the

sun was the only way of determining the time or

day. It was, therefore, a very useful thing to have

a Curfew Bell rung at curfew hours. and So the

sexton would make his or her way into the old

Church in the early morning or when the shades of

evening fell and would tug at the rope which hung

from the bell in the little belfry at, the west end of

Old Seagoe Church, following entry occurs in

the Scagoe, Vestry Records under date 1782 :-

At a Vestry held in Seogoe Church on Easter Tuesday,

April 2nd, 1782, the following sum was applotted—

To Mary Porter (sextoness) for ringing the bell morning

and evening—at six in ye morning, from ye 25th

of March to ye 29th of September, and at eight in

the winter ; and at nine at night throughout the

year, the sum of £l 8s 3d

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

The Ven. James Saurin, Vicar of Seagoe, 1826.—1n

continuation of last month's notes giving Biographical

details of the successive Vicars of Seagoe,

we give here particulars and dates regarding the

Ven. James Saurin. Archdeacon Saurin was born

in 1796. He passed through Trinity College, Dublin,

taking his B.A. degree in 1820, and his M.A. in 1822.

He succeeded Dean Blacker as Vicar of Seagoe in

1826 (just 100 years ago), and signed the Act of

Vestry for the first time on April 17th, 1827 as James

Saurin, Vicar." He became Rector of Seagoe and

Archdeacon of Dromore in 18.32 To the latter office

he succeeded on May 10th, 1832, on the resignation

of Archdeacon Meade. He signs the Act of Vestry for

the first time as Rector on May 22nd, 1832. He died

at Warrenpoint on Sunday, May 11th, 1879, aged 83

years, and was buried in the vault under the

Communion Table (as the Church then was) on Wednesday,

May 14th, 1879. He was 52 years Vicar and

Rector of Seagoe. The actual date of his collation as

Vicar of Seagoe was December 18th, 1826, being

inducted by the Rev. John Beattie on February 18th,

1827

The Stable at Old Seagoe—The old stable building

which was recently pulled down to make room for

the new caretaker's lodge, was built in the year

1744. The following note regarding its erection

inserted in the Vestry Records

" A Memorandum—That the under-named per

have subscribed and built a stable at the Parish

Church of Seagoe, in the year 1744—

William Blacker, Esq.

Tho. Newil

Jno. Gilpin

Thos. Bradshaw

William Thompson

William Dixon

Richard Joyce

Ralph Dynes

John Ackles

James Bomer

Williarn Robinson

James Harison

Wolsey Mathers

William Buck

Thos. Murrel

Robert Blacker

John Wall

John Dixon

Val. Joyce

Art. M'Cann

James Toulerton

David Millar

Thos. Hardine

Will. Lutton

Ralph Wilson

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.

Nacknabay—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 and Seagoe. 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.

MARRIAGES must be performed between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Licenses are issued by Rev Canon Hannon

Rectory, Lurgan. Due notice (48 hours) must be given to the Rector of intended weddings. FEES

By License—Labourers 5/-, Tradesmen 10/-, Merchants and Farmers 15/-, Professional £1. By Banns 5/-

FUNERALS will be attended by the Clergy if proper notice be given. SICK CASES should be notified

the Clergy without delay. FEES FOR CERTIFICATES BAPTISM, 3/7 ; Children (Factory), 1/- and

2/- (non-residents) ; MARRIAGE, 3/7. An extra search fee is chargeable in certain cases

A copy of the Magazine will be sent post free to any subscriber for 3s per ännum.