The Western Times of 19th August ,1834, reported:
"The children of St. Thomas' Sunday and Parochial Schools had a jollification on Wednesday, the funds for which were provided by the orthodox in the parish, and dispensed under the superintendance of the Rev, Vicar Medley, who was at one time considered to be a great Puseyite, and may be so still if he have not gone further and set up a popery of his own.
"The children walked to church in procession, preceded by sundry flags, some of which had been worked by lunatics, or at least were had from the Lunatic Asylum. Some of the flags bore devices; others were plain Union Jacks. The first flag had a red cross, on a white ground, for its device, the cross being to typify the persecutions in which Mother Church is now placed. Another flag bore the motto, "Feed my lambs." Another bore the facsimile of Bishop Phillpott's mitre when his head is not in it. The prayers were read to the children at the church; then a portion of the scriptures; and they sang a hymn and separated.
"Having dined as they best might, the children re-assembled, each being provided with a goodly half-cup. Being furnished with their pitchers, like Gideon's army, they formed into procession and now were lead round the main streets of the parish. On arriving at the Anchor, they saluted the worthy host with three cheers as a censure on Father Matthew, & straitway went to Franklins, the residence of Thos. Snow, Esq., banker, where they were regaled with tea and cake, there being no stint; and the church bells ringing merrily while they were thus occupied.
"They then had a game of prisoner's base, the rev. gentleman taking one side, and the 'Squire of Franklins the other. The 'Squire proved a better runner than the Parson, owing perhaps to the military training which he gets once a year, as Captain in the East Devon Invincibles; and as for the rev. gentleman, it did so happen that he was taken prisoner in the course of the game by one of the devils engaged in the Western Times office. We mention this fact strictly in confidence, because the youngster only confessed it in fear and apprehension that he should be turned out of his parson's school if it were known that he had published it.
"The sports concluded with the singing of the following ballad, which was written expressly to instil into the minds of children the disinterested love and affection which the church has always displayed towards them:-
"A BALLAD FOR THE PEOPLE.
"The good old Church of England,/Of our dear Father-land,/With her twenty thousand Churches,/How nobly does she stand!/She is not like a flower,/That lives but for a day,/Twelve hundred years, through smiles and tears,/She hath lasted on alway.
"The brave old Church of England,/She hath conquered many a foe,/She had Martyrs to her children,/A thousand years ago./She hath Princes more than I can tell,/Who by her side have stood/Like King Charles the blessed Martyr, and old King George the good.
"God bless the Church of England,/ The poor man's Church is she/We were nourished at her bosom,/We were fondled at he knee./ God bless the Church of England,/The good, the true, the brave,/She baptized us in our cradle,/She shall bear us to our grave.
"We ought to have said that cheers were duly given for the parson and squire. Many of the half pints we regret to say were broken."
Franklyn House is now an NHS hospital. Thomas Snow, banker and wine merchant, lived on there until his death in 1875 but seems to have left little trace in St. Thomas. He would have been a young man (27) in 1843.
The verses have some great lines. My favourite is: She hath lasted on alway.
I have many times played Prisoner's Base, some 75 years ago, in the gardens of Brucklay House, Liverpool. I wonder if it is still played.
It must be the East Devon Militia that is meant by the East Devon Invincibles?
I don't think the Church of England can even now claim to have had martyrs 1000 years ago but then, we are told, the Rev. Matthew Medley (I''m sure he penned the verses) may have set up a popery of his own.
Query: Which King George?
N.B: lead for led?
Good to see the apostrophe in 'Squire!
In the next edition of The Times appeared a parody of the St. Thomas Schools' Ballad composed by ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
"The good old Church of England,/ Of our dear Father-land,/ With her rwenty thousand parsons,/ Impoverishing the land."
And a further eight lamentable stanzas.
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