In the wake of the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, (25th October, 1854) the citizens of Exeter were more than ever contributing to The Patriotic Fund that provided support for men wounded in the Crimean War and for the widows and families of those killed. The parishioners of St Olave were keen to help. On Saturday 18th many of them assembled in the vestry of the church. Mr. George Ferris, citizen of Exeter and a man of means, was one of them and, being unwell and the weather being cold, he sat in the vestry and did not remove his hat:
"The Rev. Rodwell Roper came to the meeting, apparently in an angry mood, and, casting a bitter look at Mr. Ferris, requested him to take off his hat. He did not however, immediately obey the clerical command, and the the rev. gentleman ordered the churchwardens to remove it. Mr. Ferris at once took it off, telling the parson, however, that it was evidently done to insult him; and subsequently informing the churchwardens, in the presence of the Rev. Rodwell, that if they came to his house for subscriptions they mustn't come with the parson, or they would get nothing. The rev. gentleman stepped forward to pacify Mr. Ferris but that gentleman politely told him that he would have nothing to do with him, and made some forcible observations which were unpleasing to his clerical ears; whereupon he threatened to summon him before the civil power, which Mr. Ferris invited him to "do as he pleased" and intimated that if he wanted to "show himself off" in a similar way to Parson Alban, at Mevagissey, in his persecutions of the fishermen, he would find him a tough customer to deal with. The Rev, Rodwell, however, beat a retreat; and the churchwardens subsequently waited on Mr Ferris (leaving the Rev. gentleman some distance in the rear), and obtained from him £2 towards the Patriotic Fund."
Source: The Western Times, 25th November, 1854.
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