Went to both services. Leslie Dye took am. Rev Ives preached. Nice. New organist played for last hymn & at night. Sunday Forum about 30 there. Ken & Rev Faulkner from Holy Trinity (Patricia’s old Physics teacher). Went to Drayton for tea. 1T. 1S.
Notes
Both Services
Mum attended St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church. They usually had two services on a Sunday, one in the morning and one in the evening, see Chapter 124. Mum went to both.
Leslie Dye
Leslie Dye took the morning (am) service. He was someone who mum knew through church and who, I think, probably had some position of responsibility within the church, see Chapter 124. Mum had written to him in early August about her concerns about the church, in general, and Mr Ream, in particular.
Rev Ives
The morning sermon was preached by Rev William I Ives who was the Anglican Vicar at St Thomas’s Church on Earlham Road, see Chapter 124. Born in 1915, he studied at Lincoln Theological College from 1947. He was ordained as a priest in 1949 and served as a curate in North Walsham from 1948 to 1951. From 1951 to 1954, he was a chaplain to the armed forces. Then, from 1954 to 1967 was Rector of Kirstead with Langhale and Brooke, also in Norfolk, before becoming Vicar of St Thomas’s in Norwich in 1967.
New Organist
The new organist was called Ralph Cupper, see Chapter 124. He was also the choir master but was only at St Peter’s for a relatively short time. Mum noted that, on this occasion, he played for the last hymn in the morning service and at night.
Sunday Forum
Mum referred to the Sunday evening service at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church as “Sunday Forum“, see Chapter 124. Initially, I did not really know what this was. It seemed to be something which had started in 1975 and which continued into 1977.
I am grateful to Barry Ferguson for explaining a little about these activities which he attended. He says, “I think they began as an idea that might boost the dwindling evening service attendances. They took place, not in the body of the church, but in the Epworth Room, situated between the church and the church hall. It could seat about 60 at a pinch, there was a piano, and each forum was led by whichever Minister had not taken the day’s morning service.”
Barry also explained that, “fundamentally, the idea was to get dialogue going between the attendees and the minister on Methodist topics he would choose. They were a failure because most attendees, like my mother and I, wanted to say nothing. My father could be relied on to chip in with comments, but he was one of the few. “
Apparently, they also sang a couple of hymns in these meetings. He recalled that, on one occasion, the senior Minister Rev Ream had failed to ensure that there was someone there who could play the piano. So, he started a hymn without the piano but, apparently, he chose the wrong tune so the words did not fit. Barry’s father said loudly “it’s the wrong tune” and the hymn collapsed. Barry had to dash out as “it was so funny and I was in stitches“. It was very embarrassing for Mr Ream who had presumably sung that hymn many times before.
I think the Sunday Forum might have been held monthly. Mum noted that, on this occasion, there were about 30 people there which was roughly double the previous month’s attendance. The service was taken by Park Lane’s junior Minister Ken Elworthy and Rev H Faulkner from Holy Trinity, see Chapter 124,
Rev H Faulkner
Mum noted that Rev Faulkner was Tricia’s (Patricia’s) old physics teacher at Norwich High School for Girls, see Chapter 118. As far as I can see, this was the only time he was mentioned in mum’s diary. I think he may have been Henry Odin Faulkner and I found a reference to him being in Sheffield in 1980. I also found a Facebook page for Henry Odin Faulkner where he describes himself as a retired private tutor/clergyman living in St Albans.
Drayton for Tea
Mum noted going to Drayton for tea. This was to grandma’s and it was our usual practice to go there on Sunday afternoons for tea, see Chapter 122.
Antidepressants
During this period, mum had had severe struggles with her mental health, suffering with depression and anxiety, see Chapter 116. She was on antidepressants. On this occasion, she took one tablet of amitryptilline (Tryptizol, T).
Senokot
Mum noted taking one Senokot (S) presumably for constipation. Senokot is a senna-containing medicine for the treatment of constipation.