£ s. d.
Church Contract 10,670 0 0
Bells 500 0 0
Organ 800 0 0
Extra expenses 1,000 0 0
Act of Parliament, &c. 460 0 0
------------
£13,430 0 0
------------
Raised by subscription £7,100 0 0
Expected deficiency 200 0 0
6,900 0 0 6,900 0 0
Parish rate till Midsummer 1,900 0 0
Unprovided except by Rate and Brief 4,630 0 0
------------
£13,430 0 0
------------
It also appears that the Churchwardens applied and obtained
leave to get a brief at the Sessions in October, 1817, but
being too late in the year they could not get it signed by the
Lord Chancellor, therefore they could not receive any sum from
it before 1820, and then not more than £200 to £300.
A few other particulars regarding St. Thomas's Church may be
interesting to your readers. Mr. Brooks, of London, was the
architect, and Daniel Evans, London, the builder. The following
is a statement how the builder was to be paid:--
£ s. d.
On laying foundation stone 500 0 0
When the several walls are built level with the
second plinth 500 0 0
When the walls are built up to the gallery, and the
timbers of the gallery put on and the tower
of Church built level with bell ringers' floor 1,500 0 0
When walls are built up to raising plates, the
window frames fixed in, and the tower level with
the bell loft 1,000 0 0
When the roof is wholly put on, and the gutters
laid, the battlements and upper roof put on, the
roof wholly finished, and the tower level with
the base of the pinnacles 1,500 0 0
When the pinnacles are finished, the ground floor
joists and small joists of the gallery are laid,
and the ribs for ceilings are finished 1,000 0 0
When the second coat of plastering is put on, floors
of gallery and ground floors are laid, and gallery
fronts are fixed up, and staircases erected 1,000 0 0
When the whole of the said buildings and erections
are completely finished 1,500 0 0
And when Architect shall have certified that the
whole of the work is finished to his satisfaction 1,400 0 0
Six months after completion 200 0 0
------------
£10,100 0 0
The builder of the organ was Mr. Thomas Elliot, of London, and
cost, with fixing, &c., complete, £1025. The order was given
for the organ in 1817, and some parties were not satisfied at
the position in which it was to be placed. Viscount Dudley and
Ward was written to early in 1818, asking if he would allow it
to be placed in the Chancel gallery which would prevent great
inconvenience in going into and coming out of the Church. The
reply of Viscount Dudley and Ward to Dr. Booker was:--
"I beg leave to repeat to you that my mind is unaltered and
unalterable with respect to the situation of the organ, and
that I shall not, by any means give my consent to its being
placed in the Chancel gallery." Dated Himley, February 5th,
1818.
After this letter from Viscount Dudley and Ward, Mr. Brooks and
Mr. Elliot were consulted. The result was Mr. Elliot informed
Dr. Booker that he would construct the movements of the organ
so as to leave a handsome entrance through the middle of the
organ, and if the plan was carried out Mr. Elliot considered
the organ would have a grand appearance.
The organ being made for the situation it now occupies, and the
protest of the Viscount Dudley and Ward against it being put
elsewhere, it is to be hoped a fixed determination will be made
against any party or parties wishing it moved from its present
situation--In fact, I have no hesitation in saying it will
spoil the appearance of the church.
The magnificent Altar Window, painted by Blackler of London,
was commenced in 1818 and finally completed and placed in the
church in Sept., 1821. The original estimate for this splendid
window was 500 guineas, and which Mr. Blackler, in a letter,
states was but a moderate calculation for the work. Mr. Brooks,
however, assured him that such a sum would be considered far
too high, he therefore undertook to execute the window for one
hundred guineas less than his first estimate, and the expense
of fitting up and completing the window in the church was to
be fifty guineas extra. The window is a masterpiece, and the
Dudley people may well be proud that they obtained the same at
so small a cost.
The bells, clock, and palisading cost (after
allowing for old bells) £1120 0 0
Other sundries about 400 0 0
----------
£1520 0 0
----------
Your correspondent will see by the above items that the Church
did not cost £24,000. Your correspondent also states that a
leading man of the town of that day had a jolly bargain at the
expense of the parishioners, having bought the materials of
the old church, which he was to pay for when he fetched the
last load away. This I presume he has stated on hearsay, not
from any foundation on fact. The person referred to could well
afford to pay for anything he contracted for, and I do not
think the Dudley people at the time would allow him to go scot
free, or would they make such a foolish bargain as stated. I
also see the party hinted at gave £50 towards the new Church.
In conclusion allow me to say Dr. Booker at the time worked
hard for the building of the new Church. He was a good sound
churchman, also an author of several works on various
subjects, his name to the present day is an household word, and
Saint Thomas' Church remains a monument to him as first Vicar.
I may mention that Dr. Booker's history of Dudley Castle is the
most authentic work upon the subject that has yet been issued,
and is now become very scarce and valuable.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
EPHRAIM BALL.
_Dudley, October 23rd, 1871._
The late Mr. Mainwaring of Dudley, an old St. Thomas's Chorister for a
many years, gave us an amusing story of a marriage at the New Parish
Church. "Soon after the New Parish Church was opened, Mr. Bourne, the
Organist, and I went into the Parish Church to have a little practice
upon the organ, after Mr. Bourne had played a voluntary, Mr. Richard
Stanley, the Beadle, came to us and said, that the Vicar, Dr. Booker,
wished us to give over for a time, as a parish wedding was about to
take place; not exactly understanding what this meant, we determined to
go and see it. As soon as we had reached the Chancel, we were informed
by Mr. Bond, the Parish Clerk, that a certain sum of money was to be
given to the young man by the parish authorities. As we had no Board of
Guardians in those days, the parties in charge of the parish funds did
pretty much as they liked with them, in this instance, and for certain
reasons, they offered the young man about to be married five pounds.
When we arrived near the altar rails we observed several young men
and women in the pews, and there was an abundance of sly winking and
laughing going on. At last, the Doctor entered from the vestry, and all
the people became orderly and quiet. The service commenced and all went
on smooth as a marriage bell, when the Doctor came to that part of the
service where he said to the man, 'Wilt thou take this woman to be thy
wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy state
of matrimony,' &c., &c. Here Mr. Bond, the Clerk, stepped forward,
and told the man to answer 'I will!' He replied, 'I'll have the money
first.' The Doctor was indignant at this proceeding, and said, 'What
money do you mean sir?' The man said, 'Why the money they have promised
me if I will marry this young woman, and I'll have it before I answers,
I will!!' Upon this the Clerk went up to the Doctor and explained the
matter to him, Mr. Bond also told the man that it was all right, the
money was at his house ready counted, and after he was married he could
go with him and have it. The man said, 'I don't care where it is, I'll
have it now and in my pocket _before I am married_.' Upon this Dr.
Booker told Mr. Bond to go and fetch it; the service being delayed
until he came back. When Mr. Bond returned, he put the money into the
man's hands and after he counted it and put it into his pocket, he said
to the Doctor, 'You can go on now, it's all right!' and the service was
completed, and the man, woman, and money, were all united in this (let
us hope), blissful celebration."
At the earlier part of the late Dr. Browne's ministry among us, he
met with a singular amount of innocency and ignorance at the baptismal
font. A man and woman, well-known characters at Gornal Wood, thought
they should like to have their next child christened at Dudley by Dr.
Browne. In due course the child was brought to the font, and the portly
Doctor, already equipped, enquired in his usual clear and musical
voice, "Was this child born in wedlock?" "Noa, it worn't," says the
man, "it wur born in Gornall Udd!" It is needless to say that the
child got the spiritual induction, and the Doctor a homely sample of
ignorance amongst the colliers in the Black Country.
* * * * *
This subjoined Bill is a curiosity in its way, shewing the way we did
in the Army, long, long ago.