Lemsford News January 1919

Very sad news has reached us from Canada,that John Cochrane, who went out there some years ago, has lost his life by drowning. He could have saved himself had he not gone to the rescue of his companion. Very deep sympathy will be felt for Mr & Mrs Cochrane in this great loss. John Cochrane had done well in Canada. He had worked hard and prospered. It seems a terrible pity that he should have been taken in this manner: and yet so fine an end was probably of greater value than anything else he had done. it is one more of the many noble deaths we have to record lately.
We have to announce the death of Mr Tuley of Cromer Hyde, after many years of increasing infirmity. For his sake we cannot regret that he has been taken. It is indeed a case of being delivered from the burden of the flesh. So many of our old neighbours have been taken from us lately and it saddens us to think that we shall see them no more. We offer our sympathy to Mr and Mrs John Sear, and Mr and Mrs Walby in their loss.

Christmas – The Church was very prettily decorated for Christmas. Our thanks are due to all those who so kindly and willingly gave their services.

Lemsford News February 1918

The Late Mrs Holdsworth – It is with the deepest sympathy that we record the death of Mrs Holdsworth, which took place at Lemsford House on January 27th, at about 8 o'clock in the evening. Her long connection with the neighbourhood, first at Ayot and then at Lemsford, makes her death a great severance with the past; she will be greatly missed. Mrs Holdsworth took a real personal interest in the affairs of the place in which she lived, and always lent her support to everything that was designed and done for the welfare of Lemsford. She was a woman of great powers and gifts, a real artist, a wide reader, and most capable in business. The measure of our sorrow should at the same time be the measure of our thankfulness that we had Mrs Holdsworth with us at Lemsford for so many years.
The funeral took place on Saturday February 1st at Brixham, South Devon. A memorial service was held in Lemsford Church, on the Thursday before at 7 p.m., the coffin being taken from the Church to the train.
We all feel the greatest sympathy with Miss Holdsworth in her loss

Lemsford News March 1919

Everybody will be pleased to hear that Mr and Mrs Ward will shortly be returning to Lemsford but it will be with unfeigned regret that we shall part with Mr & Mrs Moore, who since they have been among us, have entered into all the interests, the joys and the sorrows of the village with so much sympathy and kindness., Mrs Moore especially, has never spared herself, and has been indefatigable in visiting, and in doing her utmost to promote any scheme that might be on hand for the good of the village. All will join in hearty good wishes to Mr & Mrs Moore and their daughter, that they may have every happiness in the future, wherever their home may be.

Lemsford News April 1919

War Memorial - Three meetings have been held during the last two months to discuss what form the Memorial to be erected in memory of those parishioners who fell in the war should take. At a meeting on March 13th it was finally decided that a Celtic cross in Cornish granite should be erected inside the churchyard, close to the road, so that it could be seen from the cross roads, the names of the fallen to be inscribed on the side facing the road. The position, it is hoped, will meet the views both of those who wished the Memorial to be at the roadside and those who wished it to be in the churchyard. The exact position and final arrangements were left in the hands of the Sub-Committee of five who were elected for that purpose.

Lemsford News May 1919

Obituary – Mr Wallace (sic) of the Sun Inn, passed away in the morning of Easter Tuesday, April 22nd. After his great sufferings we rejoice to think that he is as rest. Mr Wallis will be greatly missed, and deep sympathy will be felt for his family in their loss.

Miss A. Hulks wishes to heartily thank all the friends at Lemsford and neighbourhood who were so kind to contribute to the beautiful wedding presents given her on the conclusion of her postal duties.

Waif and Strays Society – Th Rev. W.F. Buttle, Organising Secretary for this Diocese, will preach on Sunday, June 15th, in aid of the Society. Will all those who have the 1d a week boxes bring them to the Church on that day, or send them to the Schools. A.M. Holdsworth (Local Secretary)

May 1918, Lemsford News

Easter – The Services at the Church, both on Good Friday and Easter Sunday were well attended. The Easter decorations were particularly pretty and spring like, a profusion of lovely daffodils being sent from Brocket and plants and other flowers by Mr W. Horn, Miss Horn, Mrs Holdsworth and Col. Fellows, which were tastefully arranged by the usual helpers.
council.

Obituary – We regret to have to report the death of Mr Titmus of Stanborough, who passed away on Saturday, April 13th. Mr Titmus had not been very long with us, but we were all glad to have him for a neighbour. We deeply sympathise with the family in their great los

s, especially as this is the second sorrow they have had in the comparatively short time that they have resided at Stanborough.

Easter Vestry – The Annual Vestry Meeting was held in the Schools on Thursday, April 25th, when Mr W. C. Horn was appointed Vicar's Churchwarden and Mr Horn was elected People's Warden. This is the 50th occasion on which Mr Horn has held the office of Churchwarden. The parishioners owe him a great debt of gratitude for all that he has done for the church, and the interest he has taken in it and the affairs of the parish generally. Votes of sympathy were passed with Mrs John Sear on her husband having been wounded in France, and with Mr & Mrs Ladbury in their great anxiety over their son, anxiety which is shared by everyone of us. Mr William Horn moved a vote of thanks to all Churchwardens for the loyal way in which they have kept things together during the past years. Mr Ladbury and Mr John Sear were the retiring sidesmen, and Mr Walter Titmus was elected to serve instead. It was decided to form a Church Council to manage all Church matters and the financial business of the parish. The Vicar, Churchwardens and Schoolmaster are to be ex-officio members. As anything in the way of an election by the whole parish would be difficult to arrange, it was though best to start with, that the present sidemen should be members of the council, but they are not ex-officio, and do not sit upon the council because they are sidesmen. These are Messrs. Blackstone, Clarke, Cotterell, Hale, J.H. Horn, W.T. Titmus, and White. In addition to these the following were proposed and elected. Mr A. Sherriff, Miss Holdsworth, Mrs John Sear, and Mrs Scott. It is intended that the council should meet quarterly, and a Chairman will be elected at the first meeting. It was also decided that the Vicar should not be eligible as chairman, and that two members should retire each year, so that as many parishioners as possible should serve their turn upon the

Lemsford News August 1919

Peace Celebrations – The Peace Celebrations were a great success. There was a large gathering for the Sports in the field behind Lemsford House, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr Sherriff. Tea was provided out of doors for all present, and Lady Mount Stephen gave a tea to the school children in the School. At the conclusion of the Sports Mrs Ward distributed the prizes. Fireworks and a bonfire concluded a most enjoyable day. Naturally all this meant a great deal of work, and the members of the Sports Committee and the Tea Committee and their helpers deserve our best thanks for their labours. Everyone was most helpful, Mr Ladbury especially being quite untiring in his exertions which contributed very largely to the success of the day.

The Memorial - to those who gave their lives in the Great War, was unveiled on Sunday afternoon, July 20th, by General the Earl of Cavan, K.P. There was a large gathering for the memorial service in the Church in spite of the bad weather. Lord Cavan, standing on the Chancel step, addressed the congregation in a few striking words. He impressed upon his hearers the great perils from which they had been delivered by men like those glorious dead of whom they were thinking that day. If the trenches at Ypres had not been so magnificently held, large raiding parties might have landed in England. It was more than probable that, if that had happened, Lemsford, standing as it does on the high road to London, would have shared the fate of the numerous villages he had seen in other lands, so completely razed from the face of the earth, that it was necessary to set up boards indicating what place it might have been. At the conclusion of the service Lord Cavan unveiled the memorial to the Glory of God and in memory of the glorious dead of Lemsford.

Miss Holdsworth – has now settled into her new home at Hatfield. We are glad to think that she will not be so very far away from us and we hope to see her often. For fourteen years she has been a good neighbour to us all and ready to help in everything that was being done for the welfare of the place. The presentation made to her at the Red Cross Garden Party at Brickwall is a slight acknowledgement of all that we in Lemsford owe to her and Mrs Holdsworth.

Mr & the Hon Mrs Mark Hovell hope to take up their residence at Lemsford House in August.

We regret to record the death of Mr Charles Wren which took place at Cromer Hyde, on Saturday, July 19th. He had worked in the Brocket Gardens for 56 years.

Harvest Festival – The Harvest Festival was held on Sunday, October 6th; the Sermon in the morning was preached by the Vicar and in the evening by Canon Nairne, Rector of Wheathampstead. The Church looked very pretty, although owing to a bad season, there were not so many vegetables, nor so much fruit sent as usual. All the services were well attended.

Obituary – We regret to announce the death of Mrs Horn, which took place at Handside early in the morning of Tuesday, October 22nd. For the past seven years she had led a retired life, and was not often seen among us. During that time her sufferings were very great, and her increasing loss of sight was a severe trial. We may indeed thank God that it has pleased him to deliver her from all her burdens and troubles The older inhabitants of this village , who have known her for many years, will realise what a loss they have sustained. They had in Mrs Horn a known and tried friend who never failed to take a deep personal interest in all their joys and sorrows, and was always ready in time of need with generous help and counsel. For all of us there will ever be connected with Mrs Horn the memory of past and happier days upon which it will be a pleasure to look back. We shall think of her dear familiar figure on winter afternoons in the Reading Room at the Mothers' Meeting, on the lawn at Handside in the Summer, on Sundays in her pew in the Church she loved so well. Though much tried in mind and body during her last years, she bravely kept her faith, and through the darkness of great depression put her whole trust in God. The entire neighbourhood will unite in heartfelt sympathy with Mr Horn and his family for their great loss, and thank God for a life that was an example and a blessing to so many.

Obituary –  It is with great regret that we have to report the death, after an illness of some months, most patiently borne of Miss Grace Wren. Though no-one could doubt the serious nature of her illness, the end came sooner than was anticipated.
The editor regrets that owing to lack of space, the obituary notices of Mrs Nichols, and Miss Rose Turner must be omitted. Also the accounts of Corporal A. Wallis, Private Chapman, and Private S. Hawthorne, who have been wounded, must be held over for the same reason.