Abstract | Our Vicar was then the Rev. Pierrepont Edwards M.C., familiarly known as the fighting parson. I am not sure whether it was for his religious beliefs or his political activities, but I do know he was a great supporter of the
Conservative Party and a pugilist was a useful asset when attending political meetings. The Rt. Hon. Worthington Evans was our M.P., then usually known as 'Worthy'. Worthington Evans was a wonderful man and a wonderful mixer and I always remember something that he said - that popularity winds elections but popularity does not govern a country. He said in one of his speeches that Labour would receive but not achieve.
The vicar was a genial man, he talked to the village people in their own language, candid, frank and outspoken, very often over a pint in the White Hart. He was always available when wanted and possessed the artist's qualities and a philosopher's wisdom. He was out to achieve something which was to bring the village people together, he certainly had an identity of his own, sometimes taking advantage of his position when he was preaching a sermon, by introducing questions that applied to some members of the congregation knowing full well
they could not be answered. He also had very austere ideas about the feminine gender, for instance wearing
trousers in public, and would never acknowledge his parishioners if he met them in the village so attired.
Mrs Pierrepont Edwards was a tall august looking lady who played the harmonium in church to accompany the
lusty voices of the congregation. She used a bicycle to get about the village usually wearing a long black
dress tethered to the bicycle peddles by elastic, a practice quite usual for a cyclist wishing to remain
modest. She also wore a large black hat. The Rev. Pierrepont Edwards volunteered during the general strike to
become a porter at Liverpool St. Station and gave his tips to charity.
During the 1914-18 war he never charged a fee for marriage if it concerned the forces. I think Bob South was the last that
received this consideration.
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