Lillian and I were married, as per certificate, at Elm Grove Baptist Church, Southsea (footnote 1), on Oct 28th 1884 (footnote 2), and on 14 August the following year our first child Mabel Lillian was born; then followed Leonard and Eustace (footnote 3). In the 7 years we were at Castle Road, we joined the Elm Grove Church; taught in the S. School, and sang in the choir, and addressed small meetings in the town mission, conducted by Commander Keys, a very fine man. Also I conducted a Sunday afternoon Bible class [100] at the YMCA for a time, and this brought me into contact with Rev Tydd Matson (footnote 4), a Congregational minister and author of the hymn, the first lines of which run thus;
Lord, I was blind, I could not see
In Thy marred visage any grace
But now the brightness of Thy face
In radiant vision dawns on me.
He was at this time Chaplain at Kingston cemetery, but later went on as pastor to a small town along the south coast, the name of which I cannot now remember.
I was brought up on liberal politics (footnote 5), and the only time I voted Conservative was when Mr Gladstone brought in his first home rule bill for Ireland; it was said that it would be “Rome rule”, and that I did not want.
The business prospered for 6 years, and for that year and the year following the sewer was up in Castle Road, and people did not want to come down, [101] moreover a nice new store was opened between me and most of my best customers, and by an old-established firm, and my business went down, so endeavoured to sell it. (About this time Mr Birch wanted me to take on another, his old business at Norwood Green, Middlesex, so I disposed of the Castle Road shop, and went to Norwood; bit, I am anticipating, so to return).
Being so near the sea, I joined the swimming club, not for the competitions, but for the convenience of the bathing pier etc., and what enjoyment that was; nobody knows the pleasures of sea bathing, but those who have ridden on the top of the billows – you face them, then just as they reach you, by an act of volition, you rise with them and ride on the top. I remember our first Easter holiday; Ernest and a girl cousin, Lillian and I, [102] walked up to Eastney, crossed in a row boat to Hayling Island, and walked the length of it to the east side, where was a bridge spanning the waters to get off the island; it took us all day, as we bathed, lunched and walked leisurely, and went back by train from Havant and home to supper; one long delightful never-to-be-forgotten day.
I was made secretary by the Baptist Association, Southern area, of the local preacher’s association, and we used to go to churches where our services were needed; the farthest I ever went was to Winchester, and there I met my brother Percy who was in a situation there. Our pastor Rev J P Williams used to ask me sometimes to take the mid-week Wed evening service; also I used to have charge of the little church at Denmead. I used to go out on a tramcar to Cosham, then walk on to the top of Portsdown Hill, and there my friend Mr Pyle (footnote 6) the farmer met me and we drove [103] the rest of the way in his farmer’s cart; he also brought me back that distance at night. The reason for his not coming farther was the tremendous hill, at the top of which was situated the small town of Waterlooville (footnote 7), where was a Baptist Church, but Denmead was some miles further on. Another Church I used to serve was on an island in Portsmouth Harbour, and the superintendent there of the War Office plant and stores carried on a mission at the Baptist Church on Sundays; he was glad of my help, and when he retired, wished me to take on in his place, but I did not feel it would work as a regular thing, but an occasional visit was all right. I used to cross the harbour on the floating bridge (footnote 8) to Gosport, then walk, until I got to the ferry where a man was always on duty during day time. However, his son, who succeeded him as superintendent of the work, took over the mission.
[104] Another church to which I went at Emsworth, gave me an invite to the pastorate, but as I really had no training sufficient for a sustained ministry, also I had my business, and so declined. Also the S. S. Union asked me to conduct anniversary services at different places. And so I have conducted services in Baptist, Congregational, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist Chapels, YMCU, Town Mission, and open air – and although I seemed to be acceptable to those to whom I went, I never had a very high opinion of my efforts; lack of a better education, of wider reading and training.
Transcriber’s footnotes:
1. When I (Bernard) went to Southsea to college, my grandma (Mabel) said that there were family connections, but at that time I did not understand that it was her own birthplace.
2. Age just under 28
3. In the archives are copies of letters from Ellen Birch to her daughter Lillian, at this time (dated 1887 and 1888).
4. William Tidd Matson (1833-99), also wrote “God is in His temple” – had pastorates at Havant, Gosport and Portsmouth; originally an Anglican, then Methodist, then Congregationalist
5. The two dominant parties were Liberal and Conservative (see Gilbert and Sullivan – Iolanthe); the Labour party did not exist until about 1940.
6. Spelling unclear
7. No longer a small town, but a major suburb of Portsmouth
8. This was later superceded by the “Gosport ferry”, which I (Bernard) used many times during my student days in Portsmouth and Southsea (1961-65)
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