Post-hopping Mission Conference (1914)

Post date: Apr 26, 2014 12:41:46 PM

Extract from Kent Messenger 15th September 1914

Two Bishops and an Archdeacon honoured the work which is being carried on by the Church of England. Mission to Hop-pickers by attending the annual service and conference which were held at Wateringbury on Tuesday. The service in the Parish Church was attended by a large company of workers from the surrounding villages, and the Bishop of Stepney gave a stimulating address, which was much appreciated. This was followed by a conference in the Church Room, at which the Bishop of Rochester presided, among those also presentbeing the Bishop of Stepney, the Archdeacon of Rhodesia, the Revs. J . R. Leigh, Yalding, honorary secretary; Canon H. Bingham Stevens, Canon G. M. Livett, Wateringbury; G. A. Tait,

Domestic Chaplain to the Bishop of Rochester; R. Swan, West Peckham; A. W. Lawson, West Malling;

J. Guise, Addington; W. F . Cobb, Nettlestead; W. E. Auckland, East Malling; G. B. Charles,Paddock Wood; G. C. E . Ryley, East Peckham ; R. Griffiths, West Farleigh; J. A. Wray, Teston; E.J.Wild, Barming; H. Lee, Collier Street;F. W. Lace, Yalding; H. Crawford, Chaplain at Malling Workhouse; Lieut.-Colonel Borton; Mr. and Mrs. T. Brocklebank; Mr. Alan Lambert and others.

GROUNDLESS FEARS.

The Rev. J. R. Leigh commenced his annual statement with the remark that fuller experience of the work of the Mission showed him how difficult it was to follow in the steps of the Rev. F. G. Oliphant, the late hon, secretary, find he could only wish Mr. Oliphant were back again in Kent. When the terrible catastrophe of war broke out a few weeks before the commencement of hop-picking, they were full of fears. They wondered whether the hops would be picked at all, whether there would be any pickers available, and, if they came, how they would he fed and how they would behave. They wondered, too, whether it would be possible to obtain workers to carry on the Mission. All these fears, however, were

groundless. The pickers came, and so far as he could ascertain, there was no scarcity of them; they were more than usually quiet and orderly (hear, hear), and more responsive to any kindness and attention they received (applause); while there had been no scarcity of food. As was natural, the mission had suffered in regard to its workers. They missed the Rev. J. Campbell and the undergraduates from Hertford College, Oxford, while the helpers from Keble College, who were to have come to Hadlow, had been unable to do so. Still, every parish touched in 1913 was being assisted this year, and where a shortage existed, it was only a matter of sex, as, with the tendency of the present age, ladies had come forward to take the places of the men whose activities had been called on in other ways. Father Wilson remarked to him: “ We are positively humming at Five Oak Green. I am having the time of my life, for I am the only man there. The rest of the staff are ladies, and they are working like niggers”.

Warm acknowledgement was made of the efforts of Miss Harvey and those associated with her in obtaining the lady workers; regret was expressed at the death of two old supporters in the Rev. Canon C. C. Hawley and the Hon. R. P . Nevill; and cordial welcome was extended to the two Bishops. As to the finances, although this year’s funds had come in fairly well, it would be necessary to draw on the mission’s balance to meet expenses. He asked support for the stall at the sale of work (if it were held) at the Horticultural Hall on November 19th and 20th, saying contributions might be sent to Yalding Vicarage, and that purchasers could rest assured that none of the articles submitted for sale were made in Germany (laughter).

THE “ ALLIES” OF THE MISSION.

The Chairman remarked that it was a great delight to him personally to attend that annual gathering, because the Mission spoke of the unity of the Church. They were sometimes inclined to be too parochial or too diocesan, but the Mission broke down these barriers in a moment. They saw West Kent and East London, the allies, fighting side by side. He (the speaker) led from the base, and the Bishop of Stepney from the fighting line, while the officers were sending the troops to higher victories that they trusted were being obtained on the Continent of Europe. It was a source of much gratification to hear a man like Mr. Leigh,who had worked for years in connection with the Mission, say there was a decided improvement

in the pickers, that every year they became more disciplined and more responsive to the efforts of the workers. It should not be thought that West Kent was seeking to help East London as though the latter could not supply her own wants. Really, East London was to a great extent helping Kent, for the wonderful cheerfulness, sympathy and brotherliness displayed by these masses of people under difficulties were extraordinary. In conclusion, Dr. Harmer cordially wished the Mission “God speed.”

THE LONDONER AND THE RABBITS.

The Bishop of Stepney first acknowledged the kindness of the Bishop of Rochester in allowing him to come into his diocese and run all over the place. The late Bishop of London was once asked where the Bishop of Stepney was, and he replied: “Dr. Ingram goes where he likes and does what he likes, and I get all the blame” (laughter). The Bishop proceeded to express his own thanks and the thanks of the Londoners to various people—to the Revs. J. R. Leigh and A. B. Littlewood, and Mr. Cooper, who had entertained him; to the hop growers, who every year seemed to be doing more for the comfort of the pickers and warmly welcomed mission workers; and to the Mission and workers. He specially eulogised the dispensaries, adding; We cannot put our thanks into Cockney, but your kindness does come to our hearts. He was very thankful for the hop-picking season, because of the rest and refreshment -it gave the people, the change of scene and atmosphere, the health and strength they carried back to London, and the money they earned and did not waste. At the same time, he doubted whether people fully realised what strangers Londoners were to the country, and how much they needed the help the Mission afforded. For example, Mrs. Paget took some mothers to a beautiful place in the country, and during the day she said to one veritable mother in Israel: “ Wouldn’t you like to live here always?” “ No,” she replied. “ But why not?” was the next question. “I should be frightened,” was the answer. “ Frightened! At what?” inquired Mrs. Paget. “ Oh! those rabbits” (laughter). People had; no notion what an unknown land the country was to many Londoners, and how they disliked a dark lane and the loneliness of it. On one occasion he accompanied some boys to the country, and one of them, who had been absent from the others for some

time, was asked when he returned, with a stick in his hand, where he had been. “ Oh! I have been giving those old peacocks a fine doing,” the lad answered. It did not improve matters when it was ascertained that the old peacocks were pheasants (laughter). Perhaps some of the older ones did a little mischief by mistake sometimes, but he could assure them that the care and protection of the Mission workers, and the loving, friendly hand extended, made all the difference in the world to the pickers. If they could see the hop-pickers rally in some of the London churches they would be surprised, but they clearly demonstrated the fact that all the good work and, kind efforts put forth in the hop gardens of Kent were not lost, but bore fruit when they were back in London. I thank you, added the Bishop, with a grateful

heart for what you do for us poor miserable Cockneys when we come to your most beau­tiful part of the world (laughter and applause).

THE WAR VOW.

The Archdeacon of Rhodesia called attention to the “war vow,” which over a hundred

people at Five Oak Green had taken, and which declared:—

“I vow, by God’s help, to pray for my friends at War every day, and to take no intoxicating drink until there is peace.”

It was not intended that they should take the vow in the spirit of one man who came up to him the previous evening and said:

“ That’s all very, well, guv’nor; but does, it mean that I can have a jolly good old booze up when peace comes?” (laughter).

The Archdeacon went on to speak of the way in which the pickers expected the workers to say something concerning religion to them, mentioning how one woman had remarked:

“One lady comes round talking about everything under the sun, but she never says anything about God.”

The Rev. G. C. E. Ryley expressed his thankfulness that the Sunday excursion trains had not been run this year. This, he felt, was one reason for there being less drunkenness.

The Rev. W. F. Cobb, while thanking the Bishop of Stepney, emphasised the fact that the work of the Mission at its commencement was purely spiritual, and the preaching of the gospel should always be its outstanding feature. It was from the spiritual that the temperance, medical and different, branches or social work had emanated. The dinner hour services were looked for by the pickers in a remarkable way, and they afforded a splendid opportunity for undergraduates and others to give short addresses. The first open-air address he ever gave was close to his father’s home at Nettlestead, while an undergraduate at Cambridge.

The conference then closed with a vote of thanks to the Bishops, proposed by Mr. Alan

Lambert. Refreshments were provided for the visitors by the Mission.