1887 to 1890

Parish Magazine

In August 1887 the first copy of the parish magazine was published and was so well received that the local press said there should be a copy in every home in the village.

For the first few years the £30 per annum required for its publication was met by voluntary subscriptions, until Mr Wilmer suggested that:

The poorer members of my congregation pay one shilling per year, whilst the wealthier of my parishioners, or that class in Norbury which may be described as well-to-do, contribute half a crown for the same period.

The magazine consisted of 20 pages, four of which were given to local church matters, the rest consisting of a nationally syndicated inset containing a serial and a short story with a religious or moral theme. There were articles with illustrations of famous religious buildings in Europe and a poetry column with verses for Holy days during the month. The inset also offered culinary recipes and gardening hints.

On the inside covers, with various advertisements by local tradesmen, were timetables of the local trains and omnibus services and, after the horse trams began to run on Good Friday 1890, their timetable was included as well.

Items from the magazine show us that the parish problems of 90 years ago have not diminished with the passing of the years. There were constant reminders to the grave-holders to keep their plots tidy and warnings that anyone caught stealing from or desecrating the Church yard would be severely dealt with.

Church Life

In October 1887 the custom of holding funerals on Sunday was discontinued. Thereafter they were to be held at 3-30 p.m. on weekdays.

The churchwardens' accounts were nearly always in the red for, although the congregation was large, the collections reflected the state of the local industry at that time; for, although one trade may have been on the crest of a wave, there were always two or more in the trough of a depression.

School Extensions

The Education Inspectors report for 1890, while praising the high standard of teaching at Norbury School, was not yet satisfied with the accommodation and suggested that another two or three classrooms should be added.

A three day Bazaar held in the October of that year raised most of the money to build the two side rooms.

Sunday School Activities

The Sunday School processions, held on a Saturday, had by now increased in size and spectacle, with three bands in attendance. The teas provided afterwards consisted of a more substantial diet than the milk and buns of the previous decade and while the children adjourned to a nearby field to indulge in various 'sports and pastimes' the teachers were invited to one of the 'big' houses for tea and a social evening.