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Writing this on a Virgin Pendolino train, surrounded by tired commuters, it strikes me how new this whole idea of travel is. Our great-grandparents mostly stayed in one part of the world, and international travel was a big deal involving major costs and weeks or months at sea. Today we globe-hop with very little awareness of how novel our freedom is. In view of the global impact of burning all that aviation fuel, today’s freedom of cut-price air flights is probably fairly short-lived, and future generations will wonder how it was possible to fly across Europe for the price of a paperback book.

Of course, one of the problems with frenetic travel is that we don’t really go anywhere. One airport, one hotel room, is very much like another. I remember flying into Berlin for one meeting and feeling afterwards that I could have been in Stockport.

Sometimes we travel to see something of the world, to be entertained, informed, taken out of ourselves. Perhaps we are looking for something else too? You can tell by the way people talk about possible destinations that our travel choices in society reveal that we’re looking for some special place or experience.

The Old Testament provides us with a long list of foot-loose Israelites, people with itchy feet like Noah, Abraham, or Jacob. The letter to the Hebrews suggests that what they were really doing was “seeking a homeland;’ but they died without ever finding it, but never gave up seeking. Maybe that is true of all of us. Maybe at the heart of all our travelling is the dream of finding our true home.

Today there is even a sub-category of tourists who “collect” spiritual places and experiences, often zooming from one holy place to another in the hope, I suppose, that something rubs off. Which, of course, really is missing the point. People talk about ‘thin’ places in the world where it is easy to feel that God is very close, but although many of them are on the tourist track, there are probably quiet, empty places you treasure which are definitely not full of people and noise. Interestingly, places like that may be much closer to home – somewhere you walk the dog, meet a friend, or simply a corner of the garden where you sit quietly to find time – to meet yourself meeting God.

Try a holiday six steps from your back door. You may not have to travel very far at all this summer to find something completely refreshing.

John

This year at St Anne’s we were blessed with a beautiful day with blue skies and sun. Donning a pair of stylish sunglasses and alb, Magdalen led the service in the beautiful space which forms part of the St Anne’s complex.

The theme of the service was how we all need one another, and how the ancient agricultural peoples never took their harvests for granted but prayed every year, believing that God would provide them with what they needed.

Animals blessed this year were dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice and a lone snail. The Rainbows received their pet badges and the Brownies helped with the prayers, bringing up symbols of God’s creation, including food and natural resources such as oil and water. Over 100 people attended.

This day also marked Fathers’ Day and several new families were welcomed into the church, either before or after the baptism of their children.

It was a happy service with a good community feel. We plan to do it again next year.

May I firstly thank all of you who contributed vouchers from Sainsbury’s and Tesco. We have been able to order some super new resources for the children to use in the Autumn term, and we do appreciate your support.

We always appreciate August as a welcome break after a very action packed summer term of fun and games in school.

Year 4 and 5 had a marvellous time in Whitby on a residential trip, which involved lots of fun and games on the beach, and a rather scary storytelling walk.

We then finished term with a lovely sports day, and two terrific shows, The Hungry Caterpillar, staged by the infants, and The Lion King, staged by the juniors. The children worked very hard learning different arrangements of the songs and learning their lines. It was a real challenge to stage, but it is always wonderful to watch the children rise to the occasion, and delight their parents, teachers and friends with their performances.

The children also had an afternoon of fun with ‘Fulshaw’s Got Talent’ and enjoyed entertaining each other, and us!

We have had 25 children in year 6 leaving us this year, and they created a super leavers’ service in St Anne’s, which combined humour, dance and a little sentimental reminiscing!

We wish them all every success in their new schools, and hope that the fun and joy in learning, which they have experienced at St Anne’s Fulshaw, stays with them as a reminder of what they are capable of achieving. We shall miss them.

This is my final report to you about life at St Anne’s, as we are ready for the return of our Headteacher before the summer holidays.

With every good wish for a peaceful, refreshing August,

Mrs P Thomas (Acting Headteacher)

How do you spend the majority of your time?

I have been travelling since I was 13 years old, first to France and then across the globe. I have been lucky enough to live in Africa and Asia which gave opportunities to see more of the world. That has now been replaced, apart from holidays, with journeys to see my wider family which is of great importance to me. We meet to celebrate milestones in our lives on a regular basis and I also endeavour to see my children and grandchildren every month and take the train to Kent in order to do this. Additionally I have friends spread far and wide with whom I keep in touch and visit.

Why do you come to church?

There is a need in me for nourishment which coming to church and being in a sacred space gives me. Being part of a Christian community is fortifying; I love the familiarity of the liturgy and there have been occasions at St Anne’s when I have felt the Holy Spirit there.

What most frustrates you about the world?

The Afghanistan wars which have been part of my consciousness for over thirty years.

How do you understand God Working in your life?

Recognising God is always there as a friend and, like all relationships, time must be spent developing it. By allowing stillness, time and space to listen properly so that I can hear Him in whatever way that is manifest. Reflecting on the past I can sometimes see more clearly God’s hand in my life.

If you could change one thing in your life?

To be more positive.

How do you find peace?

One of my passions is long distance walking and the sheer pleasure of the exercise, ascending a hill or mountain and looking around the natural landscape restores my sanity and gives me a real sense of peace. For me it is food for the soul.

How would you like to see the church in 5 years time?

To be part of a flourishing church in the broadest sense. A resurgence of Christianity would, I feel, bring huge benefits to our communities. Consumerism and materialism seem to be the gods that are worshiped now and I do not relish the idea of living in a secular society; some would say we are doing so already.

What do you like about living in Wilmslow?

Its convenience for travelling by road, rail and air; its closeness to a major city with plenty of art and culture; relatively easy access to the Lakes, the Peak District and North Wales as well as the lush Cheshire countryside and a town that serves my needs.

If you had a fire in your house what three things would you rescue and why?

I would save all the original paintings which I have acquired over the years because each one has a special connection and would be irreplaceable. Several have been painted specifically for me.

Name three wonderful aspects of your life

Faith; husband, family, friends; sufficiency

What is your favourite Bible passage and why?

There are many passages that I love and certain ones for specific moods, but the one I always come back to is Numbers 6 vv 22-27 which includes:
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; and turn his face towards you and give you peace.
This blessing has been part of my earliest memories and I can still hear and visualise it being said by both my beloved father and Revd Howard Barker.

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho…….”
Yes! We all know what comes next; it’s the parable of the Good Samaritan. How many sermons have we heard preached on that parable?

Jerusalem, a city 3,500 feet above sea level, away from the heat and discomfort of the lowlands, like Jericho. Although only 15 to 20 miles apart, Jericho is 850 feet below sea level, a drop of some 4,350 feet.

That sounds a bit like life itself, doesn’t it? Born into comparative comfort and from then on, downhill all the way!! There are some uphill stretches, which only makes the downhill seem steeper. We start life expecting everything to go right for us but it doesn’t usually work out like that.

Accidents happen, disappoint-ments occur, bereavement hits us, but we usually find some way out of all these events. Like the man on the journey to Jericho, eventually someone comes along to help. We all have down times in our life but we cannot always rely on someone to be passing by just when we need help. And even if they are passing they may just do that – pass by.

One of my main problems with Christianity, over the years, has been its reliance on the bad deed, or event, to emphasise the good which can follow.

Apart from the Good Samaritan parable, the obvious examples are Judas’ betrayal of Jesus and Pilate washing his hands over the fate of Jesus, but there are many more. Some people vilify Judas and Pilate, but without them or others to take their place, we have no crucifixion and death and without that we can have no resurrection, leading to our present faith. Should we condemn Judas and Pilate for giving us the opportunity for Christianity?

On a purely personal note, I always feel rather sorry for them, they had no real option. (let’s not go into that any further, predestination and all that!) For the robbers and would-be killers in the parable I have no sympathy, although they were only acting out their life, as they knew it, in those times.

Not that I would recommend a general acceptance of violence or wrongdoing because it may lead to some kindness or good ensuing, but rather that the good could come about without an initial trigger. Why wait for someone to be ill, frail or in trouble before we offer that helping hand, or friendly word?

But there are two sides to every coin and we must also be prepared to accept the help offered without harbouring the thought that there must be a catch in it, somewhere. Not every good deed is prompted by the thought or hope of reward. Some offers of help can be misplaced but most are genuinely prompted by love or goodwill, and who can find fault with that? As Bishop Peter pointed out at the Confirmation service recently, Love is one of the few things which is not diminished or lessened, in any way, by being given to or shared with, another person.

We all have our journeys, some Jerusalem to Jericho, some possibly Gethsemene to Golgotha, but we can all help our fellow travellers on the way.

Roy

At the all age service on July 5th, members of the 9.30 story service and the Phoenix group were presented with books.

Charlie and Samuel received certificates to mark their graduation to the Phoenix group and Derek and Peter received certificates on their graduation to Footstepz group.

Well done to them and to all our children.

On the last Saturday in June, the Friends of the Parish of Wilmslow presented ‘An evening of Music and Flowers’, with floral decorations from a Master Class led by florist Wally Klett, and a programme of music by players of the Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra (WSO).

Our lovely parish church provided a grandiose setting for the floral works created by the students of the Wedding Diploma course run by Ian Lloyd of the Flower Shop, Water Lane. Thousands of pounds’ worth of flowers went into the Master Class presentation, created under the tutelage of world famous florist Wally Klett from Stuttgart. The white and gold bridal theme included arrangements that ranged from contemporary chic to classically stylish and created an ambiance that would satisfy the most exacting taste.

The music provided by players from the Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra was skilfully chosen to complement the theme and showed the exacting standard and versatility of the players to advantage. “A good selection for a warm summer evening” said leader of the string octet, Adrienne Spilsbury.

With a superbly varied programme the musicians gave an animated and expressive recital, playing with sensitivity and humour. Highlights included Shostakovich’s – ‘Gadfly’ and Piazzolla’s superbly evocative Libertango, arranged by Adrienne Spilsbury, and the quintessential Three Shanties by renowned British composer Sir Malcolm Arnold. We would like to thank the members of the Brass Quintet, String Octet and Wind Quintet for their performances.

The event was presented by The Friends of the Parish of Wilmslow which was formed in 1990 to bring together all those who care for St Bart’s and St Anne’s and to raise funds to help maintain and restore the fabric of the two buildings.
The event was well supported and patrons were treated to a superb blend of artistic genres. We are delighted to report that we raised £800 at the Midsummer Extravaganza event and this will be shared between church restoration projects and WSO (in lieu of a performance fee).

The Friends of the Parish of Wilmslow

The Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1947 and is a large amateur orchestra aspiring to high musical standards. The group includes many accomplished players and performs an ambitious range of music.

The orchestra holds concerts five times a year in the Evans Theatre, Wilmslow Leisure Centre, and performs an ambitious range of music. The ensemble has a reputation for its imaginative programmes that are designed to appeal to both audiences and players alike.

The next Concert is on October 16th 2010 and features music from Weber, Dvorak & Bruch, with acclaimed Canadian violinist Sadie Fields.

The story of Henry Williamson and family:

To the north of the new extension of St Bart’s is the grave of Henry Williamson, his wife Emma and two of their children. But at the base of the main memorial is an interesting subsidiary stone, which reads:

‘A token of respect & esteem from his fellow workmen, L&NWR Per[mane]nt Way Dept’

The London and North-western Railway was one of the largest businesses in the country and ran what is now the English part of the West Coast Main Line. The Permanent Way Department maintained the vast track infrastructure, including tunnels and bridges.

Youngest of 11 children
Henry was born in Congleton Road, Fulshaw, on Tuesday, 8th November, 1859, the youngest of 11 children born to William Williamson (1816-1902) and his wife Ann (née Timperley, 1816-1885). His immediate elder, also William (1857-1926), a joiner and councillor, has already been mentioned in these articles (Feb 2010) and there came to be six boys and five girls, with the oldest, Joseph (born 1836), already of age by the time Henry arrived.

William senior had a diverse career, with census entries describing him variously as weaver, coachman, gamekeeper, labourer and servant. Between 1861 and 1871, the family moved, from Fulshaw to Bollington and by the latter date, Henry, then 12, was working part-time in a cotton mill, as well as attending school.

Living in Water Lane:
By 1879, he had left home and was back in Wilmslow, living in Water Lane when, at the age of 19, he married 17-year-old Emma Royle, on Thursday 13th March.

Moved in with parents and their eight children:
On 5th June that year, Lucy, the first of their ten children, was born, by which time they had moved in with Emma’s parents and their other eight children, in Knutsford Road, Fulshaw. Alfred Royle was a joiner who became an independent builder: a useful contact for a young mason, although Henry was recorded as unemployed in the 1881 census.

Moved to Gravel Lane:
At some point after 1881, the growing family moved out of the crowded Royle house and set up home in nearby Gravel Lane, where the 1891 census shows them with six children. Edwin, their 7th, was born later that year (Sept 21st) but, as was then all too common, the little boy died, aged 18 months, on 23rd March, 1893 and is commemorated on his parents’ grave.

The 1901 census shows the couple still in Gravel Lane, but by Henry’s last census, 1911, they had moved to Nicholls Street, Ardwick, although the fact that they were buried in Wilmslow suggests they still regarded it as home.

1911 – Henry a stonemason working for the railway
1911 saw Henry still a mason, and now definitely an L&NWR employee. But only three of the children, all single daughters, were still at home, including 15-year-old Alice, a card lacer, and 23-year-old Amy, a waitress. Jessie, the baby, at 14 was not yet employed. She lived to be 75, dying, apparently unmarried, on 23rd Jan, 1972. She too is commemorated on her parents’ grave and must still be remembered locally. Finally, the Williamsons’ 10-month-old granddaughter, Annie, was staying with them on census day. She was the child of their son Sidney and his wife Annie (née Wardle), who may have been away because, although they still lived in Wilmslow, they were missed by the census.
1917 – Henry died, aged 57 whilst working on the bridge, on Thursday, 17th May, 1917, in the depths of WWI. The Death Certificate gives the cause as ‘fatty degeneration of the heart’ (i.e. heart attack), whilst working on Bridge 4 of the Delph Branch. Under its local nickname of the ‘Delph Donkey’, this was a single track railway, which ran for just 11/4 miles from Delph, to the Manchester-Huddersfield main line.

The bridge is beautifully preserved and was opened in 1851, the branch closed in 1963, but the track-bed survives as a footpath, and Bridge 4 still stands (SD 987068). It is an attractive, wholly masonry structure that carries Streethouse Lane over the branch at Dobcross.

It makes a perfect memorial for a Wilmslow stonemason who died caring for it, whilst the outside world blew apart almost a century ago. Emma survived for almost 32 years and lived through another terrible war, before joining her husband on 30th September, 1949 aged 87.

David

Archaeology is not just about digging (although we do a bit of that, too);
we look at the people as well as the places and artefacts. Our small group is currently surveying the church and its cemetery of St.Bartholomew’s in Wilmslow, Cheshire. We have our own website, which can be found here.
This multi-period church includes medieaval, Tudor and Victorian work, probably on a Saxon foundation, and is the centre of a large rural and urban parish on the fringes of Manchester, which includes Quarry Bank Mill.

We welcome new members – no prior experience in archaeology is necessary, because part of the fun is learning new skills and passing on knowledge and expertise to others.

Special requirements: Pen and paper. Dress for outdoor work (sturdy shoes, waterproofs). Some of us find kneelers and gloves useful.

Meetings:
2 October 2010 12-3 pm
6 November 2010 12-3 pm
4 December 2010 12-3 pm
In addition there are irregular research sessions during the week, which are announced to members.
Venue: St.Bartholomew’s Parish Church, Chancel Lane, Wilmslow.

Biritta & Kathleen
Send enquiries / bookings to us via the Parish Office.

We now have a lovely new border outside the Hawthorn Chapel. This has been created in memory of Barbara Hood.

Many thanks go to all the people involved from the diggers and clearers, the planters and those who funded it.