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The following is a description by Ken Allan who lived in the Bakery 1945-51.
The Baptist Church was located on the Higham Ferrers Road, adjacent to the rear of the Star and Garter. You can see the telephone box that I mentioned on the other side of the road. Beyond the church was open fields, the nearest one was used by the children of the village as a playing field, where we could erect a tent or kick a football and play rounders when we weren't playing under the large chestnut tree in front of the Post Office. The church was just like one large hall with pews and a rather simple alter much like a carpenters bench. There was no pulpit such as you would get in the C of E. I don't recall whether it had a specific name.
The greater majority of the village children including my brother and I, attended Sunday School here from 10.00 am. until 12 noon because the C of E didn't offer this service. Mr H Watts was the Sunday School teacher. I remember the Christmas of 1946 especially because I received a prize of a pocket edition of the New Testament signed by Mr Watts, which I still have. Can't remember what it was for now. It's amazing what you keep and cherish over the years!
Christmas Eve was a time we older ones would gather outside the church and start our carol singing, we would progress throughout the village including Caldecott, visiting every house. We were always given money for our efforts, usually a penny, sometimes a thrupenny piece (1p). Most times there were six of us, rugged up with an overcoat and scarves to keep us warm. We took it in turns to carry the Hurricane lamp so that we could see where we were going. It was one of those activities you did because you enjoyed doing it and the villagers appreciated it too, sometimes you were asked for an encore, which really gave us a thrill.
The Baptist chapel as seen from the junction. The Reading room and two other cottages had been knocked down, leaving the open ground that remained until the 305th BG memorial was built. The gas valve hut is on the left. |
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Religion (part 1) |
