Blanche Emily JULIUS [1977]

  General Notes:

Marriages 26 April 1893.
Thomas John Thompson 33 architect of Peterborough father John Thompson contractor to Blanche Emily Julius 34 of Southery father Archibald Eneas Julius Clerk in Holy Orders. Signed by both in the presence of A.E. Julius, John Thompson, E. A. Hull. After Banns, by Vincent W. Peake curate.
Ref: marriage register St Mary the Virgin Southery

BDM Marriages June 1893.
Blanch Julius Downham 4b 569

Blanch was a legatee under her fathers Will to L3000.00

Julius Jottings. April 1900. No. 2.
New Addresses.
Mrs T. J. Thompson, Southery Lodge, Peterborough.

Julius Jottings no7
April 1902.
Southery Lodge
Peterborough
17 March 1902
Dear Mr Editor,
Having promised to write you a letter giving some account of church work in Peterborough, I will try to do my best to meet your wishes, but as the word care cannot very much differ from that in other large parishes well-known to your English readers, I fear my letter will not be very interesting to them, though perhaps to some of the colonial readers of Julius jottings the sphere of work may be vastly different to what they are accustomed.
Peterborough, being, of course a Cathedral City, the whole of the church life centres in the Cathedral, of which we are justly proud, and especially so as the West front is considered the finest in the world. At the head of our organisation stands the Bishop, the present occupier of the sea being the honourable Edward Carr Glyn, who takes a keen interest in and keeps well in touch with the work carried on in the various parishes of the diocese, and especially so of the town. He is ably seconded by his wife Lady Mary Glyn, daughter of the late Duke of Argyll and sister-in-law of Princess Louise. Peterborough has been most fortunate in her bishops, amongst those of recent years being the eloquent Bishop Magee, afterwards Archbishop of York, and the learned historian, Bishop Creighton, who left here for the more important see of London.
There are, in addition to the Cathedral and its precincts, five large parishes in Peterborough, viz: St John's, St Mark's, St Marys, All Saints, and St Paul's. The parish in which we live is St Mark's, and is therefore to that I purpose more especially to refer. It is a large parish, with a population, as taken from the recent census returns, of 7500 inhabitants. The population has increased so much of late years that the mother church of Saint Mark has been found quite inadequate for the needs of the people, and it becomes a matter of necessity to build another church in an outlying portion of the parish. The first portion of this, which is dedicated to St Barnabas, was commenced in 1899, at a cost of between £3000 and £4000, it was dedicated by the Bishop in June 1900, but it is not to be consecrated until sin Barnabas day this year, the debt on its completion being so very large; this has since been considerably reduced, but there still remains owing a some of about £1800. The money already given for building this church has been raised almost entirely by voluntary subscriptions, a large proportion of it, being by members of the district in which it is built, and consisting almost entirely of the artisan class and railway employees, who, by very much self-denial, have got together so large a sum. We are not a wealthy parish, and many and various have been the means adopted to get together the money, but I fear it will be some years before the debt can be wiped off unless, Mr editor, perchance some generous reader of Julius jottings sees his or her way to give something towards it; any sound, large or small, would be thankfully acknowledged by me. There is, of course, no endowment for this church and no extra clergy. We have recently lost by removal the Vicar, the Rev B deM Egerton, under whose auspices this great work was undertaken, and his losses keenly felt. His successor, the Rev CE Western, has only just come amongst us, but he promises to bring much energy into the parish work, and has already made very many friends during the few months he has been here; he is assisted by the two curates, who have continued to work with him as the late Vicar, viz the Rev R E P Gollinge and the Rev H.P. Bennett, both young men and full of energy, and I can assure you it needs some energy to deal with the proper organisation and working of such a parish.
The parishioners are, however, I think most loyal, and cooperate in every way with the Clergy, and most cordial relations exist between them, so much so that the present Vicar on being appointed to the care of the parish was heard to say that he had been told that he was coming to a "Most United Parish". There is a church council consisting in addition to the clergy and churchwardens, of 17 laymen, elected at the annual vestry meeting. This council is called together periodically to consider any important church matters, and the members are also the managers of the voluntary day schools. We are very proud of these church schools and of the fact that we have been able so far to keep the school board out of Peterborough. In addition to the call on our parish for the new church, we have had to build within the last few years extra schools to meet the increasing number of children. At present we teach in our church schools about a thousand children and have three separate sets of buildings to maintain for the purpose. This education is of so large a number of children entails a serious financial responsibility, and it is much hoped that the present government may do something to more fairly adjust the present position of voluntary and board schools. These schools are also well filled on Sundays both morning and afternoon, about 57 teachers voluntarily give up their time for the purpose. On the first Sunday in each month the infants attend service at St Mark's Church in the afternoon and on the third Sunday the rest of the children, and it is indeed a site to gladden one's heart to see the Church so full of children. There are Reading Rooms in the parish in connection with the church, a Debating Society, Church Lads Brigade, etc. Here also, as in most other towns, the Lady District Visitors are most invaluable. The Girls Friendly Society, in which I am personally much interested, is also very flourishing, there being over 100 members in this parish. There is also a large branch of the Mothers Union, started by Mrs Creighton wife of the late Bishop; the church of England Temperance Society is also well worked and the Communicants Union number about 720.
I think I have said enough to show you how much care and anxiety is needed for all these different branches of church work to be carried out successfully, and we in our parish cannot but be too thankful that for many years we have had placed at the head of affairs, by the Bishop, conscientious and good men well fitted for the requirements of the parish, and what I have said in this respect applies also to the other parishes in our town. The services at St Mark's Church a bright and hearty, the music and singing are all that can be desired, a large choir of men and boys giving their services freely and willingly. One naturally has a preference for one's own church, but I can fairly say I know of no church in which the services are more beautifully and reverently rendered.
Now Mr editor, I am afraid my best is a poor best, but such as it is I leave it with you, hoping you will overlook the faults both in matter and composition, and with every wish for the success of Julius Jottings
I remain,
Yours sincerely
Blanche E. Thompson.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 8 Apr 1861, Church St Southery NFK. Blanch is recorded as a daughter aged 2 born Southery NFK.

2. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Church St Southery NFK. Blanch is recorded as a daughter aged 12 born Southery NFK

3. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, Church St Southery NFK. Blanch is recorded as a daughter aged 22 single born Southery NFK

4. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, 119 Churchgate Southery. Blanch is recorded as a daughter (which is incongruious) single aged 32 born Southery

5. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, 4 Lincoln Rd Peterborough. Blanch is recorded as married aged 42 born Southery

6. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, Southery Lodge Peterborough.
Blanche is recorded as aged 52 married 17 years 4 children 3 living born Southery NFK.

Blanche married Thomas John THOMPSON [937] [MRIN: 304], son of John THOMPSON [12029] and Mary Eliza HILL [31891], on 26 Apr 1893 in St Marys The Virgin Southery. (Thomas John THOMPSON [937] was born in Mar 1861 in Peterborough NTH and died on 18 Aug 1915 in Peterborough NTH.)