By Arthur Penn

A year or so ago Mrs Anne Hillman spoke to the society about a nineteenth century resident of Carnforth called James Erving. What she said was mainly based upon a sort of commonplace book in her possession, which he kept for some twenty years in the middle of the century [1850-1873]. She kindly allowed the society to make use of the book, which throws a lot of light on the area in that period.

It is a curious book and the entries in it are very varied. Some are personal and concerned with his own family, some are about finance, property, local valuations, prices and the like, some are about current affairs, but a significant proportion are about the ecclesiastical parish of Warton, of which, it seems, Erving was warden for the Carnforth township.

The book reveals a good deal about the man himself. He was obviously cranky and awkward, claiming great uprightness, but recording any evidence of what he thought the failures of others, particularly the clergy. He writes boldly, often in note form and his punctuation is almost non-existent. Much of what is written seems to be recorded as evidence of injustices by others, and what makes it so hard to use, is that we can usually have no idea of how the others saw the matters. Nevertheless, the information contained is a valuable source, provided it is taken with some scepticism.

Erving’s writings are at the time when Carnforth was beginning to grow, when railways and the ironworks were becoming important elements in local life. However, it was still a township in Warton parish and in the early years Warton Church was its only Church of England place of worship. Thomas Dean was vicar until his death in 1870, when he was succeeded by Thomas Pain. Both of these presided over much improvement in the church building. During this time Dean initiated an informal place of worship in Carnforth and from 1850 the school was licensed for worship. In 1865 a curate was appointed for Carnforth and, after several short tenancies John Atkinson Fidler was appointed in 1869. Erving liked the word ‘priestcraft’ to epitomise his unfavourable view of dealings by the clergy. None escaped his criticism. It is not clear how far his attitude was based on ideological issues. The Church of England in mid-Victorian days was troubled by controversy, sparked off by the Oxford Movement, with its Catholic emphasis and revival of ritualism. This was met by great suspicion of ‘Romanizing’. Was this an issue in the parish? There are hints that it may be so, though the matters which cause one to wonder are to us quite neutral things like ‘chanting’ psalms and erecting stained glass windows. Erving’s main concerns regarding the church, the clergy and the schools, are alterations in the church building, the schools especially the Carnforth one, and the appointment of a curate for Carnforth, but one suspects that Erving had a weakness for gossip.

Gossip
Dean is the main object of his criticism. Dean’s first wife Mary died in 1862 and in 1864 he married a Miss Whitworth, of Facit, near Rochdale, which seems to be the area where Erving had lived. He notes that in 1857 her father died intestate, but his sons agreed to give their sisters £2000 and take all as it stood. It seems to be suggested that Dean’s bride had a modest fortune. At the time of the marriage Erving writes of “scandalous reports about his conduct with Miss Smyth which she affirms Wardens lay the matter before the Byshop and then find if they go on will be subject to about £300 costs so the thing is allowed to drop.” The next year, however, he writes “Had Books and Cushions removed from Warton Church having waited since last October for the vicar taking some steps to clear his character which he either cannot or will not do.”

When Edmund Lawson died in 1855, Erving attended Warton Church seven days later when

“every hymn and psalm had reference to death, sermon by the vicar T. Dean 9th Hebrews 27 verse And as it is appointed unto all men once to die, but after this the judgement – it was in every respect extraordinary under the circumstances in reference to Mr Lawson’s death, the presence of relatives and friends it must be considered of a personal nature if so what are we to think of observations such as ‘The Hamons of this world’, ‘The Lazuras at the gate’, ‘The mask of hypocrisy’, ‘The midnight slanderer’, ‘The reveller in ill-gotten wealth. The man who had done wrong going to another country where he might by care earn a good name” and lots more of the same import whereby the owners of the above descriptions if any were freely sent to everlasting torment, “can I forget T. Dean calling Mr Lawson his friend“. He could not tell how the various charities could get on without him and his vote was always right. “How can this be reconsiled with his sermon after death painting human nature in the blackest colours Bolden and T. Jackson were described by this man as paragons of excellence and his motive may yet appear.”

It would appear that he had a particular animosity for Dean, but thought no better of others. Mr Wallis was incumbent of Sedgwick.

“This gentleman made my wife’s sister Jane an offer by letter. An interview took place between them at Bolton le Sands 2nd August 1854 subject discussed religion nothing about marrying is on £80 a year our vicar was the means of bringing them together inviting her to the vicarage where Wallis turned up I fear all is simply to get someone who can supply him with a leg of mutton to help out the potatoe pie which is said to be his dinner the week round. August 10th they met again when they could not agree about their faith he being a successor of the Apostles (probably a High Churchman), she deeming the idea nonsense so they parted.”

“William Bradshaw Incumbent of Over Kellet died in November last (?1861) I knew him when a lad at Halton Hall, his father gave him the incumbency In his young days he was a wild drinking fellow, he actually paid a man called Dixon 3/6 a day when on the spree to sing and drink with him and has appeared in the pulpit with black eyes, my acquaintance with him has been renewed for the last 12 years during which he appeared much changed for the better.”

The fault with Fidler, the curate, seems to have been debt, perhaps due to the change of vicar and having to wait for the payment of his stipend. Erving says that “he came here in debt and is yet hard pressed for money. .. Mrs Lawson says the £10 she lent him was to pay a tailor who threatened to put him in the County Court.”

Laymen do not wholly escape. Edward Barton, manager of the ironworks is accused of some financial irregularity over the price of limestone, and John Bolden of the Hyning at the time of his death has a colourful accusation.

“This gentleman was interred in Warton Church under his own pew 6 Feby 1855 How the vicar could allow such a thing after saying so much against such practice astonishes me this gentleman when at college was chairman of the Hellfire Club and would not allow the Bible read in his presence but about 14 days before his death he sent for the vicar who says that period was spent delightfully he recanted his former opinions and prepared to meet what his whole life had denied to exist”.

Changes at Church
“Attended a meeting at the vicarage when T. Dean proposed alterations in church and requested I. Jenkinson R. Jackson and myself to undertake to say whether such alterations should or should not be done we adjourned for a week – I intimated the alteration would be more ornamental than useful, the same object might be obtained at less cost, Estimated at £210. 19 February attended by appointment at the Vicarage gave an opinion individually without prejudice to others – ‘that it was not expedient to meddle with proposed alterations’. In July a new chancel window was put in by Bolden and ceiling partly opened Gable carried up and a cross put on top. This is a memorial window to the late Mr Bolden of Hyning, chairman of the Hellfire Club. List of subscriptions for opening chancel ceiling -W. Bolden £10, Mr Clews £10, Mr Marton £10, Thos. Dean £10, Revd. Mason £5.”

The following year

“The Vicar T. Dean exhibited a scarlet book mark and device like a cross also a fancy plate for collecting offering before sacrament. Soon after this a large falling off took place in people going from Carnforth to church various reasons are given some say it is the new chancel window others the singing, some that the vicar is losing himself whatever the cause it is clear not more than 10 or 20 go where a year since 50 to 65 regularly attended.”

In 1868 he records that the church was enlarged at a cost of £380.18.0 raised by the rates. Silverdale 0 Yealands £16.3.8 Warton got from railways £69.10 (half ought to have been for Carnforth) Carnforth paid £71.13.10. This would be the last year before the abolishment of compulsory Church rates.

A little earlier he had recorded: “Captain Yates Churchwarden and Thomas Dean the vicar summoned before the magistrates Ford, Batt and Preston (Quakers) for church rates did not appear judgement against them“. Another stained glass window is mentioned when Elizabeth Lawson put a memorial window to her husband at a cost of £18. 18.0 6 “we were not favoured with the knowledge“.

“A vestry meeting to examine the accounts received objections by John Jenkinson to the bill for oil and candles used on Wednesday evenings to other payments and to any charge being put on the rate for paying for the new clock which had cost £75 – £53 of which had been subscribed. Jenkinson and Mucalt objected to stained windows. Mucalt asked if the vicar could allow them to be put in without the wardens he said he could – so Mucalt thought wardens were of no use and would oppose the rate Jenkinson said Wednesday evening services were of no use and the windows looked as if the vicar were going over to popery.”

Carnforth School
The first reference to the school is dated 1 June1860 when the vicar asked Erving to a meeting at which the Master Mr Townson was asked to resign on account of age and infirmity, although the vicar wished him well and expressed respect for the way he had done his duty. Erving says he refused to express an opinion. “In fact he had brought the wardens to turn the old man out and put a mistress in his place which he did.” He reports a bazaar for the school on three days in August 1861 in a large tent, which realised £536.

In March 1862 he says

“a notice appeared on the church door from the Charity Commissioners of Education to place the school under their jurisdiction. ‘Jackson, Stelfox and I had heard nothing of it so went to the vicar to ask the meaning of it. It came out he and Peacock had made application setting us aside altogether. They propose to create ‘noneofficials’ as managers which they say are to act as such the truth is the power will be in the hands of the vicar and we noneofficials will be used so far as suits his purpose, the book of Minutes says the old trustees were unanimous in this application but Stelfox says when the vicar called upon him as warden to sign a paper respecting the school he asked if the Charity Commissioners were to have anything to do with it when the vicar said no altho he was at that time in conjunction with R. Peacock placing the school under the Commissioners.”

On October 11 1871 Erving says he paid the trustees and managers £500 in lieu of the Bond

“I hold from Dock trust Liverpool which I had been requested to place there for the benefit of the school. It appears some of them thought it was not safe in my name and as Fidler had been often referring to it the last 18 months I determined to pay it and let him see I could do without being in debt which he so far is unable to do which one might have thought would have kept his mouth shut.”

Under the heading ‘Priestcraft’ in December 1871 he describes tortuous goings on about the appointment of the secretary of the Carnforth Gas Works. Erving’s son and Mr Orr the schoolmaster applied and apparently Fidler supported both. A question arose about Orr’s forms and desks. On 9th January

“a nice little game was played out by Mr Barton at the meeting of school managers when he proposed that Mr Wrightson purchase Orr’s Forms and Desks making it clear Fidler, Barton and the vicar (for he had mentioned the Forms to me) were all in it, notwithstanding Fidler’s fussey pretence of consulting me on the matter, telling part but not all about it.” In May 1872 “when I was absent in Wales a meeting was held in the school present Mr Barton R. Clark Joseph Jackson and J.A. Fidler when they decided to enter into contract with John Wilson to extend and alter the school to contain 300 scholars and I find now in August there is a debt on the building of £75.0.0.”

The Curacy
The first mention is when Manchester Diocesan Church Building Society granted £50 per annum for a curate.

“Vicar said he had promised another £50 and wished me to see among friends what I could get .. . I thought it simply paying a curate to do the vicar’s work.” On February 9th 1865 a meeting at the school heard “what the vicar had to say about having a full service here on Sundays he wanted the curate to have £150 a year. It turned out after he had engaged Mr Johnson of Preston, did duty first time 14 May Mr Johnson called and said the vicar would do nothing beyond paying the £50 a year – 5th June Johnson agreed to be licenced as curate Had service in the morning when the vicar stoped it Oct 23 Mr Johnson left for Preston – vicar began duty again himself.”

“Revd. Ismay Barns left this district in Oct 1866 he has been curate since Mr Johnson left and has high church notions his principal reason for leaving was the lending of school forms by schoolmaster to an Inn for a club dinner, he preached for the members on the occasion at Kellet and thought the forms would be desecrated by being so used – Dec 1866 Revd G Pattison came as curate .left on 1 Dec 1867 – Dec 10/67 a Mr Jenkins called it turned out after he had engaged the vicar told him the salary was £150 a year so he re-opened the matter and in the end gave it up – I obtained from Ecclesiastical Commissioners a grant of £120 for a curate and Mr J A Fidler began services in the school 12 Sept 1869.”

In fact Erving writes six pages giving in full his letter and the Commissioners’ response. He supports the application by saying that the average distance to the parish church is 11/2 miles, the population of Carnforth about 1400, an increase of 1000 in 8 years and growth likely as the junction of Railways. He expects that in time a new church will be built. The Commissioners agreed to make a grant of £120 per annum to the vicarage on condition that Divine services are performed at Carnforth by a duly licensed curate receiving a salary of not less than £120 per annum.

So Mr Fidler began service on 12 Sept 1869 for Carnforth and Borwick. “He was then a Deacon but after he received Priests orders in 1870 he gradually assumed more importance“. Dean died in that year and Fidler claimed he was in ‘sole charge‘ and almost kicked up a row at the funeral over the vestry surplice. He is criticised for financial irregularity over a Soiree and Tea Party and the presentation of a mantel clock to a Miss Pickford.

What is one to make of all this? It is all very small beer and no doubt fairly typical of affairs in a small community. What is remarkable is the preservation of the thoughts of one self-important and rather quarrelsome member of our local community.

Published in Mourholme Magazine Issue 39 2000