Chester Chronicle Article on the Saint Matthew's Schools Grand Bazaar"

Saint Matthew's School, Church Road, Buckley

9 June 1906

See 139.26 for the main entry for the Bazaar programme and further details.

The account of the Grand Bazaar appeared in the Chester Chronicle. We have included the opening remarks and the speech by Bishop Edwards. Not included is the history of the schools which was taken from the Bazaar programme and the names of the personnel involved in the days' events, which are also in the programme.

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AN EXTRACT FROM THE BUCKLEY NEWS IN THE CHESTER CHRONICLE

ISSUE DATED JUNE 9^TH 1906

BUCKLEY

CHURCH SCHOOLS BAZAAR

OPENING BY MRS. EDWARDS,

THE BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH AND MR.

GLADSTONE.

On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Edwards (wife of the Bishop of St. Asaph) opened a two days' bazaar in St. Matthew's Schools, Buckley. The object of the bazaar was to raise about £200 to extinguish a debt on the building fund of the schools, and the general and energetic support given to the undertaking shows that the new vigour infused into Church life in Buckley during the vicariate of Canon Drew continues under his successor. The willing hands of lady workers had piled up a big stock of useful and ornamental goods to tempt buyers, and the artistic side of the scene was not over-praised by Mrs. Edwards when she publicly declared that of all the bazaars she had attended lately this one was of surpassing excellence in its beautiful decoration. The promoters had excellent luck in the weather. The day could not possibly have been brighter, and though there was not a great crowd, apart from the stallholders, at the opening of the ceremony, there must have been continuous arrivals throughout the afternoon and in the evening. The patrons and patronesses included the Bishop and Mrs. Edwards, Earl and Countess Beauchamp, Countess Grosvenor and Mr. Wyndham, Mr. Herbert Gladstone (Home Secretary) and Mrs. Gladstone, the Hon. Mrs. W. H. Gladstone, Mr. H. N. and the Hon. Mrs. Gladstone, Mr. W. C. G. Gladstone.

SPEECH BY BISHOP EDWARDS.

"THE RELIGIOUS DIFFICULTY."

At the opening ceremony on the first day the Rev. D. R. Pelly, M.A. (vicar) presided. Mrs. Edwards was accompanied by the Bishop of St. Asaph, and among others present were Mr. and Mrs. Watkinson, the Rev. J. Compton, Messrs. T. Williams and William Nunns (churchwardens), W. Newton, R. M. Gibson, S. Dunn, and a large number of ladies, whose names will be found in the list of stallholders.

The Vicar, before calling upon Mrs. Edwards to open the bazaar, said it was very encouraging to have the presence of the Bishop and Mrs. Edwards that afternoon. What they were doing in Buckley they were doing under rather difficult circumstances. At the present moment to have a debt on church schools and to have to work it off was not a very happy thing to do, and it was only because people in Buckley were filled with enthusiasm about the schools of Buckley that it had been possible to undertake it at all. It would have been a very much easier thing to allow their debt to remain, and to trust to the future to wipe it off for them, but thanks to the great interest Buckley people took in the schools it had been decided they were to do the best they could to wipe off the debt themselves. (Applause.)

Mrs. Edwards, who was warmly received, said: I should like to say I consider it a great pleasure and privilege to be able to come here today, and to help on in any way (I am afraid it is only a very small way) the great work that is going on here, especially the work of the schools. I do most cordially wish the bazaar every success. It has been my privilege lately to open a good many bazaars, and I can honestly say I have never seen such charming decorations - decorations so suitable to the beautiful weather we are now enjoying. I have very great pleasure in declaring the bazaar open, and cordially wishing it every success, and many buyers. (Applause.)

The Bishop, in addressing the company, said it had been an exceptional pleasure and privilege to be able to be at Buckley at the opening of that bazaar. The work done in Buckley parish in all directions, but especially for the education of the children of the parish, was, if he might venture to say so, quite unique in the diocese in its excellence. (Applause.) "The history of education in Buckley parish (the Bishop continued) is really very much more than a local or diocesan interest. I remember, and you remember, of course, that when some changes were made with regard to the transference of Buckley to the Mold urban authority, no less a person than Mr. Gladstone insisted upon having Buckley excluded from the school board district of Mold, and that was entirely in keeping with the whole of Mr. Gladstone's attitude towards what I may call the school board movement. In August 1873, three years after his Government has passed that great measure - because it was a great measure - the Act of 1870, Mr. Gladstone came down and addressed the parishioners of Hawarden. He opposed the formation of a school board in that parish, and in opposing it he used three very remarkable words, "I prefer voluntary and free action wherever that is possible, and where full justice can be done." (Applause.) I think Mr. Gladstone's was a very great name, and we as Churchmen are always proud to feel that, however much we might have differed from him on many political questions, he was at any rate a very great Churchman, and that when he spoke in the interests of the Church we were bound to listen with the greatest possible respect to all he said, and these words of Mr. Gladstone with regard to the school question may, I think, be very well brought to our memory today. (Applause.) But there is another reason why Buckley schools deserve the support of Churchmen. During the last few years you have spent in this parish on the building and maintenance of your schools more than £4,000, and I don't think you could have given more solid proof of the interest you take in the religious instruction of the children if this parish than by the generosity you have lavished on these schools. Of course, we are living at the present moment in rather anxious times with regard to our schools, but there is just one fact connected with Buckley school which is also of more than local importance. When this 'religious difficulty' was started - and of course remember it is a difficulty on the platform, and not of the school - (hear, hear) - Canon Drew sent out a circular to all the parishioners in Buckley to ask them to say whether they wanted their children to have what is called now 'simple Bible teaching.' What was the result? There are 750 children in this school, and how many have claimed the privilege of having simple Bible teaching? Twenty-five. I think that is very good, solid proof which I commend to the politicians, that this is a grievance which they have invented in their own platforms. (Applause.) I have no doubt that in Buckley schools there are a large percentage of Nonconformist children, and yet only 25 asked for this simple Bible teaching. I only want to say with all my heart I don't know of any work which has come under my observation in the diocese that more cordially deserves the support of Churchmen than the work you are doing here in Buckley parish. The progress the church has made here in the last few years is quite phenomenal, I wish your bazaar every success. (Applause.) It may be asked, 'Why do you spend money now?' We spend money in hope and confidence - in confidence that England is a country that loves justice, and we may be certain of this, that although justice may be delayed for a time, we shall get justice in the end. (Applause.) And I say, 'Go on and don't be afraid.'" (Applause.)

On the proposition of Mr. Nunn, seconded by Mr. T. Williams, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Edwards.

Author: Chester Chronicle

Chester Chronicle Article on the Saint Matthew's Schools Grand Bazaar"

Saint Matthew's School, Church Road, Buckley

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