"The Curate and the Farmer's Boy"

The ancient church of St. Mary the Virgin in the Wiltshire village of Winterbourne Gunner is "delightfully situated" on the east bank of the River Bourne. A Victorian visitor described it as a beautiful church, "if only in its simplicity." It was there in 1887, that a new curate arrived, the Rev Robert Alexander Morgan, just ordained at Durham. The rectory was very near the church, but over a footbridge to the west bank of the river, opposite Manor Farm, where lived John Blake Sutton and his large family. 

It was a small village and, for some reason, the curate and the farmer did not mesh. On a summer's evening that August, the Rev. Morgan was returning from the Post Office along the "public road" when someone threw a stone over a hedge nearly hitting him. The curate scrambled up an embankment and chased down three little boys: 8-year old Charles Sutton, his brother Albert (there were seven Suttons) and William Hill. Who threw the stone, the curate demanded? William grassed, "Charlie, you better tell the truth." Charlie admitted he was the guilty party. 

The next day, the Rev Morgan wrote an extraordinary letter that was soon published in hundreds of newspapers. 

"Dear Sir (he addressed it to Mr. Sutton) As I passed up the road yesterday evening, a stone was thrown over the hedge at me by one of your boys. I shall not tolerate such conduct, and after the demonstration of your own profound ignorance and want of breeding on last Saturday, I have decided that if you will not teach your boys better manners, I shall."

Morgan demanded an apology within seven days or he would instruct his counsel to bring a case to the magistrates.

"You should bear in mind,' his letter continued, 'that there is a great gulf between your position and mine and if you do not teach your children how to conduct themselves properly, you must, like other parents similarly situated, take the consequences."  

No apology was forthcoming and, on 23 August, the remarkable assault case was heard in Salisbury, just a stone's throw away. (Sorry) The Rev. Morgan recounted his experience of the evening of 9 August. He narrowly escaped serious injury. He was able to capture his assailants and "the defendant" admitted being the perpetrator of the deed. Asked to explain his letter to the boy's father, Morgan said it was "no stronger than what Mr. Sutton deserved." 

William Hill, one of "the Winterbourne Gunner Three" was called. He admitted seeing Charlie throw the stone but he wasn't throwing it at anyone. Boys throwing stones, it was, nothing more, swore young William. The magistrates agreed and dismissed the charges. By way of chastening Mr. Morgan for his feelings of superiority, the curate was ordered to pay farmer Sutton's solicitor's bill of £1, 1s.

The story of "The Curate and the Farmer's Boy" was in  papers across Britain, and the curate's "singular letter" much commented upon. The verdict was generally approved although it was hoped that "this early visit to the magistrates will not turn Master Charles into a hardened offender, and that he will, in future, be careful to look before he throws stones." 

The Rev. Morgan remained in the Bourne Valley for another year or so before emigrating to Australia. 

Not a Creditable Affair for a Clergyman

The 13th century church of St. Peter stands in Deene Park, the Brudenell estate in Northamptonshire. The Brudenells were patrons of many churches in the area. The most famous in that family line, of course,  was the 7th Earl of Cardigan, hero of the Charge of the Light Brigade. While his Lordship was leading his "noble six hundred" into "the jaws of death," the rector of his church was keeping a mistress in London. 

This all came to light in 1856 when there was a disturbance at 98 York Road in Lambeth. A gentleman named Harris explained in police court that he wished to charge Miss Jane Oakford with stealing a gold watch and other appendages. Miss Oakford replied that the items were hers; they were gifts, she had been his mistress for two years. The magistrate might also wish to know that Mr. Harris was actually Rev Harris, a clergyman of the Church of England. Harris suddenly chose to drop the charges. It seems the falling out between the lovers began when Rev Harris told Jane that he was getting married; she did not take the news well. The books were closed on the fracas. “Thus has ended this delicate, though to a clergyman, not creditable affair.” 

The word of the unseemly incident in London reached the Bishop of Peterborough who urged Harris to clarify matters. The rector of Deene, now the newlywed husband of Miss Susannah Nye, went back to Lambeth to deny Miss Oakford was ever his mistress and that all such reports were “very detrimental to his character.” Two days later, Miss Oakford - described as “a person of ladylike manners,” reappeared with her lawyer. She brought with her many letters, a signed passport for "Mr. Oakford & wife," and the bill from a Paris hotel, for a room with just the single bed. Again, Harris opted to withdraw from the field. 

Lord Cardigan's own private life was hardly exemplary. He was probably quite forgiving. The Bishop not so much, to be sure. Nonetheless, the Rev. Mr. Harris managed to hold on to his rectory, although he left almost of the clerical duties to a curate. He remained rector of Deene and Corby until his death in 1872. 

The church at Deene is redundant now. The Brudenells still live in the hall. The massive tomb and memorial to Lord Cardigan can be seen in the church on open days. 

Please check out my new collection of clerical stories in HOW THE VICAR CAME AND WENT.