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Old Stoke Golding (Photographers unknown) St Margaret's Church bells - 1910 St Margaret's Church interior (pre 1910) The photograph of St Margaret's Church bells was taken in 1910, when restoration work was being carried out on the church tower. On the left of the photograph is Rev. George Maxwell Edmonds, in the centre is Mr Shilton and on the right is Mr Harry (Skip) Stoneley, who was leader of the bell ringers. The old oak bell frame needed replacing and an iron frame was installed in its place. The four existing bells were taken down and sent to the foundry of Messrs Taylor at Loughborough where they were retuned. Two new bells were added at this time; one, a treble bell, was given by local subscription and the sixth bell was donated by Rev. W. W. Worthington of Netherseal. The bells vary in weight from 3cwts (149Kg) to 9cwts (448Kg), the oldest being the present fourth bell, which is dated 1634. I am indebted to Mr Tony Collett and the late Mr T. W. Hall for their writings on the bells of St Margaret’s Church, Stoke Golding. Jill Webster
An old print of the church (date unknown) Date unknown The Old Vicarage, which stood in Wykin Lane
1910 Front Rear
Church Walk
Sandstone House on the corner of Main Street and Hinckley Road - pulled down March1925 for road widening
Mr and Mrs Rose in foreground
Hinckley Road - looking towards the cemetery
Lower High Street -The Barracks, 1910 Looking towards The White Swan, High Street
The Old Grammar School, Station Road The George and Dragon - early 1900s
Middle Stores, 1910
The War Memorial in the centre of the village
The Old Lodge - demolished to make way for St Martin's Convent and Church
Front Rear St Margaret's Church Orchestra, 1878
Thomas Vallance was born in 1768 and died in 1848, serving as Clerk from 1822 to 1848. His son, Thomas junior, was born in 1807 and died in 1878. He was appointed Clerk by Stoke Vestry in 1848 and held office for 30 years. His son Frederick was born in 1846 and died in 1920 and was Parish Clerk from 1878 to 1920 and organist for many years. Frederick’s son Edgar was Parish Clerk for just three years from 1921 to 1924 when the Vallance connection ended. W. T. Hall M.B.E. wrote in his ‘History of Stoke Golding’ that the position of Clerk was held under auspices of the Church and listed the duties and fees paid as: "Looking to the clock, £1.0s.0d per annum, Easter dues £1.0s.0d, Dues for marriages 1s 0d (5p), Christening if no meal 6d (2½p), With a meal 4d (2p), Burial fee in the Church 3s 0d (15p), In the Churchyard 1s 0d. In 1878 Fred Vallance was paid 5 guineas in wages (£1.25p). In bygone days the Clerk wrote the Parish Registers on parchment if the Curate was absent. "Mr Hall interviewed an old resident Thomas Shilton, who lived in the late 1800s who said, ‘Before the new Church organ was built, the choir sang to the tune of an harmonium and the stringed orchestra. By 1843 the choir and orchestra were accommodated in the new gallery. They sat at the north end and had a large harmonium played by the clerk, Thomas Vallance, and for years after by his son Frederick. Before the harmonium arrived they were led by the stringed orchestra. The choir was composed, as far as I can remember of the Vallance family who were also the bell ringers. The Clerk was a fine, tall man and quite a clever musician. Later the Woodwards occupied the leadership. George Woodward was a striking man with a lofty forehead and fine iron grey hair.’ To return to the photograph, Thomas Vallance junior, front right, died in 1878 and so we may presume that the picture was taken in that year. On the back row from left to right are Isaac Wright, Frederick Vallance and George Woodward. On the front row are William Lee, Edward Bickley and the redoubtable Thomas Vallance. Denis Cash Wykin Lane towards Main Street Hinckley Road / Main Street
Lower High Street Towards Fishers Farm, Baptist Chapel on left
Station Road
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1900
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Coach House, Wykin Lane,
1995