Crunwere –
Parochial Church Council
Crunwere Church Minutes Book
First meeting held at the Schoolroom, 16 April 1920 – 19 present.
Unanimously decided secretary would be John Lewis of Oaklands – quorum being 9.
To defray the amount due for repairs due to the church and for the stone Mr Davies
Trenewydd, Mr Phillips Middleton and Mr J Williams Crunwere Farm were appointed
to solicit subscriptions.
Evan
Davies, Chairman.
Held in Schoolroom
June 11
June 18 – too few turned up
Dec 31
5 April 1921 – decided to approach
church people in the parish who seldom come to church to support by periodical money
contributions. Decided to have parish outing
on 20 June.
Decided only 3 needed for a quorum.
7 June 1921 – public meeting to
decide on trip – 12 attended. Decided to go to Amroth on 20 June and hold a
concert in Nov for church funds.
6 June 1923 – rector spoke as to the
necessity of a telephone service in the parish and to make enquiries to the
head office.
11 June 1923 – decided to have trip
to Amroth on 28 June – letter re the phone service under consideration.
8 June 1925 – the question of taking
over the churchyard by the parish was discussed, the parish was not prepared to
do so.
20 April 1927 – proposed by J Allen
and seconded by Mr Davies that the harmonium be repaired and presented to Mr Howard
James for his past services.
B Jones, Secretary
4 April 1934 – churchwardens appointed
– B Jones Rectors Warden and A James Broomylake People’s Warden – both unanimously
re-elected.
Sidesmen – John Lewis, Tom Phillips, W Davies Greenacre & Charles
Allen. Vestry Clerk & Auditor Mr
Wolff.
Quota £42. Recommended 10 shillings a
head based on 84 communicants present at Easter communion. A monthly envelope system agreed to.
27 June 1934 – the following gifts
had been received by the church – 4 book markers, credence table and
cloth. The rector to be empowered to
obtain a faculty for a reredos around the altar. 5 members should form a
quorum.
16 Oct 1934 – 10 gallon oil drum
with tap to be purchased through Mr R Glanville and a sweeping brush for the cleaning
of the church. The question of new pipes for the church stove was discussed.
Drew attention to the fact that a fire was necessary each Sunday during Sunday
School hours and resolved to pay the
cleaner 6d a tie to do the work.
16 Jan 1935 – a 5 year plan of
repairs was discussed.
Capt Williams suggested one big event each summer – such as a bazaar, agricultural
show and sports.
8 March 1935 - They were to obtain
estimates – the approximate figure was £200 which included distempering the
walls but not the removal and repair of the store or a screen over the door
leading to the tower which would amount to 30 or 35 extra. Decided that a small
agricultural show would be impractical and that a bazaar was preferable.
23 April 1935 – special Silver Jubilee
Service leaflets for order of services were purchased at 5/6 per hundred.
The number of Easter communicants was 13 less than last year but it had been
bad weather. 73 communicants are all more
or less regular attendants.
Church members interred during the last 12 months were:
David Williams, Rhosydd Vale
John Davies, the Norton
John Williams, Myrtle Villa
Margaret Pryce Jones, Heatherland
John Allen, Rose Cottage
Verdi James, Blackheath
Margret Thomas, Swansea
Mention was made of the house to house collection for funds for the church
renovation. The Rector ardently wished to the attendance of the churchwardens
where-ever possible at evening services, and thanked the choir, organist, Mothers’
Union, Girls Friendly Society, superintendent and teachers of the Sunday School
and referred to the effective work of the caretaker.
4 May 1935 – 6 were selected as
house to house collectors for Whitsun week. – Misses Katie Morris and Frances Bevan,
Bertie James, Charlie Allen, Howard James and Willie Allen.
£50 was in hand for the Church Renovation Fund and a loan could be advanced from
Lloyd’s Bank if members agreed to act as guarantors. To request a loan of £200.
To advertise in the ‘Narberth News’ for tenders.
20 June 1935 - the architect, Mr Anderson,
was present to answer questions.
Crunwere was generally not in a bad state of repair, but he said that
parts of it were in need of immediate attention. Morally, if not legally, we were bound to
accept the lowest tender. The lowest
tender was from Messrs John Evans and Son, Island House, Aberaeron, Cardigan, £206-13-6
– the work to be completed in 10 weeks.
17 July 1935 – decided to ask for
£100 overdraft.
24 September 1935 – the proceeds of
the house to house collection was £88-4s.
Work was progressing well, but one of the conditions as regard laying a
concrete channel 18”x6”, as well as a drain, was not being complied with. The
rector announced that the lam outside the church would be ready by Friday week.
19 November 1935 –
Alfred James drew attention to the gate into the Church Field. It was hung the
wrong side and was not wide enough. A 9ft gate to be hung the right way was
necessary. If Mr Leslie Glanville, the
landlord, would provide one the PCC would hang it and see to the cost of
fixing.
Mr Wolff proposed that something should be done to put the Church Lane in a
reasonable state of repair.
15 September 1936 – after much
deliberation it was decided to write to Mr Leslie Glanville to see if he will
hang a larger gate which will be self-closing on condition that PCC provide it. The meeting was concerned with the purchase
of another Tilley lamp to be hung over the choir – the present lighting being
very defective. To be purchased before the Harvest Festival.
23 November 1936
- the subject of an additional burial ground was discussed – the necessity was
pressing. There was the possibility of acquiring half an acre of the adjoining
field.
9 December 1936 – after the work had
been done the south side still has ivy, the east side window sill is cracked
and there are cracks appearing in the cement work. The south and south east
side of the tower has had water coming through and wetting the 2nd
floor. Unanimously decided that no further payments be made until 6 months
after completion.
£50 for the new burial ground and conveyancing.
The district Surveyor was attending to the Church Lane and it would soon be in
a better condition for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
21 December 1936 – the price of the
burial ground has dropped to £40 and no conveyance fee. There were 90 members
on the electoral roll.
6 January 1937 – Mr Davies,
Trenewydd, made a very generous offer to provide free of charge half of the
cost of materials and cartage of same for building the enclosing churchyard
wall. Greatly appreciated.
12 January 1937 – unanimously decided
to purchase half rather than a quarter acre.
Mr Mortimer kindly offered the other half of the material, cartage to be
done by any helpers – greatly appreciated. Resolved to ask for volunteer labour
to assist tis work.
9 February 1937 – Rector has written
to the Bishop as water is still dropping down the stairs in the tower and something
was radically wrong.
5 April 1937 – Leslie
Phillips joined PCC.
14 April 1937 – new number for a
quorum should be 7. Two new members, Fred Allen and Miss M Phillips.
4 June 1937 – proposed the
churchyard extension be enclosed with a boundary wall as soon as the fine
weather sets in.
18 June 1937 – the conversion of the
old stable into a coal house and toilet be suspended pro tem – carried. The
cost of digging foundations for the new wall and removing trees and soil be
done with voluntary labour. Estimate for cost of the wall - £81-10s.
26 July 1937 – Mr Alfred James to
proceed with building the wall.
6 September 1937 – date with to open
the new churchyard to be 12th October at 3pm. Tea to be held at the
school afterwards with a collection for the church extension fund. The Rector
raised the issue of a cement path to the church door instead of the cobbles,
finally decided to weed, clean and add weed killer.
13 September 1937 – proposed to ask
Willie Allen to be gravedigger. Mr Davies, Garness Mill, offered to recondition
the notice board in the porch. Discussion about new gates.
22 April 1938 – the new yard should
provide space for the next 150 years.
The late Mrs Davies, sister of Alfred James, had made the extension
largely possible (with a £90 legacy).
Back in 1878 Mrs Emma Jones of Templeton had borne the cost of renovation.
27 January 1939 – memorial window
north side of the church in memory of Rev W D Phillips Rector `839-1886 to be
erected by Messes Moore of Bath and a stone memorial by local members of the Mothers’
Union in memory of Mrs Wolff School House – both approved unanimously.
18 April 1939 – Easter Vestry + some
previous figures:
1934 - 88+7 sick = 95
1935 – 73+10 sick = 83
1936 – 98+8 sick = 106
1937 – 90+7 sick = 97
1938 – 97+6 sick = 103
1939 – 92+4 sick = 96
Remnants of old parish registers that were damaged but now renovated were produced
from 1725-62 – births marriages and deaths.
25 April 1939 – New quorum should be
8.
Mr Davies Garness – the notice board had been reconditioned, a smaller one
framed and a collection box made for free.
The bell ringer is to be insured.
28 June 1939 – proposed by Mr B
Jones that a lamp be purchase holding an 8 day supply of oil, to be kept
burning night and day near the organ.
10 January 1940 – house to house collections for school funds raised £19-8s – with a few more to follow.
Panelling in the church had been removed as the back was covered in fungus.
The rector stated that for six years, 17 of the 91 church members had paid no quota and 15 only paid 6d a month (4/- was lost therefore by each of those 15). The quota is £44 annually.
10 April 1940 – number for a quorum should be 7.
2 May 1940 – they had lost three faithful church members during the last year – Mrs Raymond Mrs Alfred James and Mr Charlie Allen. They were held in very high esteem and members stood for a minute’s silence.
The two church wardens were again re-elected for a further year of office – the 44th year of their nomination. B Jones, Esq, Heatherland (Rector’s Warden) and Mr Alfred James, Esq, Broomylake (Peoples’ Warden).
26 July 1940 – still discussing getting remedial work completed to the leaky tower. Every service to be held at the church and not the school. Regarding the blackout – plywood would be purchased.
2 August 1940 – purchase of material for blackout curtains proposed.
27 November 1940 – Mr Davies, Trenewydd, offered to provide 2 lorry loads of stone to build a dry wall – gratefully accepted.
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