Scope and Content
All letters from the Rev. Arthur E. Main to Humphrey Whitbread (his warden), except where otherwise noted. Occasional annotations by Whitbread. Most cover a variety of church and personal topics, including accounts, old and new vicarages, church fabric and fixtures, churchyard, liturgy, heating and electricity, parish officers, organist, choir, activities. Other matter includes:
-- illnesses of Mr. Main’s sister; accident to and comment on toughness of his elderly mother; and had ‘phone call that morning from son Graham to say his farm had burned down (‘I felt a bit like Job...’) (4 May);
-- appointment of Christopher Cox as new organist (‘He played most acceptably last Sunday, and, considering that he is a Free Churchman and that that was his first “Church” service, I thought he did well.’); appointment of verger, Wells (‘already has connections with Cardington through his wife, who was an adopted daughter of Mrs. Smith, sometime a Day School mistress in Cardington and knows to the older folk'); as old vicarage sold to Humphrey Whitbread, Mr. Murdoch must ask his permission for continued use of paddock; following from fire insurance considerations, ‘Church members, and indeed Church Authorities seem to have failed to realize that this is the Age of transport, and that there is no longer any justification for having a church in every village, except as a kind of local museum. From what I hear, the congregations in Willington, Moggerhanger, Cople, Wilstead and Cotton End could all be accommodated in Cardington Church, and none of these places is more than 6 miles away by car. However, I am no longer a business man, but a tiny, impractical voice crying in a vast wilderness, so I reluctantly agree that this insurance must stand.’ (28 June);
-- ‘I am sorry about the Fraines and the garden. I think the least said about this the better. It is a most unhappy situation between them and the Phillipses, and so unnecessary. I would not dream of intruding into the garden without first obtaining—in your absence—the head gardener’s permission, and, as you rightly judge, I thought that enough.’ (13 July);
-- setting of the liturgy, Series 2 and Series 1 Communion Service (‘I thought [Series 2] had some very good points, particularly the abrupt ending, as much as to say: “You have received all the assurance you need of God’s redemption and empowering, now go out and do something for Him.”’; has been diagnosed with diabetes, comments on the ‘first-class clinic at Bedford’, ‘No more raspberry choux, I fear, at Howard House.’ (20 November);
-- in copy letter from Humphrey Whitbread to Mr. Main: ‘I am delighted that Mrs. Deanery Treasurer [Mrs. A.N. Polhill] is coming to open our Christmas Fair. It would be most appropriate that she should do it because her husband recently wrote to me reminding me that we have not, as yet, paid any part of our diocesan quota.’; re vicar’s diabetes, ‘Mrs. Fraine will, I am sure, reinforce my sympathy and will be all the sorrier to have, in effect, lost one of her culinary admirers....’ (23 November);
-- thanks for turkey; vicarage expecting whole family for Christmas Day, 14, ‘the oldest being 99 and the youngest 6’ (21 December);
-- request to order Series 1 Communion Services, (‘The new Communion Services, which you kindly ordered, are, I find, Series 2, and I think we are both agreed that this would be too drastic an innovation for our congregation.’ (31 December).