On 2nd June 1875, a Festival of Choirs for the Archdeaconry of Coventry was held in St Peters.
A report on the Festival was found in “The Advertiser” dated 5th June 1875.
On 2nd June 1875, a Festival of Choirs for the Archdeaconry of Coventry was held in St Peters, the Parish Church of Church Lawford. This Church, formerly much dilapidated and time-worn, was completely rebuilt in 1872, all the materials worth preserving (of which there was a good deal) being made use of in the new building.
This restoration (especially to those who remember the former edifice) is exceedingly artistic and pleasing. The interior of the Church was profusely decorated with beautiful exotic and other flowers, ferns, mosses, &c., for which the gardens and greenhouses for miles round had been put under contribution; the effect being very agreeable and enlivening.
The day was beautifully fine and sunny, and in consequence drew a large number of visitors from the surrounding neighbourhood, amongst whom were the Revds. C. C. Adams, R. Allen, R. O. Assheton, C. A. Baynes, W. F. Bickmore, Andrew Bloxam, J. H. Hickman, J. Н. Jones, F. Simcox Lea, P. Llewellin, R. Male, J. R. Radcliffe, J. P. Rhoades, T. C. Russell, W. Scott, E. M. Stanley, D. Wauchope, and R. Woodcock. The choirs present were Bilton, Brinklow, Church Lawford, Hillmorton, Shilton, and Wolvey; a total number of 123.
A procession was formed on Mr. W. S. Townsend’s lawn adjacent to the churchyard, of the surpliced choirs and the clergy, which slowly entered the sacred edifice singing the processional hymn “Forward go, in glad accord.” The Evening Service was, with one or two very slight exceptions, very creditably gone through, the Anthem “We wait for Thy loving-kindness, O God” (Dr. P. Armes) and the hymns “Thou art the Way; by Thee alone” (St. James) and “To the Name of our Salvation” (Oriel) being especially well rendered. The Rev. Frederick Simcox Lea, M.A., Rector of Tedstone-de-la-Mere, Herefordshire, preached the sermon, taking for his text the words-
The choirs, with a number of the visitors, were entertained after service to tea in a large marquee erected near the Rectory.
The Advertiser issued an update shortly afterward in the form of a letter from the Vicar.
The Rectory, Church Lawford, Rugby. TO THE EDITOR.-SIR,-Will you kindly allow me to correct one particular in your notice of the Choral Festival held here last Wednesday. In stating that the gardens and greenhouses for miles round had been put under contribution for exotic and other flowers, you convey the impression that valuable plants had been lent or hired from noble or other great gardens in the neighbourhood; whereas the truth is that, with a single exception, which ought scarcely to be excepted, the decorations of the Church were entirely parochial. Ladies, farmers, and cottagers alike, willingly brought their best flowers to the house of God. The hedge banks furnished most of the ferns; reeds were cut from the river side, and a beautiful cactus, which held the place of honor in the centre of the east window, was the offering of a poor widow, whose tumble-down cottage it now again adorns. This may seem to you a trivial correction, but to us who are concerned, and perhaps to others, the value of the decorations is greatly enhanced by the knowledge that they are all our own, neither hired nor made to order, but offered by willing hearts and arranged by willing hands.
An alternative view on proceedings was published in the Rugby Gazette
On Wednesday afternoon last, a festival of choirs in union with the Choral Association for the Archdeaconry of Coventry, was held in the pretty parish church of Church Lawford. The day was beautifully fine but hot, though there was the counteracting influence of a pleasant breeze.
Across the road from the vicarage to the church was stretched an elegant banner of welcome, and the little village had for once “donned” its festive garb. The bells rung out merrily at intervals and the stranger could not but have noticed that an unusual occurrence was taking place.
There was a large attendance of ladies, gentlemen, and villagers from miles around, and amongst the clergy present we noticed the Rev. K. C. Adams; Rev. J. Ritson, Brinklow; Rev. E. M. Stanley, Hillmorton; Rev. J. R. Radcliffe, Bilton; Rev. W. F. Bickmore, Kenilworth; Revs. R. Allen, and P. Llewellyn, Rugby; Rev. R. O. Assheton, Bilton; Rev. C. А. Baynes; Rev. D. Wauchope, Rector of Church Lawford; Rev. E. J. Rhoades, Rugby; Rev. R. Male, Brinklow; Rev. A. Bloxam, Harboro’ Magna; Rev. T. C. Russell, Hugglescote, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch; Rev. W. Scott, Vicar of Exhall, near Coventry; Rev. J. R. Hickman, Birdingbury; Rev. R. Woodcock, Hillmorton; Rev. F. S. Lea, Rector of Tedstone-de-la-Mere, Herefordshire; Rev. J. H. Jones, &c.
The following choirs took part in the festival:-Bilton, Hillmorton, Shilton, Wolvey, Brinklow, and Church Lawford, and the total number of choristers was 123. At the time appointed, half-past three o’clock in the afternoon, the clergy and choristers in their surplices formed into procession at Mr. Townsend’s, near the church and steadily moved on into the church, singing the processional hymn, “Forward go! in glad accord.” The church was soon filled to overflowing. Service commenced and several clergymen took part in the same. The prayers, psalms, lessons, and canticles having been gone through, the choir prettily and harmoniously rendered the anthem, We wait for Thy loving kind- ness;” also before the sermon, was sweetly sung the beautiful hymn of which the following is the first verse :— Thou art the Way; by Thee alone From sin and death we flee, And he, who would the Father seek, Must seek Him, Lord, by Thee. The sermon was preached by the Rev. F. Simcox Lea – see here for detail.
The choir then sang the offertory hymn “To the Name of our Salvation,” At the finish, the recessional hymn was sung as the choristers left the church, “Forth to the Fight, ye ransomed.” A collection was made the in aid of the association. We must say that the church was decorated in a most recherché manner with plants and shrubs and looked very pretty. A tea was afterwards held in the Rectory grounds at which the choirs and a large number of ladies and gentlemen sat down.