6th September 1947 SA

NEW VICAR OF SANDON

The Earl of Harrowby (centre), patron of the living, photographed with the Bishop of Lichfield, clergy and church officials. The new Vicar (the Rev. W.B. Buckland) is the clergyman on the right of the picture.

The institution of the Rev. W.B. Buckland as Vicar of Sandon took place on Monday evening. The ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Lichfield (Dr. E.S. Woods) and the new incumbent was inducted by Preb. T.F. Royds (Rural Dean of Stafford).

Robed clergy taking part in the service were the Rev. V.H. Cope (Vicar of Castle Church, Stafford), who acted as Bishop’s chaplain, the Rev. Ian Miller (former curate at St. Peter’s, Battersea, and vicar-designate of All Saints, Hatcham Park, London), the Rev. F.W. Holmes (vicar of Milwich), the Rev. N. Gledhill (vicar of St. Thomas’, Stafford), the Rev. G.B.J.R. Watson (Vicar of Hilderstone), and the Rev. E.L. Knight (Vicar of Salt). Other clergy present were the Rev. C.B. Jones (vicar of St. Ann’s, Warrington), the Rev. H.V. Atkinson (vicar of All Soul’s Church, Liverpool, the Rev. F. Woods (vicar of the Prish Church, Huddersfield), and the Rev. Norman Baer (Methodist Minister at Smallthorpe, Burslem.

The Rev. W.B. Buckland was presented to the Bishop by the patron of the living, the Earl of Harrowby, (Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire). The Countess of Harrowby, Viscount and Viscountess Sandon, and lady Frances Ryder also attended the service.

Laity taking part were Mr. B. Adams (vicar’s warden), Mr. J. Cadman (people’s warden), Mr. A. Hine (verger), and Mr. W. Sargeant, Mr. R. Lindop, Miss E. Cook and Mr. P.J. Berrisford (church councillors).

In his address, the Bishop welcomes the new incumbent to Sandon, and spoke of the good work done in the parish by his predecessor, the Rev. J.D. Charlesworth, who was Vicar of Sandon during the difficult war years.

BISHOP AND WORLD PROBLEMS

The Bishop, commenting upon the state of the world two years after the end of the war said: “The world is very far from recovery, as we know only too well in this country. We have to face a long period of difficulty and austerity. It is because people have drawn away from God that we have landed ourselves in the midst of these problems. There can be no doubt that the real hope of world recovery lies in the return to God and a recovery of the sense of the supernatural.”

“Many people apparently spent their lives in perpetual slumber, and it was the duty of the Church to wake them up to a sense of God, said the Bishop.” Throughout the last century men began to think they could be saved by science. All science could do was to produce the atom bomb, and people were more afraid now than they had ever been. It was only the sense of the supernatural, the sense of the living God, that could restore the world and lead to any real progress.

People sometimes wondered if there will be any kind of religious revival in this country. That was something we could not possibly tell, said Dr. Woods. In history we found that, whenever there had been any sort of religious revival, it had been through the re-discovery of the real Christ. St. Francis of Assisi burst through the ecclesiastical routine—the ecclesiastical debris—of this time, and once again found himself face to face with Christ. The Wesley revival in the 18th century showed the world the true path to democracy.”

The Bishop concluded by wishing Mr. Buckland every success in his work at Sandon, both in the Church and in the farms and homes of his parish. After the ceremony, a welcome party for the new Vicar, his wife and family, was held at the Sandon Village Club. Mr. B. Adams welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Buckland to the village and pointed out that in 636 years Sandon had had only 45 vicars. This represented an average stay of 14 years, and he hoped the new vicar and his wife would not want to make any change until long after that period had elapsed. Mr. J. Cadman also welcomed the vicar on behalf of the people of the parish.

Thanking the parishioners for their welcome, the Vicar said that, after so many years in a town, he was glad to be back in the country.

Refreshments were served by a ladies’ committee.

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