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The
Period 1949-1962
The
death of the Rev W. J. Wallace was followed by a period of some
months during which the parish was without a Rector, but
eventually the living was accepted by the Rev. P. T. W. Tranter,
Vicar of the Church of St. James the Apostle, Islington, who was
inducted by the Bishop of Colchester on May 5th,
1949. The coming of the Rev. and Mrs. Tranter, with their young
son Simon, marked the beginning of a new period of spiritual
growth in Myland, which was reflected in the practical efforts
of its people to improve conditions in the Church and the parish
generally.
The
Rectory was once more in need of extensive repair and
redecoration, and when this was completed, the garden became the
setting for the annual Summer Fete which raised approximately £200
each year and helped to put the Church finances on a firmer
basis.
A
Social Committee was formed and by a series of plays and
concerts in the Parish Hall by the Drama Club, enough money was
raised to renew the electric light fittings in the Church; a
plaque in the Chancel reads:
“
The lighting in the Chancel was given by the Social Committee as
their contribution to the Centenary of the Church “.
This
was in 1955, and soon after, sufficient funds became available
to renew the lighting in the Nave also.
At
the same time, much of the Church woodwork was found to have
been damaged by woodworm, and a Men’s Working Party was
formed, their first task being to provide new Communion rails
with balusters, to match the two oak stands made by Mr. F, C.
Nunn to support the pair of large flower vases given by Mrs.
Tranter for use in the Sanctuary. These Communion Rails,
designed by Mr. K. R. Mabbitt, were dedicated to the memory of
the Rev. W. J. Wallace by the Bishop of Colchester at a service
held on the 18th May, 1953. The same workers under
the leadership of Mr. Nunn, also constructed a new altar and
curtain beam, given in memory of Miss Edith Mann by her
relatives, and the Bishop’s Chair bearing the arms of the
diocese, carved and in colour, donated in memory of the late
Archdeacon Buckley of Ipswich by his widow. Mrs. Rede Buckley.
All the carving, including the two shields of St. Michael which
surmount the Altar, was skilfully executed by Mr. Nunn and Mr.
W. Bowers.
The
Mothers’ Union raised money to provide new frontals for the
Altar and curtains for the Sanctuary: these, beautifully
embroidered, were the work of Mrs. Dyer.
New
robes were also needed for the Choir, and complete sets for all
the members were made by Miss N. Crundwell. A 17th
century alms-dish embossed with five angels was given to the
Church in memory of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Savage. Mr. Savage was
Rector’s Warden from April 1926 until 1944, when he was
succeeded by Mr. E. A. Wicks, who served until 1950. when Mr. F.
J. A. Richardson was appointed.
The
Rev. Paul Tranter continued his ministry in the parish until the
beginning of 1961, when he became Vicar of Bere Regis, in
Dorset; this living, like Myland, is in the gift of Balliol
College, Oxford. An interregnum of fifteen months ensued, partly
due to the fact that the Rectory was again in a bad state of
repair. During this time Mr. Richardson, the Rector’s Warden,
acted as Sequestrator and looked after the affairs of the
parish, while the Rev. E. J. Strover, the retired Rector of
Lawford Church, did duty as Priest-in-Charge. Mr. Strover was a
retired Army Officer and former R.A.F. Chaplain, whose service
included a period with the Royal Flying Corps during the
1914-1918 war; despite his age he brought to his work an
inspiring enthusiasm and a keen interest in the welfare of the
younger generation.
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