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            "194": {
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                "title": "Recreation Ground",
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                        "*": "=ALLOTMENTS AND  RECREATION GROUND=\n\n==The Allotments==\nThis land \u2013 about 10 acres altogether \u2013 stretched from the Recreation Ground to the far end of the field, and included the land where Rainsford Close is now.  This was farmed by the Manor farm staff and the whole land was full of soft fruits, raspberries, strawberries, black-currants, red-currants, loganberries, gooseberries etc., very tempting for young children to help themselves when leaving the village school.\n\nWhen Close Cottage (now called Owlet End) was bought and made into one house, the surrounding land had been used as allotments and tenanted out.  But when that land was built on, a portion of the land comprising the original Manor Allotments was allotted for those tenants \u2013 as it is laid out now.    \n\n==RECREATION GROUND==\n\nAccording to the Minutes of the PCC in 1958 and 1959, there was a lot of discussion about the state of the Recreation in general and quick decisions had to be made.\nThe wall and the surrounding hedges had to be improved and repaired where necessary.   Also the soil beneath the swings was now a very large puddle on wet days, the puddle large enough to stay there for several days until the sun had dried it.   Mr. Reece was instructed to lay a new hedge\n\nThere had been much correspondence between Warwick Education Authority and the Gloucester Diocesan authorities concerning the possibility of purchasing this piece of ground as an ideal site for a new school.   The ground had been measured and \u00a3900 had been quoted as its value.  But the PCC felt very strongly against this proposal and\nwished to retain this ground for use by the children.  So this was proposed by Major Taylor and seconded by Mr,. A Green, and was a unanimous decision.\n\nThe Rector, Rev Cecil Lake had hoped a smaller Rectory could be built on this field, as the present one was too expensive for him to keep!.  \n\nBy 3rd June 1959 Miss Hodgson petitioned the PCC to attend to the ground beneath the swings which was now in a deplorable state during the winter.  It was felt that this was not something for the Church alone to attend to.  The Rector Rev Cecil Lake then suggested that he write to offer the swings to the Warwickshire Education Authority.  \n\nAnd this started the old saga.   \n\nThe village was now in the county of Warwick, but the Church and the Church School insisted on staying in Gloucester Diocese.  So therefore the Warwickshire Education Committee stated that they were not going to accept responsibility.   It was up to Gloucester Diocese to do that!. \n\nSo \u2013 the answer was \u2013 concrete \u2013 done by the Church, with Mr. Steele proposing and Tony Green seconding that Mr. Ralph Dodd would deal with the laying of the cement\n\nIn 1960, the Parochial Church Council was spurred on by a generous gift from the Horticultural Society of \u00a384 and this was to be spent on the erection of a climbing frame.  The concrete base had been done, but Mr. Dodd saw another problem.   The wooden swing seats needed replacing, and the chain links needed to be shortened.\n\nBy 13th September 1961 Major Taylor was complaining that, owing to bad conditions of the hedges, children were causing damage to the allotments.   Boundaries were discussed and, in March 1965 it was decided to hold a village meeting to discuss a form of raising money to erect a fence alongside No. 42   The cost of chain link with 9 concrete posts was \u00a3150 \u2013 Wire netting \u00a3121.   The Rector Canon Patterson proposed that a sub-committee should act on behalf of the Church Council.\n\nIn 3rd May 1967  Eric Greenway was asked to repair the brick wall to the Rec using bricks from the Churchyard.   \n\nFrom then on, it seems the village suffered many strong winds causing havoc to the tall and mature elms planted many years ago alongside this brick wall, and by 29th September 1972 they were so damaged and diseased that four of them had to be felled,and any others left, had to be lopped at the top.   Arden Forestry were asked to take down the elms and three poplars for \u00a382\n\nSuggestions for new trees to replace them were  green and scarlet oaks, lime, tulip tree and plane trees\n\nSee video  under \u201cEvents \u2013 Forlorn Recreation Ground\u201d \n\nDue to gales, one poplar had been uprooted just missing No. 20, and the other two did not look safe. The poplar stretched across the village street stopping the flow of traffic.   Work was quickly done the next day on sawing, with many wheelbarrows appearing along the village street, where the wood was offered free to the o.a.p. as firewood..   The brick wall which was demolished by the uprooted tree was not covered by insurance.  Nigel Radbourne and Ernie Pardo who spent the whole of the day sawing off the branches and trunk, were going to be paid for their work.\n\nIn 1976 the Parish Council were approached to get quotations for the cutting of the Rec  as well as the village green, and the Jackson Education Charity Trustees came to the rescue agreeing to pay the whole of the bill for the repair of the Recreation Wall.\n\nBut at the next meeting Maisie Wilks reported on a quote from the Contractor who would require \u00a315 a month to cut the Rec and the grass verge, and it was thought that the Playing Fields Maintenance would still undertake this cutting, as it was, until recently, used by the school children for their school playing field.  However, in November of that year (1976) the School Authorities stated they were no longer responsible for this contract, but would   -  possibly  -   fit it in at a price!\n\nIt came  - \u00a360 per annum, and the Church decided to accept their quote!    But the following year, the Rector had to chase the Council's Playing Field man, as the quote for mowing covered the clipping of the outer edge as before  - AND THIS WAS NOT DONE!   However, all was restored when the Warwickshire County Council gave the village a gift of some trees for the Parish, and stated they would replace the dead tree on the Recreation Field \u2013 plus a beech hedge.\n\nThen, in November 1976, the School authorities dropped a bomb.   They were no longer responsible for the contract to attend to the cutting of the Rec and to the village green \u2013 once again saying they  -   might   -    fit it in, at a price!\n\nThen in 1985, attention was drawn to the swings and the crossbar \u2013 which was almost rusted through.   Also the see-saw needed to be made up to conform to British Standards.   Thankfully this work was delayed, so the children were able to enjoy the massive and enjoyable see-saw a little longer, but the crossbar on the swing was removed and replaced with a new one, this being paid for by the Charity Trustees, the work being done by Brookes of Goldicote at a cost of \u00a350.  But there was an extra cost of \u00a343 for the use of lorry and crane.\n\n[[File:Charles_and_di_celebrations-small.jpg|upright|Charles and Di Wedding celebrations]]"
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            "47": {
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                "title": "Rectory",
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                        "*": "= The Old Rectory =\n\n[[Parish Magazine April 1930]]\n\n[[File:The_rectory_tenanted_by_3_families.jpg|thumb|right|The Rectory tenanted by 3 families]]\n\nThe Old Rectory, originally of course called The Rectory, was, for many years just cottages. The Annesleys, Rectors for many years, lived at The Manor, and the Rev Pippet had a house built for himself and his family at Red Hill, so, for all that time, the black timbered house with white wattle and daub near the Church, was occupied by villagers.\n\nMr. and Mrs. Betteridge lived in two rooms. Their front door faced the Churchyard and opened straight into their living room. To get to their bedroom and storage room upstairs, they used the main staircase; the rest of the house being bolted off. The delightful sloping back-bedroom was used by them for storing apples, and below this was the room where Mrs. Betteridge salted the pig.\n\nMr. Betteridge had great difficulty in walking towards the end of his life, and for many years beforehand had trouble with his legs, so all the work was left to his wife. She was a marvellous lady, always ready to sell the best of her eggs to anyone who came to the door, Eggs were bought from The Rectory and milk bought from The Hollies across the road, so it was a very busy part of the village at one time.\n\nMrs. Betteridge wore clogs (and she was one of the last to wear the white bonnet so common years earlier), and the echo of her clogs on the stone-flagged floor could be heard the moment you knocked at her front door. She kept poultry (which she killed and dressed herself), ducks and pigs. The ducks filled the orchard and would always drift down to the river. Regularly at sundown, Mrs. Betteridge would clip clop down to the river calling, \u201cCome on! Dil! Dil! Dil!\u201d, and would be answered by several hundred \u201cquacks\u201d from all directions, and most of the ducks answering didn\u2019t even belong to her! They just liked the sound of her voice coming to them across the water.\n\nMr. Betteridge, when his legs would permit him, was a bellringer and regularly every New Year\u2019s Eve after ringing the New Year in, would invite the other four bellringers back to his home for a good supper of rabbit pie, cooked specially for the bellringers by Mrs. Betteridge. The rabbits were supplied by Nipper Livey (real name Enoch) from Cold Comfort Farm, and what a delicious spread it was! The only time he could not join his fellow ringers and friends, was on Boxing Day. This was the day the ringers sang more than rang. Unfortunately for Mr. Betteridge, they walked too \u2013 round to all the farms, singing. However, Mrs. Betteridge would invite them all in when darkness came and the walk finished. Then, with stomachs full of rabbit pie (again!) he would join them ringing a peal. Mrs. Betteridge would also give them warm cider with a little ginger heated on her stove in her enamel saucepan.\n\nVery sadly Mrs. Betteridge did not have a pleasant ending to her life. She had moved to No 13 to make way for the new Rector, and fell down the stairs one morning. Harold Mole found her late afternoon. He opened her back door to get her milk jug (he was delivering milk at the time), and found her lying at the foot of the stairs unconscious. She had been there many hours, and never recovered.\n\nMr. and Mrs. Franklin lived in the middle section of The Rectory. The only thing that can be remembered of Mrs. Franklin was her taking the baby out for an airing in his pram.\n\nPuffy Wheeler (baptised Charles) and his wife lived in the kitchen end of The Rectory. He would come to the door puffing and blowing through his whiskers. I think it is he I have to thank for my son\u2019s expression on referring to the death of anyone as \u201ckick the bucket\u201d! Evidently, Puffy Wheeler shouted this to my father-in-law, Len Salmon, every time he saw him with his rabbits when Puffy was out delivering the dough cakes and flour. \u201cThat rabbit will kick the bucket before long\u201d, he would shout. My father-in-law used the expression in front of James \u2013 hence the consequences. Puffy worked as delivery boy for the other Mill on the main road.\n\nMrs. Rees-Mogg was the Patron of the Church and it was she and not Gloucester who decided that Canon Brookes would be an ideal Rector. The Rev Pippet having died, his widow and daughter stayed on in the house he had built. Therefore Canon Brooks had nowhere to live except The Rectory, and the tenants had to leave, Mrs. Rees-Mogg finding cottages for them. She then paid for new wooden and tiled floors to be put over the stone flags. Eventually, in 1927, Canon Brookes moved in with his wife and 10 year old twin sons.\n\n[[File:Aerial_view_village_1938.jpg|thumb|left|Aerial view of the village, 1938]]\n\nAs well as looking after the spiritual needs of Clifford, he also looked after Atherstone, and I should think he was the only Vicar to work under two Bishops \u2013 Coventry and Gloucester! Services at Atherstone I think were on a Sunday afternoon and in the fine weather he cycled across the fields to take the services. As well as that afternoon service, he had the usual services at Clifford, plus visiting the village school regularly every week to take services there. Canon Brookes was a small man with a nasal tone to his voice, but he was a brilliant speaker. \n\n[[File:Canon_Brookes.jpg|thumb|right|Canon Brookes]]\n\nHe had been Canon of a large Church and congregation, but on developing heart trouble, was advised to seek a smaller parish. Talk of his sermons spread, and soon a Stratford Blue double-decker bus arranged by the Manager of the Company, was booked every Sunday evening to bring people from Stratford to the service. To get a good seat, people needed to arrive half-an-hour before the service! Twice, morning service on the BBC was broadcast from our Church with Canon Brooks as preacher.\n\nHe retired in 1954 and Rectors after that had a lot to live up to. Rev Brown who came after him, died very suddenly \u2013 almost at his post. He had attended a meeting at Atherstone, I was told, to discuss its future association with Clifford, and died on returning home.  However, when the Rev Lake arrived on the scene, he made it quite obvious he did not like the idea of serving two Bishops. The Bishop of Coventry tried to persuade him to stay with Atherstone but it seems he wasn\u2019t successful. \n\nThe Rev. Lake was a jolly man with a great sense of humour. He had been prisoner of war and in one of his sermons, gave a demonstration of one of his activities while in prison. He mimed opening a prison window, then roared out in a melodious but extremely loud singing voice, the chorus \u201cLet the blessed sunshine in; let the blessed sunshine in; open wide the windows, open wide the door. Let the blessed sunshine in\u201d He called on Betty Harris one day while she was having a bath. Not knowing who the caller was, Betty shouted out where she was, knowing that with the bathroom next to the front door, she would be heard clearly. The Rev. Lake\u2019s reply was, \u201cWould you like me to come and scrub your back?\u201d!\n\nCanon. Patterson came next, and found himself serving Clifford and Marston Sicca. (Incidentally, from old Parish Records, I have found out that Clifford applied to Marston Sicca District Council for anything to do with roads, hedges, ditches.). \n\nCanon Patterson was a bachelor needing a housekeeper. The elderly housekeeper he brought with him, became so elderly she could no longer do the work required. As no other housekeeper turned up to take her place, Rev. Patterson had to leave.\n\nThe Rev David Leonard-Williams was the next Rector to live at The Rectory with his energetic wife and two young lads, plus - living along the village street - his delightful and prayerful mother-in-law. \n\nUp until they arrived, the Sunday School was always held in the Church vestry on a Sunday afternoon, though when Rev Pippet had been the Priest in Charge, the children met at Red Hill House.. Now, with a young family, the Leonard-Williams encouraged the children to meet on a Sunday morning in one of the big rooms at the Rectory.\n\nRev. Leonard-Williams had a very dry wit. \u201cRector\u201d, whispered one of the choir boys to him in the choir vestry. \u201cLook! This wooden cupboard has woodworm in it.\u201d Rev Leonard-Williams (who had been an architect before taking up Holy Orders) looked over his glasses at the offending cupboard. \u201cThen,\u201d he said, \u201cyou had better keep your head away from it!\u201d\n\nThe villagers were delighted when, after Rev Leonard-Williams left, they found out that Canon Hawkins was coming as Rector. They had never met him, or heard his preaching, and as most of his preaching had taken place in Nigeria, this wasn\u2019t surprising. The person they did know well, was his wife. They had known her and her twin sister since the girls were 10, when they came to play with their twin cousins in The Rectory \u2013 for Mrs. Hawkins and Miss Talbot, her sister, were the nieces of Canon Brooks!\n\nCanon Hawkins was a very shy and gentle man who had witnessed great suffering during the civil war in Nigeria, both those in grief over the loss of loved ones, and those who were going through the trauma of killing a fellow human-being. His shyness made him put a great effort into his work. He visited everyone who was ill \u2013 even those who were suffering from nothing more than a common cold! He took the childrens\u2019 services, teaching them new songs by singing them unaccompanied. One time he surprised the choir when our organist became ill one Sunday and there was no time to find a replacement. After announcing each hymn, he came into the choir pews and with an, \u201cExcuse me\u201d to the choir, climbed over the back of the choir pew onto the organ seat, switched the organ on and played the hymn,. Once the hymn finished, he switched off the organ, climbed back over the seat and back to his seat to take the next part of the service, until he announced the next hymn. \nMrs. Hawkins and Miss Talbot conducted the Sunday School with Miss Baker the village headmistress. They organized a yearly bonfire night with hot soup and jacket potatoes. The Rectory was constantly open to everyone and anyone \u2013 every room in fact \u2013 to such an extent we all felt The Rectory was our home too. The Sunday School was held there, one class being in their dining room, another in their living room, another in the Rectory\u2019s study and teenagers in their kitchen where delicious smells would be coming from their Rayburn. The garden was a joy to be seen, for both Mrs Hawkins and Miss Talbot were very keen gardeners. The Mothers Union held their meetings in their living room.\n\n[[File:Mothers_union.jpg|thumb|right|Mothers Union 1981]]\n\nMay dancing took place on their front lawn and every Monday evening, the children came for \u201cRectory Games\u201d in the paddock and orchard, accompanied by much shouting from the boys and a few odd screams of excitement from the girls. During winter and spring, the children met in the Rector\u2019s study for drama, mostly on Mission Work. We missed the Hawkins when they left for retirement \n\n[[File:Childrens_goodbye_to_hawkins.jpg|thumb|left|Children's goodbye to the Hawkins]]\n\n\u2013 and we missed The Rectory too, for Gloucester Diocese had decided the up-keep of The Rectory was too high. Also, we had lost our connection with Marston Sicca and were now joined with Welford. Welford was the larger village; therefore the Rector from now onwards would live at Welford.\nGloucester Diocese sold The Rectory to its present owner.\n\n==Campaign to save The Rectory==\nFrom Coventry Evening Telegraph \nSaturday 6th October 1979\n\n<blockquote>Villagers Petition Bishop to save Rectory\n\nResidents in a tiny South Warwickshire village are calling on a Bishop to reconsider the closing of their 16th Century Rectory.\n\nThe Gloucester Diocesan Pastoral Committee plan to close the picturesque Elizabethan Rectory next to St. Helen's Church at Clifford Chambers, and to move the Rector to Welford-on-Avon where he would serve Welford, Weston and Clifford. Chambers\n\n\u201cWe have lost our shop, our post office and our village school \u2013 this was just the final straw\u201d, said mother of three Mrs. Avril Salmon, who organized a 250-name petition protesting at the move.\n\nThe Committee say that the Rector, the Rev. David Hawkins \u2013 or his successor when Mr. Hawkins retires in two years' time \u2013 should be based in Welford because it is the most densely populated of the three villages.\n\nBut Mrs. Salmon says that the Rectory is used as a social gathering point for numerous local organisations and they fear that if it is closed, the village's Sunday School for one might be unable to meet.\n\n<b>Focal point</b>\n\nThe petition signed by nearly every member of the Parish, has been presented to the Bishop of Tewkesbury, the Rt. Rev Robert Deakin, who is chairman of the Pastoral Committee.\n\nThe petition describes the Rectory as the focal point of village life and says that it \u201ccontributes to a feeling of unity and concern for others which makes Clifford Chambers such a pleasant place to live in.\u201d\n\nVillagers are also worried that the Rectory could be sold to some-one with no interest in the village, or even turned into a hotel or tea shop.\n\nMrs. Salmon said, \u201cWe didn't put up a fight when the shop,school or the post office closed, but this time I was determined not to sit on my backside.\u201d</blockquote>"
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