An excellent concert was given in the schoolroom on Tuesday week on behalf of parochial funds of the Belgian Relief Fund. The Rev. T. J. Cartwright presided over a large attendance. The items included songs by Mr C. Green (Fenny Compton); Miss Willock, Mr Tite (Banbury); recitations by Mr Redshaw (Banbury); quartettes by Messrs. G. Allington, T. Knight, C. Green and G. White; songs by Miss Ackroyd; duet by Messrs G. Allington and F. Knight; clarionet solos by Bandsman C. Jones. The second part consisted of a farce, ‘Apartments to Let’, acted by Miss Ackroyd, Miss Holbech, and the Misses Hope Brooks.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

Interesting Ceremony at Adderbury Church

A large representative congregation assembled at Adderbury Church yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon to take part in the wedding service of Mr Ronald Herbert A. Holbech, son of the late Colonel Holbech and Mrs Holbech of Farnborough, and Miss Catherine Emma Hoskyns, youngest daughter of Sir Leigh and Lady Hoskyns of Cotefield House, Banbury. The majestic church had been tastefully decorated for the occasion, with palms and white flowers. The day was beautifully fine, and the sun shone through the stained glass windows as the congregation was assembling, and from the organ pealed forth inspiring festival music…

Shortly before the hour appointed for the wedding the bridegroom, accompanied by his best man, Mr J. K. Swire of the Essex Yeomanry, arrived and took a seat near the chancel. The service commenced with the singing of a processional hymn, ‘The Voice that Breathed o’er Eden’, and the bride, who was accompanied to church by her father, Sir Leigh Hoskyns, entered the church by the west door and followed the choir up the centre aisle. She was beautifully dressed in a bridal gown of ivory satin with a Medici collar and the bodice was draped with old Limerick lace, lent by Lady Hoskyns, similar lace hanging gracefully from the shoulders. She wore a tulle veil over a wreath of myrtle. Her ornaments were a string of pearls, the gift of her father, pearl earrings, the gift of her mother, and a pearl and diamond brooch, the gift of the Hon. Mrs Molyneux. She carried a sheaf of Madonna lilies, presented by the bridegroom. The Vicar of Adderbury read the preface to the marriage service, and the Bishop of Southwell performed the nuptial ceremony. As the bride and bridegroom approached the altar to receive the blessing of the Church, the choir chanted the Psalm, ‘Blessed are they that fear the Lord.’ The Rev. Cannon Hugh Holbech officiated at the service at the altar, and the Bishop of Southwell gave a short address, the bride and bridegroom being seated in specially provided chairs placed there by two of the choristers. The Bishop emphasised the thought that this was a moment in our national history when the value of the home was great to the country, and, addressing the bride and bridegroom, said they had come there to ask God’s blessing on the formation of their new home. The English home had been the great hope of the country for many years, and he knew nothing that they should pray to God for more at the present moment than that God might form new Christian homes, and that those who were born in those homes in the future might serve God and the nation. Therefore they watched with intense interest the formation of every home, and it was their duty to pray that amongst all the classes of people the home might be the centre of pure and devoted love. They could be well assured that England must go down if the English home deteriorated. The English home in a country village was a wonderful influence for good, and his brother and sister in Christ could look forward with great hope, faith, joy and thankfulness, in the home they were now forming that day. Before the pronouncing of the Blessing,  the hymn ‘Come any way, my Truth, my Life’ was sung, and during the time the register was being signed the hymn, ‘Ye watchers and ye holy ones.’ The bells rang out a merry peal as the bridal party left the church. There was no reception at Cotefield, only the near relations of both families being present. The bride and bridegroom left later in the day for a motor tour in Devonshire. The Farnborough tenants presented the bridegroom with a handsome silver rose bowl bearing the following inscription:

Presented to R. H. A. Holbech, Esq., on the occasion of his marriage, by the farm tenants. April 14, 1915

The wedding cake was supplied by the firm of F. W. Brown, Parson’s Street, Banbury. It was in two tiers, the top tier resting on four pillars and surmounted by a vase filled with real flowers. The ornamentation represented marguerites and wheatsheaves with true lovers knots and the initials of the bride and bridegroom.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

Mr George E. Boshier, fourth son of the late Mr W. Boshier of Farnborough, has been gazetted Second Lieutenant in the 12th Worcester Regiment stationed at Fowey, Cornwall.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

April 16 – Wormleighton, 260 Acres of Grass Keeping in the property of the Executors of the late Mr T. H. Douglas.

John Margetts and Sons

Auctioneers, Warwick

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

The quarterly meeting of the Kineton Wesleyan Circuit was held on Wednesday week at Northen. The Rev. R. H. A. Morton presided over the local preachers meeting at two o’clock. The quarterly meeting was attended by the Rev. Grainger Hargreaves, Chairman of the Oxford District. Mr Morton presided over a good number of delegates. The membership of the circuit showed an increase of sixteen on the quarter and eighteen on the year. The income met the expenditure. The chapel schedules were presented, and showed a slight debt on the trusts of the circuit. The Chairman presented the foreign missionary balance sheet, which showed an increase of £14 over the previous year. In presenting the temperance report, Mr F. W. Duckett said that several temperance societies had been established during the year. An unanimous invitation was extended to Mr Morton to remain a third year in the circuit, and appreciative references were made to the work of Mrs Morton. Tea was provided by Mr and Mrs Harrison, to whom a hearty vote of thanks was passed, on the proposition of Mr G. H. Geden, seconded by Mr J. W. Evans. A trustee meeting was held, followed by a service in the chapel, when the Rev. Grainger Hargreaves preached to a good congregation.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

Tennis Club

The club will continue operations as usual this summer.

Death of Mr Guest Brown

The death is announced of Mr Guest Brown, who was a member of an old Fenny Compton family, and as a corn dealer was well known in Banbury and neighbouring markets, which he had attended for many years. He took much interest in parish affairs, and was a member of the committee of the Horticultural Society. He was at one time in business as a brewer. His death took place on Sunday and the funeral took place at Fenny Compton yesterday (Wednesday).

Cricket Club

At the annual meeting of this club, Mr Dickens, honorary secretary, presented the balance sheet, which showed a balance in hand of £1 thanks to extra subscriptions. As the Club has generally had difficulty in making ends meet, this was considered satisfactory. The committee were elected with the addition of Mr Charles Green and Mr F Moore. Mr Reading asked to be relieved of the office of captain, and Mr Hunt, last year’s vice-captain, was elected to the office. Mr Dickens, who was re-elected honorary secretary, stated that he had not challenged any club and had received no challenges. It was thought advisable to continue cricket for the sake of the ground. In order to keep the ground in good condition, a suggestion that bowls should be played was adopted. It was decided that the subscription for the two games should be the same as last year, and that cricket should be practised on two evenings each week. Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies who provided tea last season, and also the officers. It was decided to throw open the position of groundsman to tender.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915

The annual match for the Holbech Cup was held on Saturday at the Forresters’ Hall, Warmington. Three villages only competed and the result was as follows: Warmington, 215; Farnborough, 197; Mollington, 192. Each team consisted of seven men.

Banbury Guardian, April 1915