Andrew Sewell turned up an article from the September issue of the Aldbourne Parish Magazine of 1904! The following is an extract.
"We were somewhat unfortunate with our weather on Hospital Sunday, August 14th. It rained heavily morning and afternoon, with the result that our congregations and collections in Church were not what they might have been. However in spite of the rain there was a good congregation at 11 when The Foresters, Hearts of Oak, Oddfellows and Rational Societies, headed by the Aldbourne Brass Band under Bandmaster Stacey, made their Annual Church Parade.
Evensong was said at 3 pm. instead of 6 pm. so that the public meeting in aid of Savernake Hospital might be held. Happily the weather improved and the sun shone out, and soon the Green was thronged with a large gathering of people of all ages, some seated and some standing round the ancient stone Cross. What a lot the old Cross would tell us if it could say what happened round it in days of old! Many a Sunday evening in the summer time, in the days before the reformation, the people of Aldbourne would listen to some preaching friar as he addressed them from the steps of the Cross. There were no pulpits in the country Churches then, only the rood lofts, for sermons in Church were only provided for four times a year. And yet we, with sermons every week, seem to have lost the art of driving the Gospel home to the hearts of the majority.
Our Public Meeting began at 5.45. Mr. William Brown presided in his practical and kindly manner. He spoke of the excellent work and urgent needs of the Hospital, and he shewed that our parish reaped more than the usual benefits from this excellent institution, and therefore ought heartily to support it. Short addresses were given by Rev. R.G.Bartelot, Mr. W.Gilbert, Mr.R.Jefferies and Mr. J.H.Lawrence. Hymns were interspersed between the addresses, our excellent organist, Mr. W.Lawrence, presiding at his own harmonium which he kindly lent us, and the people joined heartily in the singing. During the last hymn a collection was made for the hospital. And so a most successful meeting closed.
We here place on record the names of the energetic committee as well as the items of the collection:-
Chairman, Mr. W. Brown; Hon. Sec., Mr.C.Smith; Committee, Messrs. Alfred Andrews, James Bailey, T.Barnes, T.Brind, J.Claridge, J.Cook, George Farmer, J.Lampden, W.Lawrence, C.Liddiard, C.W.Penny, W.Pike, H.B.Sheppard, E.Stacey, W.Walker, and Jacob Westall."
