St Mary's Parish Magazine July/Aug 2026

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• St Mary's Parish MagazineJuly/August 2026 No. 1378
• Who's Who at St Mary'sVicar Assistant Priest
• Page 3From the Curate's desk... From the Editor's Desk / Thank you
• From the Curate's DeskDear brothers & sisters in Christ, mid -summer and the holidays are just around the corner. We take them so much for granted and feel rightly aggrieved if we have to work. But holidays, as we know them are a fairly modern invention. The word "holiday" comes from the Old English word meaning "holy day" and referred to special religious days and religious observance. In medieval times, the Christian Church held holy days and feast days throughout the year. No one was allowed to work on holy days, instead they would gather together to pray and share a meal in honour of a saint or celebrate a special feast such as Easter. These few days provided a short break from the heavy ordinary work of every day and an opportunity to participate in community activities.
• Page 5extended to include half-day breaks on Saturdays - the beginnings of a weekend. Day-trips out began to be a possibility for the ordinary people. In 1939, a new law said that everyone must have a week's paid annual holiday. For some this gave them an opportunity to earn a little more by taking a "working holiday".
• From the Editor's DeskCORONA It's Summer time and Eddy Torr has
• Page 7At 6.15am a team of Surrey young ringers (18 or under) left Croydon to travel to Nottingham on public transport to take part in the Ringing World National Youth Contest. They finally returned home after 10pm that evening. There were 43 teams, divided into different groups competing on towers with different numbers of bells - our team which included two youngsters and a reserve who all ring at Addington competed in the 6 bell competition and came 9th out of 16 teams, pretty good and even more amazing as they had never all rung together before
• From The Parish Registers18th July 19th July
• Prayer ListIn the absence of the weekly "Pews news", a prayer list has been created and you are kindly asked to hold the following in your Thoughts and Prayers. We especially pray for ;-
• Daily Bible Readings and Prayers July 2026Silence and stillness, times for reflection and meditation, and a moment within each day to offer our prayers and concerns to God for ourselves, our community and our world are vital if we are to sustain our busy and active lives. Try to find space at the same time each day to be with God by yourself, just for five or ten minutes. You might like to follow this simple daily routine: PRAYERS
• Sunday 19 July - Trinity 7Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sunday 26 July - Trinity 8
• Luke 19.28-40Mon 6 Psalms 98, 99, 101 I Samuel 1.1-20
• Sun 26Mon 27 Tues 28
• Daily Bible Readings and Prayers August 2026Silence and stillness, times for reflection and meditation, and a moment within each day to offer our prayers and concerns to God for ourselves, our community and our world are vital if we are to sustain our busy and active lives. Try to find space at the same time each day to be with God by yourself, just for five or ten minutes. You might like to follow this simple daily routine: PRAYERS
• Sunday 16th August-Trinity 11O God, who declares thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of they heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sunday 23rd August-Trinity 12
• Fri 7Acts 2.37- end Acts 3.1-10 Psalm 51,54 Psalm 68
• Sat 29Sun 30 Tues 25 Psalm 106*(or 103) Wed 26 Psalms 110, 111, 112 Thu 27 Psalms 113, 115 Fri 28 Psalm 139
• Page 18The following poem is loosely based on the worst junior class I had in 30 years of teaching: School Discipline Policy (or 'what to do when all else fails') Thank God it's nearly home time, I've had such an awful day; Most of the children in my class Just don't know how to play. They just can't work together, They just won't share the games. They're always arguing and cussing, And calling each other names. Peter's scratched poor Jennifer, Leon's thrown a fit, Dwayne's head-butted Darren
• Page 19Let them miss their swimming, Tie them to the rails. And only as a last resort, If every method fails:
• Page 20th You are invited to a Mothers' Union
• PROFESSIONALS IN HOME PAINTINGOUR PORTFOLIO O @GOULDDFLTD
• How NOT to Give a Pill to the CatI. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if you're holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to its cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. 2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
• Page 23down its throat to wash the pill down. 14. Get your partner to drive you to the A&E department. Sit patiently while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from your right eye.
• English Seaside Quiz compiled by Peter BourneWe've all been to the seaside. Well, how about getting the deckchair out, putting up the parasol, slapping some sun screen on and having a go to see how much you know about the seaside resorts around our country. Good luck. I.Where is the longest pier in Britain?
• Selsdon & District Funeral ServiceYour Local Funeral Director • Independent and Licensed Funeral Directors
• HRVATSKALeaving home at two in the morning, driving to and parking offsite at Gatwick Airport and eating a hearty breakfast before four thirty is not my idea of a relaxing start to a vacation, but as our flight was at six that morning, then needs must, as they say. Sheila and I were off on our 8-day escorted tour holiday to Croatia (Hrvatska) flying initially to Venice and hence onwards to the coastal town of Lovran on the Istrian peninsula. I was fully expecting to meet up with fellow travellers at Venice Airport and being transferred to our holiday hotel by coach. It was a surprise (pleasantly as it turned out) to be met by one man carrying a piece of cardboard with the holiday company named scrawled on it. Even better was finding out the transfer would be by taxi and when we were joined by one other traveller we set off on a three-hour journey to holiday destination. We journeyed through the flat lands around Venice, into and through the more hilly and mountainous Slovenia and into Croatia, the taxi driver was very happy not to have been stopped at any of the border crossings.
• Page 27with its narrow lanes and overhanging and oddly shaped small houses. When the guided tour was almost ended Sheila and myself quietly drifted away, called to the sea and yes, you've guessed it – more refreshments. The afternoon was taken up with food shopping for lunches in the days ahead, reading and relaxing by the sea and the first of many of Sheila's swims in the blue clear Adriatic Sea. Our first excursion was the next day and was a tour around the Istrian Peninsula taking in the varied landscapes and discovering that the peninsula is primarily made up of three soil types, red in the south, grey in the centre and white in the north, each with differing agricultural uses. Our first stop was Lim Fjord a 12 kilometer long estuary on the west coast and the calm, brackish water is ideal for oyster farming. There is a legend here that Captain Morgan a 17th century Welsh buccaneer, used the estuary to hide from his enemies and stash his ill-gotten gains in the surrounding caves. Our next stop was the coastal town of Rovinj, which rises Venice like out of the water and is topped by a beautiful Baroque church. Owing to its location and past history Rovinj has two official languages, these being Croatian and Italian. Rather like the old town of Lovran, Rovinj also has labyrinth of narrow winding lanes going ever upwards to the beautiful church of St. Euphemia. The inside of the church is highly decorated with many statues and icons and behind the main altar is the sarcophagus of Euphemia, whose relics allegedly arrived on the shores of Rovinj miraculously in the year 800. Those who visit the church are invited to touch the sarcophagus and quietly and prayerfully make a wish. I did but I'm not telling what I wished for. We then took a not too steep winding track back down to the harbour area and found a shady area for lunch. All too quickly we were on the move again, taking in the scenery as the coach sped southwards to Pula, the provincial capital on the tip of the peninsula. There has been human settlement in Pula since before the Bronze age and as it has a well-protected deep water harbour that was highly favoured by the Romans, who founded the basis of the existing town. Pula is famed for having one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres and the only remaining example to retain its entire circular wall structure in Europe and on turning a corner and spying it from 100 yards away I must say it is very impressive. We learnt many interesting facts about its history from it being used as a market place to a sports arena, think gladiators to the public execution of convicted prisoners.
• Page 28But for all the building is almost 2,000 years old it does not have UNESCO World Heritage Status as during the 19th and 20th centuries modifications and extra seating and of all things pneumatic hammers were used to create a pizze- ria and other commercial establishments within the circular walls, thankfully short lived, but the damage was done. Our guide informed us that they will try again to achieve this desired status. Feeling quite tired our merry group of trav- ellers enjoyed the coach trip back to base, enjoying the scenery and quaint vil- lages and learning of the lifestyles of the population in this part of Croatia. And so back to base, dinner and bed. I happened to while away some time channel surfing on the TV in our room and found both Only Fools and Horses and Poirot, and quite bizarrely they were speaking in English with Croatian sub titles on the screen. Lights out and onto the next day. Another early start waking up to thunder and lightning and rain but undeterred we embarked on our next adventure that would take us out of Croatia and into Slovenia to visit Ljublijana, which means love and onwards to Lake Bled. The stopover in Ljublijana whilst not being advertised as such, was a welcome break from sitting in the coach, listening to Mrs T, regaling tales of a one horned goat and a white horse belonging to her grandfather and that as they were from the more mountainous areas of Yugoslavia (pre-Croatia) yodelling was much in use. We were of course invited to have a go at yodelling, which I found to be quite disconcerting and noisy given we were all in a very enclosed space. All was forgotten once Sheila and I started to explore the Slovenian capital, there are 17 bridges in the city, the most famous of which is the Dragon bridge, which has 4 striking metal dragons perched on its corners. We crossed this and walked to the Triple bridge, the centrepiece of the city connecting the main square to the medieval old town. The bridge has a central 1842 stone passageway, flanked by two pedestrian side bridges added around 1930. The third bridge we crossed was the Cobbler's bridge, that historically was occupied by shoemakers booths. Our time in the city was all too soon over and we were soon speeding along through green valleys and heavily forested areas to our destination of Lake Bled. This is a very popular tourist resort and as such was very busy with lots of retail outlets but away from these and down by the lake, it is very peaceful. Our time here was not as long as the group had hoped for (the unscheduled Ljublijana stopover accounted for that), so time did not allow for any of us to take a boat trip or row themselves to the island and visit the church situated there. The castle sited on a cliff edge overlooking the lake was similarly left unvisited as it would take 30 minutes or so (if fit) to get there.
• Page 29(Both of these buildings are on our list to visit should we return to Lake Bled). All was not lost, however as situated by the lake and serving the town of Bled is St. Martin's church that apart from being a source of peace and quiet also offered rather nice refreshments. On one of the walls near the altar is a depiction of the Last Supper, showing Judas walking away from the table, and all too soon we were walking away, back to the coach for a three hour journey, all hoping Mrs T. was all talked out and would let us drift off with our thoughts from the day. (Part two of the holiday to follow next month)
• CHILDREN'S PAGESUMMER What is your favourite season of the year? Is it summer when you can go to the seaside and build sandcastles on the beach?
• CHILDREN'S PAGE (PART 2)Have a great summer everyone and stay safe. PB SUMMER
• Off with the Holloway's againSo, we were at the travel fair at Olympia with Trailfinders fully intending to book our trip to Vietnam (previously cancelled due to Covid and Kevin ending up in hospital). We started discussing our itinerary, but when we gave the dates of our travel there was a problem as it was the Tet festival. Basically, for two weeks the country grinds to a halt as everybody goes home to celebrate. We mentioned Sri Lanka which we were also interested in and our travel consultant was very enthusiastic. We were all set to go when on the 28th of November 2025 Cyclone Ditwah struck, resulting in 646 people confirmed dead, 233,000 people displaced, more than 6,200 homes were destroyed, 96,545 partially damaged, over 206 roads blocked, 10 bridges washed away, and sections of the rail network and power grid disrupted. Because of this we spoke with Trailfinders not wanting to be a burden on the country when they were in a state of repairing their nation. However, we were assured by that by February things would be back to normal, and the country would appreciate the normality of returning to tourism which they do depend on. So, it was with some trepidation and a 11-hour flight we landed in Colombo at 4am local time. We had booked a hotel at Negombo which was an ideal and beautiful place to rest before our tour.
• Page 33Back on the ground it was off to Minneriya National Park for a 3-hour elephant safari. We got really close to small herds of elephants in our jeep which were just walking through the park. They really were a sight to behold. There were peacocks sitting in trees and water buffalo in the lake and a plethora of other animals and birds. Back at the hotel that evening we decided to have a Ayurvedic massage, famous in Sri Lanka. We opted for the couple's steam bath, but Karen was told that we could not be together. The reason was quite simple; the steam bath consisted of something resembling two halves of a large oil drum which were hinged and into which you climbed for 15 minutes to be slowly broiled! Nevertheless, the experience was very lovely and refreshed after our busy day.
• Page 34referred to as Ceylon tea and comes in a variety of styles. As part of our visit Karen had a go at picking tea leaves, with the basket on her back and the strap around her forehead she gave it a go. The average tea picker is expected to pick about 18kgs, Karen didn't quite match that. Late afternoon we checked into our hotel at Nuwara Eliya, an old colonial tea planation building. Because it was old and there was no heating in the room and it was a cold 20°C (!) we were given hot water bottles! The next morning was an early pick up at 5:30am as were going to Horton Plains National Park, to visit the Worlds End escarpment and watch as the mists and cloud rolled in beneath us, hence the early start. It was a 6-mile round hike. As we entered there was a sign warning us what to do if we encountered a Leopard on the trail (Sri Lanka has the highest densities of Leopards of any protected area in the world), including, Don't run, Don't turn your back on it, Make yourself as big as possible by outstretching your arms. All great advice but if its hungry....
• Page 35Diane has recently completed her Pastoral Ministry Course at Southwark. This has involved a year's study to complete the Bishop's Certificate course in 2025 and then a further years study at Trinity House, a placement at Croydon University Hospital and a final presentation about pastoral work at St Mary's which Revd Barbara and Peter Wilson attended to support her. Diane will join our pastoral ministry team of Pat Heady, Karen Holloway and Peter Wilson. On the last evening of her course, Bishop Christopher visited to present their certificates ahead of their commissioning at Southwark
• Page 36We will guide you every step of the way, offering you support, care and reassurance at a time when you need it most... • Chapels of Rest for all Religious Denominations • Specialists in Worldwide Repatriation Services • All Memorial & Stone Work Carried Out
• Nursery Rhymes ExplainedDid you know that many nursery rhymes we learnt as children and pass on to our own children are based on historical people and events? Many contain hidden meanings, often of a political or religious nature, that are not immediately apparent to the reader. Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
• Page 38The Hall Development Group met at the beginning of June and as Chair of this group, I wrote to PCC members to give them an update. I thought readers of our Parish magazine might like to see what was shared then. We are considering all possible options for developing the church hall for future use, but of course for any worthwhile project we need sufficient funds. We are keen to have a welcoming space for all those who use the hall at the moment, and for all who might need it in the future – but every plan, however modest, needs money! We are looking for bright ideas. Please speak to the churchwardens or contact Janet Davies on [email protected] if you can help in any way with suggestions.
• Page 39sum before the planning permission runs out (and applying again would cost yet more money!) There are less ambitious strategies we could adopt. We are investigating these, but everything requires money. And if we change our plans completely we shall lose the money we have already spent. There is no option to do nothing, because the Hall is becoming not fit for purpose. Please have a think about this. At the moment we have no easy answers!
• MOTHERUNION or families Christian care for c
• Page 41The Dog Who Lost His Bark! Barnaby was lying on the lounge floor. He had one eye on the front door, waiting for a glimpse of a red t-shirt, the postman, his arch enemy! At about II o'clock he arrived, Barnaby made a mad rush towards the door, jumping up high and barking, barking, and BARKING!
• Tree of the Month: Horse ChestnutYou'll often see me growing in your parks. I am often standing on my own, majestically reaching a height of 100 feet and I could live to be 200 years or more. That's pretty impressive even though I say it myself. You can't miss me in the summer because I have hundreds of large white or pink pyramid shaped flower heads. In fact, people say they look like candles, so I suppose you could say that I'm a giant living candelabra.
• Page 43People always seem to have a fascination with my buds. In spring they have to come up and feel them. I don't know why, maybe it's because they're sticky like glue. I used to look forward to the autumn when lots of boys would look on the ground for my seeds which they call conkers. They'd collect lots and lots of them in plastic carrier bags and take them home. A passing bird once told me they play a game called conkers with them. Boys no longer come to collect my conkers and that makes me very sad as I used to enjoy their company and their chattering. I suppose they have other things to do.
• Page 44The Manor of Addington, Part 9:The Leigh Family's Demise, by Dr. Christopher J. Parker We left off in Part 8 with the clandestine and short-lived marriage of Sir John Leigh and Elizabeth Vade, orchestrated, it would seem, by William Vade, the bride's father. William had been Sir John's medical attendant and had completely gained his trust to the extent that Vade could manipulate in personal and business matters. With Elizabeth's death and then Sir John's, the fate of the Manor of Addington was held in the balance.
• Page 45Mary Bennett and Anne Spencer, daughters of Woolley Leigh, deceased, disputed the documents. They claimed that they were heirs-at-law by reason of that relationship, and that the will was obtained by William Vade by the exercise of pressure on Sir John Leigh when he was incapacitated by weakness of body and mind. In 1742, the Lord Chancellor decreed that William Vade had obtained the settlement by fraud, and that he should return the Manor of Addington and other properties held under the will to Mary and Anne. This was done, but Francis Leigh of Hawley, Kent, one of the others named as inheritors, appealed to the House of Lords. The case was heard on 28 January 1744, and the Chancellor's decision was confirmed. Thus, the estates were divided between the female heirs, Mary (d. 1746), the wife of John Bennett of Aylsham, and Ann[e] (d. 1768), the wife of Henry Spencer of Thorpe, remaining in their possession for the next 20 years, by which time the husbands of both women were dead. These women were the first cousins of the last Sir John by his paternal uncle Woolley Leigh of Hevingham (1664-1715).
• Page 46They played an active role in the local parish and contributed to various charitable causes. The family funded the construction of schools, alms-houses, and works in the church, significantly enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Addington and its surroundings. Their legacy and their contributions to the community serve as a reminder of the enduring impact that one family can have on an area. Their name lives on in Leigh Crescent in New Addington. Those who are familiar with the chancel at the Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington, will be acquainted with the huge memorial to several of the Leigh family members on the north side (left-hand-side) of the chancel as you go up for communion. Four generations of the Leigh family are commemorated in total. The earliest members of the family are, however, commemorated not by the main memorial, but by a brass on the floor of the Chancel, which is usually covered by a carpet. This is immediately in front of the main memorial. This brass commemorates John Leigh, Lord of the Manor from 1486 along with his wife Isabel. Their son, Nicholas (Lord of the Manor from 1503, although he did not come of age until 1516) along with his wife, Anne (née Carew), are both shown kneeling and occupy the top right section of the main memorial. Their son, but not Lord of manor, John, along with his wife Joan or Joanne (née Oliphe), also kneeling, inhabit the top left section of the memorial. Reclining at the bottom of the memorial is their son, Sir Oliphe Leigh, who succeeded his grandfather as Lord of the Manor in 1581, along with his wife, Jane (née Browne). Within the sanctuary, also on the north side nearest the east end windows, is the third Leigh memorial, raised by the aforementioned relative of the family, Sir Francis Leigh of Tring, Hertfordshire. He had very little direct involvement with Addington but took the opportunity to 'sing the praises' of his first wife and his mother-in-law in the memorial to the other Addington Leigh family members!
• Page 47The St Mary's Fundraising Committee is Launching the Cookbook and we need your help time Submit your favourite recipe & make a donation of £5.00 Between Sunday 10 May & Sunday 6 September
• ADDINGTON VILLAGEBISHOPS WALK ROYAL