St Mary the Blessed Virgin Parish Magazine 2026
44 pages · tap a page to read its text
St Mary's Parish Magazine
No. 1376
PCC Secretary Gift Aid Secretary Safeguarding Officer
To advertise in this magazine:
1/4 page £45, 1/2 page £75, full page £140 (for 10 issues: July/Aug & Dec/Jan combined) Please telephone advertising manager Sheila Player, 020 8657 4952
Lunch Club...... Climate change.. A London walk... Give us Hope.... Pigeon English...
(List of our Advertisers can be found on page 35)
No 1376
For Collects, Bible Readings and Services at St Mary's please see pages 10/13
St Mary's aims are Worshipping God and Loving our Neighbour.
It is interesting and informative. There is a potted history of St Mary's, details of many of the different groups within the church, the Hall Development Fund-raising, other activities and forthcoming events.
See website https://addington.org.uk/hall-hire
Parish Office email [email protected] and 01689 842167
This month we celebrate 2 church festivals: Ascension and Pentecost, also known as 'Whit Sunday'. Ascension occurs 40 days after Easter and marks Jesus' return to his Father in heaven. Before he left his disciples, he instructed them, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5).
He had indeed talked about the Holy Spirit at the Last Supper. He described the Spirit as a Counsellor and a Comforter, who would guide them into truth, remind them of his teaching and be God's presence within them. After Jesus' ascension, the disciples including the women and Jesus' mother and brothers gathered in the Upper Room to watch, wait and pray. For how long? For how long? – they did not know.
Ten days later at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came as a rushing wind and tongues of fire. It brought such a change that these disciples would never be the same - new life; new spiritual life welled-up inside them and overflowed in word and deed to the world. They were bound in a closer fellowship or family. The church was born.
The 10 days between Ascension (14th) and Pentecost (24th) have become a time of waiting on God and praying for a fresh gift of his Spirit. We try consciously to bring ourselves, our family, friends and community before God and simply pray in the words of the Lord's Prayer, 'Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'
Wherever you are - at home, at work or at church - you are invited to join in this simple prayer. More things are changed by prayer than this world dreams of.
We are now in a time of interregnum, and prayer will be the mainstay of our ministry here at St Mary's. As we wish Godspeed to Debbie and Edward we ALL now have the responsibility to love, help and support one another, especially our Churchwardens and those who will help us through this time.
We are looking to produce a Parish Interregnum Prayer so that we can pray this at every service and opportunity each day.
Without Prayer, nothing is accomplished. Pray my dear brother and sisters so that we may in good time have the right priest and minister appointed for our family at St Mary's.
with love Barbara
A Line from Luna...
Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. Mummy tells me we all have to pray hard for the future.... I'm not too sure quite what that means, but, I know that there is more to life than we know about. I hope you will all be joyful in the coming months and have a precious time together.
Much love, Luna xx
Thank you so much to kind friends and neighbours who sent "Get Well" and Easter cards, and visited whilst I have been recovering from my fall.
Progress is slow but positive. See you soon.
With love from Iris Fairbairn
CORONA
This edition is the first of hopefully not too many editions with the parish being “in Vacancy" as Revd Debbie has now retired and moved with Edward to Bristol, we wish them well in their well deserved retirement.
As we are now in a time of interregnum it is important that we support those who will be involved in deciding on the next good shepherd to lead and nurture and grow our church. The prayer on the opposite page will surely assist in our deliberations.
Life however, still goes on as does the publication of the magazine, so here and now thank you to those who have contributed to this issue. The Annual Parochial Church meeting was held in April and reports were presented from various sources and I have included three of these in this issue as they are very concerned with outreach to the wider community and show what a caring church we have here in Addington.
If you thought you had seen the last of Edward's input to the magazine, then think again. Edward has left us with two farewell quizzes to be found on pages 22/23, which hopefully I have entered correctly with directions to get to the answers ( but no peeking).
There is a further explanations to the last of the (S-Z) naming of the roads in our parish starting on page 24. Having now completed the A-Z of the parish, it seem to me to be quite opportune as this may be a good guide and help to whoever becomes our next incumbent. Just a thought!! Whilst on the subject of road names, members of the Churches Together Selsdon & Addington, recently enjoyed a stroll along the south side of the Thames and their report is here shown on pages 18/19.
Clues to how to live a lower carbon lifestyle are given on pages 16/17, something we all may need to look into more given the current situation overseas.
There seems to be something of a state of tension in the world of the Organ, as explained by our Director of Music. I wasn't aware of this until his article arrived and it begs the question - are you a purist or a populist? Not being very musical I haven't a clue but my mind immediately thinks of early cinema and an organ and organist rising from below ground.
Our recently ill granddaughter is recovering so 'God don butter my bread' - please see foot of page 29 for translation and more on page 21.
Eddy Torr
Let us Pray!
God of all times and places, send us a Vicar who will lead us faithfully through days of rejoicing and nights of challenge, with prayers and Scripture, with love and laughter, with bread and wine.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide those entrusted with this process, May they recognise the person of your choice, With ears that are open and hearts that are wise.
Make us thankful for all that has gone before, ready and hopeful for all that lies ahead, led by a Vicar whose ministry is a blessing to everyone in our Parish, as we hear the good news of Jesus and delight in the love of God.
Amen
If you would like your birthday included in the magazine please let me know. Phil Davison, Editor
+ We commend to God's loving care +
Ken Jerom (Interment of ashes)
+ May they rest in Peace and rise in Glory +
In 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.
May God grant healing, wholeness and comfort to all who suffer, and give strength and compassion to all who care for them.
We commend to the loving mercy of God, Anne Tyler and pray for those who mourn them.
You may find it useful to know the deadlines for the next edition, in order to plan ahead:
Copy date for the June magazine 23rd May 2026
Please e-mail your contributions to Phil at [email protected]
Silence 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
PRAYERS
• Anything that has struck you from the reading
BIBLE READINGS
• Look up one or both Bible readings. • Silence and quietness
• For your own family and friends and It is good sometimes to know that your own concerns
For our neighbourhood and world • From the lists within these pages
• The Lord's Prayer when you pray, especially if you are on your own, others in the parish are praying with you. If you pray at 8.30am, 5pm or 8pm then others will almost certainly be praying too.
May Sunday Prayers
Sunday 3 May - The 5th Sunday after Easter
O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sunday 10 May - The 6th Sunday after Easter
O Lord, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
O God the King of Glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.
God, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end.
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end.
Readings are now taken from the Common Worship Lectionary and are the same readings used by the clergy in their Daily Prayer. Please look at the Weekly Notices for any updates.
Tues 5 Psalms 19, 147.1-12 (or) 73 Wed 6 Psalms 30, 147.13-end (or) 77 Thu 7 Psalms 57, 148 (or) 78.1-39*
Psalms 138, 149 (or) 55 Numbers 14.1-25
Numbers 9.15-end; 10.33-end
Numbers 11.1-33 Luke 5.|-||
Numbers 12 Luke 5.12-26 Numbers 13.1-3, 17-end
Luke 6.1-11
Sat 9 Psalms 146, 150 (or) 76, 79 Numbers 14.26-end Luke 6.12-26
Psalms 65, 67 (or) 80, 82 Psalms 124-127 (or) 87, 89.1-18 Luke 6.39-end
Wed 13 Psalms 132, 133 (or) 119.105-128
Psalm 47 or Psalm 93 Luke 24.44-end
Psalm 15 John 15.9-17
Psalms 21, 47 (or) 96, 97, 100 Numbers 21.4-9 Luke 7.18-35
Mon 18 Psalms 93, 96, 97 (or) 98-99, 101
Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23
Psalms 98-100 or 106* or 103 Luke 8.1-15
Wed 20 Psalms 2, 29 (or) 110, 111, 112
Luke 8.16-25
Numbers 22.36 – 23.12
Psalms 24, 72 (or) 113, 115 Numbers 24 Luke 8.26-39 Psalms 28, 30 (or) 139 Numbers 27.12-end Luke 8.40-end Psalms 42, 43 (or) 120, 121, 122 Numbers 32.1-27 Luke 9.1-17
| Corinthians 12.3b-13 or Acts 2.1-21 John 20.19-23 or John 7.37-39
Psalms 123, 124, 125, 126 Joshua I
When Jesus takes your hand He holds you tight.
When Jesus holds you tight He leads you through life.
When Jesus leads you through life He brings you safely home
St. Mary's Lunch Club is working well although numbers are down slightly to between 25 and 30 each month. The atmosphere is pleasant and our members are complementary of the food provided.
As last year we provide a two course meal (including veggie option) and tea and coffee at £5 per person (including helpers) on the second Friday of each month except August. As is the custom, Christmas dinner in December is not charged for and members give as generously as they wish to the charity ‘Nightwatch' in Croydon. This special event will continue each Christmas while we are open. We are also able to give surplus money to local charities each year.
We have been pleased to welcome new friends to the club although several members are unable to continue to come due to illness, needing care or moving away and, sadly, several much loved friends have passed away in the last year. May they rest in peace.
We would be very pleased for new members to join us; please get in touch with Anne Davenport (01689 843666) if you know anyone over 60 who would enjoy a cooked meal and company once a month.
We now have a wonderful team who set up tables, tidy up, cook, wash up, give lifts to those who need one and help generally where needed; however, we are still in need of new helpers as not all helpers can be with us every month, if you feel you can help, please get in touch with Anne as above.
A Sunday School teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her class of five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment 'to honour your father and mother, she went on to say, "is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"
Straight away one little boy, the oldest in the family, answered through gritted teeth, “Thou shalt not kill!"
Found on the internet.
020 80 50 60 03 www.gouldsltd.co.uk | [email protected]
HOME PAINTING SERVICE - SEARCH "GOULD D&F" ONLINE.
Climate change has not gone away!
With the continuing rise in the cost of living, some ‘green' switches like getting solar panels or a heat pump or an electric car - are out of reach for most people. However, there are other ways to live a lower carbon lifestyle.
Switch Bank accounts - it takes about 5 minutes! Move your money away from the banks that finance fossil fuels to one that supports green investments. This will send a message to the finance industry that we want change.
Wash clothes less often! It's not as bad as it sounds! Most people wash their clothes far too often. Machine wash only when necessary, spot clean and steam clean in between or put them on a hanger in the garden to keep them fresh. Frequent machine washing wastes energy and water.
Meat-free Mondays. Reducing the amount of meat and dairy in your diet is good for your health and the planet. Omitting meat once a week can reduce your annual carbon footprint by as much as not driving your car for a whole month. Look for some interesting alternative recipes.
Create a car-free zone around your home. Many car journeys are less the 2 miles and more than half are less than 5 miles. Why not try walking, cycling or even scooting. This will get you fitter, improve the air quality where you live and cut carbon emissions.
Compost on the go. When food breaks down in landfill, it produces methane – a planet warming gas many times more powerful than carbon dioxide. So, thank goodness for our Council food waste collection whereby our food waste is processed by anaerobic digestion and the methane and other gases are captured and used as fuel.
Time your showers. A power shower can get through 8 litres of hot water a minute so if you have a 10 minute shower it takes as much hot water as a bath. Fit an eco showerhead on your shower and set a 3 minute timer.
Second hand as first choice. Buying secondhand goods is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to start shopping sustainably. There are many websites and apps to make it easy to find what you're looking for and, of course, you can support your local Charity shop.
Turn down your thermostat. Warmer weather during the day can sometimes bring chilly evenings. Households with a gas boiler can cut their emissions and fuel bill by tweaking the thermostat. The Climate Change Committee recommends thermostats are set at 19 degrees or below.
Propagate your plants. Instead of buying a new plant, use cuttings from friends and family. This will cut out all the energy use associated with growing and transporting nursey plants around the world.
Boost your bathroom recycling. It is easy to forget to recycle when there is no bin to hand. Put a second bin in the bathroom to make sure those loo rolls and shampoo bottles do not go to landfill.
Happy recycling!!!!
Magazine Distribution
Currently the printed copies of the magazine are either distributed by members of the parish, placed in the church porch or posted to ex Parishioners and friends of St. Mary's.
There is also a digital version that we send out to our readers, if you would like to receive future issues digitally please let me know. Contact details are email [email protected] or contact the parish office on [email protected]
A group of twelve of us from the Churches Together in Selsdon and Addington met on the 11th April at Victoria train station for a London walk. This was a change for us as normally we are off climbing over stiles and visiting country pubs. However, we had had such a wet winter that all the walks we tried were ankle deep in mud.
So, we met at Victoria train station and made our way to the river crossing over Vauxhall Bridge towards the MI6 building or 'Bond Place'. In front of the building is the Thames's newest island, the Isle of Effra. Not really an island more of a small promontory. But it gave us a good view of the 2 tonne bronze statues mounted on the bridge plinths. From here you have a lovely view of the Tate Britain, where we are members. The exhibitions here are quite incredible and we can highly commend a visit, we recently enjoyed the Turner and Constable exhibition 'Fire and Water'
Next were some sculptures, these were bronze toilets (no they didn't work), the information board states it is a link between London, Londoners and the nearby Royal Doulton factory at Brixton. Next up was the London Fire Brigade Headquarters and opposite situated on the river is their only firefighting boat, MV Phoenix. A little further, we saw a sculpture of a boat emerging from an office block. This is the National Maritime Organisation, and the sculpture is to International Maritime Seafarers.
We were soon at Lambeth Bridge with views of Lambeth Palace. Close by was a bust of Violet Szabo, remembering all the SOE agents from WW2. We would especially like to thank Linda who often leads walks and was able to give us greater insight into the life of Violet Szabo and as we walked on other snippets of information along the Thames.
The National Covid remembrance wall on the wall of St Thomas's hospital. was a grave reminder of all those that lost their life during covid and was very moving.
It became a bit more crowded as we walked by Westminster Bridge but were soon standing under the Millenium wheel. Apparently, it revolves at 26cm per second, the 32 pods represent the London Boroughs, and since it opened there have been 6,000 proposals of marriage!
Royal Festival Hall was next up. Designed for the 1952 Festival of Britain, a bit boxy and concrete for me. Walking on we passed Gabriels Wharf and the OXO Tower. Under Blackfriars bridge.
Then at a last a stop for lunch at the Founders Arms. We had booked in advance and were amazingly all seated together with views over the Thames as we ate, drank. and very much enjoyed conversation with one another.
Then onwards again to view the Tate Modern Art Gallery housed in the old power station. Here we had recently viewed the Tracey Emin exhibition.
Opposite the Tate Modern and with views across to St Pauls Cathedral is the Millenium Bridge, also seemingly forever known as the wobbly bridge. When it opened in 2000 it was promptly closed because it wobbled, it opened 3 years later.
Just prior to reaching the Globe Theatre is Cardinal Cap's Alley, said to be the narrowest street in London. For all those Shakespeare buffs we then saw the outside of the Globe theatre. As we were passing there was a Morris dancers festival and we paused to watch the performance. We recognised a group from Carshalton, the Madder Mill Molly group, having seen them previously at a choir event which Phil sang in.
The Anchor pub, one the oldest in area having survived the Great Fire of London, was heaving, no time to stop for a quick one. Into Clink Street, an old gaol from medieval times, and where we get the saying 'in the clink'. Stopped at the remains of Winchester Palace and then to the replica of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hinde. We finished our walk in Southwark Cathedral with prayers.
If you would like to join us on a CTSA walk, contact us
Kevin & Karen Holloway
In these troubled times, dear Lord, When seeds of hate have grown, Grant us peace, so wars may cease, And seeds of love be sown.
Wars bring great sadness, Misery, fear and strife, And take away so many times The precious gift of life.
Give us hope and courage, Lord, The faith to follow you, And when our footsteps falter, May your light shine brightly through.
Ellen Chaplin
PIGEON ENGLISH - or perhaps not!
I was sitting in the garden one day soaking up the April sunshine and listening to the bird song, mostly from sparrows and blue tits. Then I heard two pigeons having a conversation, one in the tree at the end of the garden and the other somewhere westward. I imagined what they might be saying and decided they must be speaking Pigeon English!
But no. The term 'Pigeon English' did not involve the birds at all! It was first used in the 19th century, and was believed to be a mispronunciation of the English word (business), originally termed 'Pidgin' or Pedgin' English. Around 1835 it was a simplified language used for trade and commerce between Chinese merchants and English speakers. Eventually it became the blend of languages between two or more groups of people without a common language, even found in Portugal and the Windies- no Pigeons involved!
The pitch of a spoken word, high or low, alters the meaning, (very confusing!) Here are some examples of Pidgin words and phrases and their meaning;-
I dey come please thank you/ good job!
pay attention!
I understand do you want to eat? I am coming.
True Pidgen has a reduced vocabulary and little grammar, and in 2017 it was found that 75 million people in Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea spoke Pidgen!
Back to the garden after that little diversion, to hear if the birds were still singing. Yes, they were, and the pigeons whereas vociferous as any pigeon can be. I tried to put their calls into English, judging the length of each syllable' and the repetition of each 'word'. One phrase I interpreted as 'What are you doing here, Ruby?' repeated by another in reply. This hap- pened several times. Another call was (my version) ' Who are you, you, lovey', also repeated in turn two or three times.
Do you ever try to Anglicise bird calls, or is it just me? Do let me know if I am alone in this quirky past-time. It is quite fun, actually!
Philippa Millington.
Time was when you could scarcely enter the vicarage or its garden without being faced with some fiendish quiz! At our first Open House after Debbie's installation, I concocted a quiz with three or four clues each pointing to words linked to ADD, DING (including a then up-and- coming snooker star) or TON, and we were pleased that a family team (Toby and his Mum) were the first to spot the linking word: I always think quizzes where a child can help the grown-ups are the best. Since then, we've had garden quizzes matching flowers with their names, a picture quiz based on our SPAs (as they were then called) involving Heady, Holloway and Wilson, treasure hunts based on birds' nests and feathers, and one apparently based on the three wise men which I can't understand now I look back at the questions!
Anyway, for no particular reason, I haven't concocted any recently, so here by way of a farewell offering are two (if Phil agrees to include both!). I hope you find them teasing and enjoyable, and are pleased to learn something new (my other three criteria for acceptability in quizzes).
Firstly, I was intrigued that at a recent service in Southwark Cathedral, the congregation was encouraged to say the Lord's Prayer in 'whichever language you feel most comfortable'. The printed service sheet included the following thirteen versions of the opening words
7 हे हमारे स्वर् ग बासी पिता...
See how many languages you think you can identify just like that, then turn to p.35 where I will provide the thirteen languages involved to make it a bit more possible!
Edward's farewell quizzes, part 2 (see explanation above, p.22)
After the Easter Vigil, we had the congregation round to the vicarage for wine, cheese and chocolate to celebrate the end of Lent, so here is my quiz on those three magical substances. Answers on p.43.
1. What cheese is a parliamentarian within a feline?
2. What is added to Cheddar cheese to make Ilchester?
3. Who first put wine in glass bottles?
a) Monks in medieval France b) The Romans c) British vintners in Portugal d) French immigrants in California during the Gold Rush days
4. Where are most of the world's cocoa beans grown?
a) Côte d'Ivoire b) Indonesia c) Brazil d) Mexico
5. Why are some cheeses softer than others?
a) The milk was fresher b) An enzyme in the cheese prevented it from getting hard c) Less of the whey was extracted from the curd d) The cheese was ripened in a warm place
6. What French blue cheese is made from ewes' milk?
7. Which wine has varieties called Malmsey and Sercial?
8. The Mayans and Aztecs used cocoa beans not only to make a bever- age but also as:
a) Fertilizer b) Currency c) Medicine
9. What type of grape is German wine mainly made from?
10. What did Ben Gunn mostly dream of?
The Roads of the Parish of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington by Dr Christopher J. Parker, Part 4 (S-Z)
Selsdon Park Road is a street name that means "the road to or associated with Selsdon Park." "Selsdon", derived from Old English sæl (hall or dwelling) + dūn (hill), means "hall on the hill." The name preserves the memory of Selsdon as a historic settlement on Surrey's uplands. "Park" refers to Selsdon Park, a grand country estate dating back to the medieval period. The estate was later transformed into a mansion and, in the 20th century, into the well-known Selsdon Park Hotel. The street name, therefore, preserves both the manorial heritage of the estate, symbolising grandeur, rootedness, and connection.
Shirley Church Road is a street name that means "the road to the parish church in Shirley." "Shirley" comes from the Old English scir (bright, clear) + leah (wood or clearing), meaning "bright clearing.” The name preserves the memory of Shirley as a rural settlement on Surrey's uplands. "Church" refers to St John the Evangelist, Shirley, consecrated in 1856 as the parish church. The church became the spiritual and communal centre of Shirley, anchoring the growing suburb in ecclesiastical life. "Road" denotes the route leading to or associated with the church, tying suburban passage to parish heritage. Therefore, Shirley Church Road preserves both the ecclesiastical heritage of St John's and the continuity of suburban passage, symbolising brightness, rootedness, and community.
Shirley Hills Road is a street name that means "the road to the bright clearing's hills." "Shirley" comes from Old English scīr (bright, clear) + leah (wood or clearing), meaning "bright clearing." It preserves the memory of Shirley as a rural settlement on Surrey's uplands. "Hills" refers to the Shirley Hills, a prominent ridge and woodland area east of Croydon. Known for panoramic views across London and Surrey, and for the Addington Hills adjoining them. Thus, Shirley Hills Road preserves both the natural heritage of Shirley's uplands and the continuity of suburban passage, symbolising brightness, rootedness, and scenic grandeur.
Silverwood Close is a street name that means “the enclosed street recalling the silver woodland." "Silverwood" suggests a woodland of silver trees most likely birch, willow, or poplar, whose pale bark and
shimmering leaves catch the light. "Silver" conveys purity, brightness, and dignity, while "wood" anchors the name in natural heritage. It may also echo poetic traditions where silver woods symbolise enchantment, re- newal, and pastoral beauty. While "silver" likely refers to birch/willow, it may also have been chosen purely for poetic resonance in suburban planning. The street name, therefore, preserves both the natural heritage of birch and willow groves and the communal intimacy of a close, symbolising brightness, rootedness, and fellowship.
Sorrel Bank is a street name that means "the slope or ridge of sorrel." It preserves both the botanical heritage of herbs and the topographical memory of ridges, symbolising freshness, rootedness, and continuity with the landscape. "Sorrel" refers to the herb sorrel (Rumex acetosa), a leafy plant with a sharp, lemony taste, long cultivated in English gardens and fields. Sorrel was valued both as a culinary herb and for its medicinal properties, symbolising freshness, vitality, and rustic simplicity. "Bank" in place-names refers to a slope, ridge, or raised ground. It can also suggest a reserve or store, metaphorically a "bank” of herbs or natural wealth. In suburban naming, "Bank" conveys dignity, solidity, and rootedness.
Spout Hill is a street name that means "the hill with a spring or water spout." "Spout" refers to a spring, fountain, or outflow of water. In English place-names, “spout” often marks a natural spring or man-made conduit where water was drawn for village use. It is also fair to say that Spout Hill is shaped like a kettle spout when looked at from above! “Hill" denotes a slope or elevated ground. In Croydon's uplands, hills were defining features of settlement and passage. The name, therefore, pre- serves both the natural heritage of water sources and the topographical memory of slopes, symbolising refreshment, rootedness, and continuity with the landscape.
Springhurst Close is a street name that means "the enclosed street recalling the wooded hill with a spring." "Spring" refers to a natural water source, a fountain or outflow. In English naming, "spring" symbolises freshness, renewal, and abundance. "Hurst" comes from the Old English hyrst, meaning a wooded hill or grove. Common in Surrey and Kent place-names, it evokes woodland heritage and pastoral rootedness. Therefore, Springhurst Close preserves both the natural heritage of water and woodland and the communal intimacy of a close, symbolising renewal, rootedness, and fellowship.
Templar Court, Pixton Way (Forestdale area), is primarily known for its purpose-built, often one-bedroom leasehold flats, popular with first-time buyers, downsizers, and investors. The name means "the enclosed dwellings commemorating the Knights Templar." The Knights Templar, the medieval military and religious order founded in the 12th century were associated with chivalry, guardianship, and sacred duty, often linked to landholdings across England. Two carucates of land in Addington were given by Walter de Merton (c. 1205 – 27 October 1277) and his wife in 1241 to the Knights Templar. It's sometimes referred to as the 'Manor of Addington Temple'. In 1311 the Knights Templar was dissolved and thirteen years later the 'Addington Temple' Manor, with others, was reassigned by Parliament to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, in whose tenure the manor remained until the Dissolution. In place-names, “Templar” evokes heritage, honour, and continuity with medieval tradition. Templar Court preserves both the medieval heritage of guardianship and the communal intimacy of a court, symbolising honour, rootedness, and fellowship.
Woodpecker Mount is a street name that means "the hill recalling the woodpecker." It preserves both the natural heritage of birdlife and the topographical memory of slopes, symbolising persistence, vitality, and dignity, a feature of a number of other roads in the same area, such as Peacock Gardens, Osprey Gardens, Herondale, Goldfinch Road and Wren Close.
Underwood is a street name that means "the dwellings beneath the wood." From Old English underwudu, meaning "at the foot of the wood" or "beneath the forest," it is common in English place-names, and denotes dwellings or land situated below or within woodland, symbolically suggesting shelter, rootedness, and the mystery of shaded groves. The name, thus, preserves both the natural heritage of woodland and the poetic imagery of shelter, symbolising rootedness, mystery, and continuity with the landscape.
Viney Bank is a street name that means "the slope recalling vines." "Viney" suggests vines or vineyards, recalling cultivation of grapevines or climbing plants. In English surnames and place-names, Viney often derives from land associated with vines, or metaphorically from growth and fertility. However, there is a historical figure John Viney, who was an 18th-century London-based inventor and manufacturer of “patent” 26
carriage wheels, and was a friend of Benjamin Franklin and whose business was visited by Thomas Jefferson. A memorial stone at Croydon Minster once commemorated Viney and his wife. The dual interpretation (botanical vs. commemorative of John Viney) is intriguing - both are valid, but the developer's intent is uncertain. So, the street name either preserves both the botanical heritage of growth and festivity and the topographical memory of ridges, or records a tale of invention and commerce.
Wayside is a street name that means “the dwellings beside the way." "Way" comes from the Old English weg, meaning road, path, or journey. "Side" refers to the edge or margin of the way. In naming, "wayside" denotes dwellings or features situated beside a road, often inns, chapels, or cottages. Wayside, therefore, preserves both the heritage of roadside cottages and the symbolic imagery of journey and rest, embodying hospitality, rootedness, and continuity with the landscape.
The Wicket is a street name that means "the threshold or place of play." "Wicket", from Old English wicet, meaning a small gate or doorway. In medieval usage, a "wicket gate” was a small entrance beside a larger door, symbolising humility and access. In modern English, "wicket" is most familiar as the term for the stumps in cricket, anchoring the word in sporting tradition, and here is the connection with the road, it being adjacent to the famous Addington 1743 Cricket Club. The Wicket preserves the communal resonance of cricket, symbolising access, fellowship, and joy.
Yew Tree Way is a street name that means "the path recalling the sacred yew." The "Yew Tree” (Taxus baccata) is one of Britain's most ancient and symbolic trees. Associated with longevity, immortality, and sacredness, yews were often planted in churchyards as symbols of eternal life. In folklore, the yew embodies both death and renewal, its evergreen needles a sign of continuity. Yew Tree Way existed before the Forestdale Estate was built. Yew Tree Way, therefore, preserves both the botanical heritage of ancient trees and the symbolic imagery of journey, embodying longevity, rootedness, and continuity with the sacred landscape
I am delighted to learn that enough people have rallied round to help ensure that church will continue to remain open for a fair proportion of daylight hours. That has been a relatively easy bit of ministry for a vicar with a retired husband, resident less than three minutes away from the church! The cost to the community in time and effort will go up during the vacancy, but the swiftest glance at the visitors' book in the church porch makes it clear just how precious a gift an open and welcoming church can be.
Here is a selection of typical recent messages of gratitude. I've made them anonymous, but can confirm that where a specific grave or memorial is referenced, I have identified those and made sure that they are still reasonably neat after the recent strimming! Don't forget that if you want to identify a particular grave with a memorial, you should be able to find it via the indexed register, transcriptions and maps in a blue folder in the porch.
"Have walked down memory lane! Used to live in the village from the age of 3 – many memories of the village and church, and reminiscing from the day I got married in 2001 - twenty-five years ago on 5th May!”
"Just love coming here, this church is beautiful, calm comfort for me, feels like it helps me, due to my anxiety and depression."
"Mum/Nan, Happy Easter, we miss you more than words could ever say, always with us, love you millions."
"We were married in this church 70 years ago today, and have renewed our vows - thank you, Barbara. We send our love to all who were pre- sent that day."
"Sophie and Jim were here
"My Mum Brenda, it's been 18 long years, I miss you and love you. So pleased your spot is well looked after.'
"Beautiful church. Good to see a church open to the public."
"Not been here for many years, but went to Sunday School here - lovely to be able to revisit!"
"On 15th July 1991 | married the most caring girl in this church - Merry Christmas and please look after little F and all of his family."
"Thank you for keeping all so tidy (this visit was in November) and caring for my grandparents' gravestone. Paid my respects after many years, also to four war graves."
"A gem to illuminate our walk on a misty day."
"Thank you for maintaining such a beautiful and holy place, and for the excellent guide to the churchyard, inc. the Tait and Benson graves/ memorials especially."
"Lovely church and two lovely flower arrangers inside."
"Amy, going on a bear hunt ... with friends on a practice DOE walk" "Andrea to see Anna her grandma"
"We love and miss you every day! Keep shining bright, our star always."
Are you free on Tuesday afternoons? Why not come along to our house group meetings? We begin by reading and talking about a passage from the Bible and finish with a bring and share lunch.
Why not FEED YOUR SOUL and FEED YOUR STOMACH ? If you'd like to join us we meet at 12 o'clock on the 2nd and 4th week of each month at Mary Innes' house, 89 Falconwood Road.
If you're interested have a word with Mary Innes, Neil Clark or Peter Bourne.
From end of editorial piece
'God don butter my bread' is Pidgin English for 'God has answered my prayers'
We would love to see you.
Group
We meet at 8.00pm (usually) on the first Wednesday of each month, at a different member's house each time. All are welcome but please contact the host first if you are not a SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD
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3rd June
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
Meeting at Carol's
1st July
The Best of Intentions by Caroline Scott
Meeting at Wendy's
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Christian care for St Mary's Mothers' Union
Thursday 7th May 2pm - Celebrating Mums
Wednesday 27th May 8pm - Pilgrimage to Rome
Thursday 4th June 2pm - Songs of Praise and Quiz
Wednesday 24th June 8pm - Karen & Kevin's holiday in Sri Lanka
Wednesday 29th July 8pm - Martin Tanner on Al Thursday 6th August 2pm - TBA
Saturday 8th August 2pm - 150 Years of Mothers' Union - cream tea in the hall
Wednesday 26th August 8pm - Harvest
Thursday 3rd September 2pm - Taste the Difference
Wednesday 30th September 8pm - Lyndsay talks about Shops in Croydon
Thursday 8th October 2pm - Fairtrade - Pass the Parcel
Wednesday 28th October 8pm - Fiona's Memories of Dance and Clare's Craft Sale
Thursday 5th November 2pm - Musical Charades
Wednesday 25th November 6.30pm - Fish and Chips at McDermott's
Thursday 3rd December 2pm - Pre Christmas Tea Party
Meetings are at 2 The Paddocks unless otherwise stated. You are all welcome at our meetings.
Pat Heady
As we wait for God's kingdom to come, we have time to think about how we can make His kingdom known here and now. Let us to share God's message to as many people as we can through our faith in action at Mothers' Union, working to end poverty, violence and injustice for all Your people at home and around the world.
On Wednesday 25th March 2026 the Mothers' Union held its AGM.
In an attempt to attract more members, we invited Reverend Debbie and Edward to share their memories of St Mary's. It worked, and 17 members came along! At the AGM we read the minutes of our last AGM and recalled all the activities that we had enjoyed in 2025. This was the last time that Debbie was to chair our meeting, due to her retirement in April. Lindsay has kindly offered to chair our AGMs in the future.
It was interesting to hear from both Debbie and Edward. Debbie recalled how she was impressed at how welcoming we are as a congregation and how she had enjoyed working with the various groups. Edward had good memories of the hard task of plotting the churchyard and been rewarded by enjoying conversations with people from all over the country and even as far away as America. We wish both Debbie and Edward well in their retirement in Bristol.
On Maundy Thursday afternoon 9 of us gathered for appropriate pray- ers and readings. Fiona then led us in a flower arranging workshop making Easter arrangements to brighten our homes. Many thanks to Fiona.
At this meeting we were joined by our area representatives for the Mothers' Union. Joy Morall and Sue Newnan, both from Addiscombe. We hope that their branches will join us for our 150 years celebration in the church hall in August.
Please do put the date in your diary;
We will be celebrating 150 years of the Mothers' Union in the church hall. There will be cakes, cream tea, a raffle, a quiz, plus lots of chatter and friendship.
TEARS OF
YEARS
See p.18 for the quiz question about the opening words of the Lord's Prayer: the thirteen languages represented are Arabic, Chinese, French, Greek, Hindi, Igbo, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Swedish.
Can you now match each set of squiggles with the right language? Turn to page 43 for the answers.
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Welcome Space was started by Revd Mo in the winter of 2022 when heating costs were very high and we hoped to offer a warm space, cake, friendship and lunch to anyone in our community. It has proved to be very popular with people in the parish and beyond and continues each Tuesday with anything up to 30 people attending.
We open at Ilam and offer hot drinks and cake, usually made Each week by Jo Quigley and often also by Iris Fairbairn. There are lots of conversations and usually a scrabble game and games of solitaire and we serve a hot lunch at 1pm, catering for vegetarians or intolerances. After lunch there is an opportunity to join in the singing led by Janet Davies from 3pm. Visitors give a donation for their food which helps to cover our expenses.
During the year, a generous donation allowed us to go out to lunch at Coombe Gardens in the summer,. We served a Christmas \lunch on our last Tuesday before Christmas with all the trimmings and we will have a celebratory lunch on Tuesday 21st April to say goodbye to Debbie who has cooked regularly for Welcome Space since it started.
We are currently planning the next few weeks until the end of July and will than take a break and start again on 1st September.
We need some additional help on a Tuesday morning from 10am to put up tables and to set up, help from anyone who would like to come from Ilam to make tea and coffee and welcome our guests, as well as to help to serve and wash up after lunch. You don't nee to commit to each week, once a month would be a big help.
We are also really short of people to cook each week, so if you feel you coud offer to cook or to assist one of the existing cooks, we would really appreciate this.
Many thanks to Diane, Revd Debbie, Lindsay, Neil, Sandra, Brenda, Karen, Jo, Mary and Jim who have all helped this year to support Welcome Space.
Diane Foster and Lindsay Ould
As most of you will know, a group of people meets in our church hall every Tuesday at 3pm, after the end of the Welcome Space. We sing selections from our home-produced booklet of songs which now numbers 108- and we also have an extra booklet of Beatles numbers. Around Christmas we sing some carols, and some Merry Christmas Songs. At 4pm we have a cup of tea and biscuit prepared by volunteers from the group.
Anyone is welcome; some people come occasionally, and others come practically every week. Some are really good singers, and a few have very little singing voice left but like coming to be with the others. It's definitely not a choir: we don't give concerts, but just have a relaxed singsong! A lot of folk have made friends with each other and have swappedphone numbers and personal stories.
If anyone knows a neighbour or relative who might enjoy singing for fun please speak to me to see if it might suit them!
Stephen sometimes takes the group when I'm not available. Up until now we've had a splendid deputy- and I want to thank Edward very much indeed for stepping in when we've both been away. We shall miss him very much!
Janet Davies iStock Credit: duncan1890
Purists, Populists, and the Rise of Anna Lapwood: Rethinking the Organ World's Old Debate by Dr. Christopher J. Parker a Over the last few years, a young musician has come to the fore that has reopened a familiar tension within the organ world tension as old as the instrument's own history. That musician is an organist and choir director called Anna Lapwood. She has taken the organ world 'by storm' through social media, especially performances of music from the film Interstellar. Lapwood was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to music at the tender age of 29. This, in itself, was regarded by some as controversial. Many fine musicians, such as the late Martin.
How, didn't receive his MBE for a lifetime of service to music until he was 61, and the late Martin Neary wasn't appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order until he was 57.This year Anna Lapwood became a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music (FRSCM).
This tension is the perennial clash between the purists and the populists, between those shaped by the classical tradition and those who champion accessibility and broader appeal. In truth, this divide is not only philosophical but perhaps also partly generational, shaped by differing expectations of what the organ should be and whom it should reach. The purists take their art with deep seriousness. They can feel affronted when a younger musician draws large audiences by performing film themes or crossover arrangements - music they regard as beneath the dignity of the instrument they love. The populists, meanwhile, see an organ world dominated by a small, earnest clique devoted to Bach, Buxtehude, and perhaps the occasional Franck, Widor, or Messiaen. They argue that such narrowness alienates the public and stifles the instrument's potential.
Both perspectives contain truth. Most professional organ recitals do attract a niche audience, often composed of those who cherish the traditional canon and wish to preserve it. Yet it is equally true that many organs especially those in churches and cathedrals - have been
shaped by centuries of sacred use. Their repertoire, acoustics, and cultural expectations naturally lean toward the solemn and liturgical. Concert-hall organs have historically offered lighter fare, and theatre and ballroom organs were built explicitly to entertain. The instrument has always lived in more than one world.
What has changed dramatically is the way musicians build audiences. Social media has transformed visibility, allowing performers to reach millions who would never attend a traditional recital. A single viral clip can do more for public awareness of the organ than a decade of carefully curated programmes. This shift has unsettled some and energised others, but it cannot be ignored.
So where does Anna Lapwood sit within this landscape?
Her biography suggests a musician deeply rooted in classical training. Born in 1995, the daughter of an Anglican priest and a paediatric palliative carer, she studied piano, violin, viola, and composition at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, later serving as principal harpist for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. At Oxford High School she achieved Grade 8 on four instruments before taking up the organ. She went on to gain a first-class degree from Magdalen College, becoming the first woman in its 560-year history to hold the organ scholarship. Her early career has been equally distinguished. Appointed Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, at just 21, she founded the college's girls' choir and has since performed at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, and St Thomas Church, New York. Her debut album, Images, is firmly classical in orientation: Ravel, Debussy, Britten, Boulanger, Briggs, Park, Frances-Hoad. There is no Bach, and little Baroque repertoire something the purists may seize upon — but nor is there the cinematic material that has brought her recent public attention. One album is hardly enough to define a career, especially for an individual who has only recently reached her thirtieth birthday.
The question, then, is not whether Lapwood is 'classical enough' or 'popular enough', but how she will navigate the space between these worlds. Her background suggests a musician capable of championing the classical tradition with authority. Her public profile suggests someone who can also reach audiences far beyond the usual organ-recital crowd. Whether she ultimately leans toward the purists, the populists, or neither remains to be seen.
This is not the first time such debates have arisen. Diane Bish, often com- pared with Lapwood, faced similar scrutiny. Yet her own advice to young
musicians remains telling – work hard, learn good technique, and above all, play with heart because without soul, the music will not touch people. The same tension appears in other fields: Elton John, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, abandoned the classical path entirely; Richard Clayderman, a Conservatoire de Paris graduate, built a career in the classical-pop crossover genre, adored and derided in equal measure. We have been here before. The argument is not new. What is new is the cultural environment in which it unfolds. The organ world now finds itself at a crossroads where its survival may depend on embracing both tradition and innovation - honouring the canon while welcoming new audiences, new repertoire, and new ways of being seen and heard. Whatever direction Anna Lapwood chooses, she has already done something valuable: she has brought the organ back into public conversation. She has made people curious. She has made them listen. And for an instrument too often confined to its own echo chamber, that is no small achievement.
I wish her well in whatever path she follows.
Specialist Solicitor with over 35 years experience
May
May! Queen of blossoms, And fulfilling flowers, With what pretty music Shall we charm the hours? Wilt thou have pipe and reed, Blown in the open mead?
Or to the lute give head In the green bowers?
Thou hast no need of us, Or pipe or wire;
Thou hast the golden bee Ripen'd with fire;
And many thousand more Songsters, that thee adore, Filling earth's grassy floor With new desire.
Thou hast thy mighty herds, Tame and free-livers;
Doubt not, thy music too
In the deep rivers;
And the whole plumy flight Warbling the day and night―
Up at the gates of light, See, the lark quivers!
Edward Thurlow 1781-1829
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Here are the answer's to Edward's quiz on the languages in which congregations at Southwark Cathedral are encouraged to say the Lord's Prayer
7 हे हमारे स्वर् ग बासी पिता...
*Debbie knew this one, because having been to Tanzania she knows how to say 'in the name of the father, etc.', in Swahili, and the word 'baba' comes near the start!
Here are the answers to Edward's quiz on cheese, wine and chocolate on p.23
I. Ca(member)t; 2. Beer and garlic; 3. British vintners in Portugal; 4. Côte d'Ivoire; 5. Less of the whey was extracted from the curd; 6. Roquefort; 7. Madeira; 8. Currency; 9. Riesling; 10. ‘cheese – toasted, mostly', Treasure Island, chapter XV.
Eucharist Common Worship (Order One, in traditional language)
10.00am The Parish Eucharist and Junior Church
8.00am
6.30pm
Choral Evensong (4th Sunday of the month*)