Sunday School treats

SUNDAY SCHOOLS were a vital part of community life in Bourne during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were the inspiration of Robert Raikes (1735-1811), publisher and philanthropist, who was instrumental in founding one of the first in Sooty Alley, Gloucester, opposite the city prison, in 1780 where the poorest children were taught the scriptures as well as reading and writing, and most of his pupils were the sons and daughters of chimney sweeps.

The idea flourished and schools spread with astonishing rapidity and in 1785 an non-denominational national organisation, the Sunday School Society, was set up to co-ordinate and develop the work. By 1784, there were reputed to be 1,800 pupils in Manchester and Salford alone with a similar number in Leeds.

A century later, they had become well established in Bourne with the Baptists in West Street being the first non-conformists to provide a Sunday School, classes beginning in 1803, and by 1924, some 5,000 children had attended. The Methodist Sunday School had 150 scholars and 21 teachers enrolled in 1888 with both morning and afternoon sessions while 11 neighbouring villages also had Methodist Sunday Schools.

The appearance of Congregationalism in the town and the subsequent building of the Congregational Church [now the United Reformed Church] in Eastgate in 1846 brought an even greater impetus. A Sunday school was started in 1849 and for a long time its meetings were held in private houses yet by 1874 there were 235 children on the roll with 18 voluntary teachers and in 1900, a Sunday School building was opened adjoining the chapel and designed much on the plan of the new Baptist Sunday School which had opened in 1891, with a central hall flanked by numerous classrooms and over 150 names on the register.

The annual treat was always awaited with great anticipation, held as an enticement and a reward for children attending religious instruction on Sundays, then considered to be an integral part of their education. The day always began with an assembly followed by a parade through the streets, often accompanied by the town band and parents, including mothers with babies in their prams, to either the Abbey Lawn or the Park Field in the Austerby, for the traditional sports, games, fancy dress, decorated floats and a picnic followed by dancing for the parents and organisers in the evening once the children had been sent home to bed.

On Tuesday 20th January 1885, children from all of the town’s Sunday schools were invited to a treat financed by Robert Mason Mills (1819-1904), founder of the town’s aerated water business, and a local newspaper reported: “Through the liberality of Mr Mills, the children attending the church Sunday schools, together with their parents, were given a splendid treat in the Corn Exchange. In the afternoon, a substantial tea was provided, at which nearly 500 were present. After tea, the contents of a Christmas tree (provided by the kindness of several lady members of the church congregation) were distributed among the children, a number of whom also received prizes for regular attendance and good conduct. During the evening, vocal and instrumental music was given by several friends.”

In 1889, the Sunday Schools from the Abbey Church, held in the old National School in North Street [now the Conservative Party headquarters], and the Congregational Church, held a joint celebration on Friday 19th July which was reported by a local newspaper: “The annual treat was held when the scholars of the Eastgate and North Street Sunday schools assembled at the North Street schoolroom and marched in procession, headed by the Bourne Brass Band, to the Abbey Lawn where tea was provided. About 250 sat down, including the parents of some of the children, all of whom had been invited. After tea, the children went into the field for amusements, the teachers being indefatigable in organising races and superintending swings. The music infused additional liveliness into the proceedings and at about 8 o'clock, the younger children having been dismissed with a bun, dancing commenced and was carried on with spirit until 10.30 when the grounds were cleared. The weather was fine throughout and the treat was a thorough success.”

The Congregational Church treats are among the best documented gatherings from our history because among the church members was a photographer, William Ashby Swift, son of John Thomas Swift (1855-1939), a local magistrate and councillor, and his wife Henrietta, who lived in North Road.

Ashby Swift, as he preferred to be known professionally, went into business in 1904 when he took over premises in South Street and later in West Street, specialising in wedding and family groups, portraits and local scenes. As a boy, he was a competent pianist and in July 1898, he passed the junior examinations of the London International Music Society with top marks at the age of 15 and his musical talents were applied to the post of church organist, playing regularly at services as well as weddings and funerals.

Apart from a spell with the Royal Flying Corps during the Great War, Ashby Swift spent his life photographing local people and events in great detail, particularly the church treats which he captured with a series of pictures, many of which have survived. When the big day dawned, parents and children assembled at the church, all in their Sunday best, and then paraded with banners flying to the Park Field in the Austerby where the real business of the day got underway with games and a picnic, a fun fair and fancy dress competition and a parade of coloured floats and of course a sit down tea in a specially erected marquee. It was a happy family occasion which was talked about for days afterwards.

Ashby Swift died on 14th February 1941 at the age of 59 and is buried in the South Road cemetery but the town remains indebted to him for the many images of Bourne from past times which give a remarkable insight into the customs of the early 20th century, particularly the church treats when children turned out to enjoy themselves on a day out and wearing their Sunday best.

NOTE: This article was published by The Local newspaper on Friday 13th April 2007.