FROM THE VICARAGE STUDY

My dear People,

We were all saddened last month by the passing on of two respected members of our community, Walter Divers and Francis Webb, both of whom gained their livelihood from the soil and were undoubtedly the richer in character as a result.

Because he spent the last few years of his life in Rainham, Walter Divers till his illness was not known to me but I understand that in earlier years he played his part in local life, particularly with the Cricket Club. Francis Webb I count it my good fortune to have known. I am very pleased indeed to print on another page a Tribute to him from a friend of much longer standing than I. Like many of you, though, I have with me the memory and inspiration of a regular communicant in our parish church, of a sincere, considerate and generous-hearted man and of a loyal official of Church, School and Cricket Club life. There will, of course, be an opportunity for all of us to pay a united tribute to him at the Memorial Service in church at 3 o'clock on Sunday, 12th July. The sympathy and prayers of us all are, I'm sure, with the families of them both.

Finally, a word about two matters on the last page of this issue. First, you will see an Advert Notice of the date of the Christmas Bazaar. This announcement coincides with the beginning of the soft-fruit season and also, therefore, with the beginning of jam-making. If all housewives who make their own jam could follow the example of one or two who already make it their practice to earmark a few pounds for the Bazaar each preserving session we could have a preserves stall as big as Vye's! Of course the same practice of steady "putting-by" in some drawer or of patient work with needle over the next six months can produce a similar result for all the other stalls. Secondly, you will see on the last page a woodcut of a bell in its frame. This is one of a number of woodcuts that my father-in-law, Canon J. S. Caulton, has kindly lent me for use in our magazine. In past years he used to contribute weekly articles on religious and country subjects to the Lincolnshire Echo and illustrated his own writings with considerable skill. These woodcuts lent us have been greatly admired by our Ramsgate printers. The latter have incidentally, now been printing our magazine for us for just one year and I know I speak for you when I pay tribute to them for their great cooperation and excellent work.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

JOHN GREEN.