Saturday 15 December 1906. P 9.
“On Sunday morning large congregation was present at Hellingly Parish Church, the occasion of the service being the dedication of handsome carved oak pulpit. The new structure was placed in the church by Mrs. Hancock Nunn, of Lealands, memory of her mother, Mrs. Annie Elisabeth Wynter-Blyth. The service was conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. T. D. Lovelace) and the Ven. Archdeacon of Lewes (the Rev. Robert Sutton, Vicar of Pevensey). Special psalms were sung, and the lessons were read by the Ven. Archdeacon. After the singing of the anthem, “In Jewry is God known ” (Whitfield), the ceremony of dedication took place, the Archdeacon using the following form: the glory of God, and in dear memory of Annie Elizabeth Wynter-Blyth, we dedicate this pulpit, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Ascending the new pulpit and preaching from the text, “As the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians iv., 21), Archdeacon Sutton remarked that at the present time there was the utmost need of the Divine ordinance of preaching, and he noted, sympathy with all who were present, that this new pulpit, handsomely carved and so generously given, was a worthy addition to their beautiful and ancient House of God, being, as it was, a daughter’s pious offering in thankfulness to God for all her dear mother’s love to her, and of kindness and blessing received at her hands. The donor of the pulpit nad herself generously provided all the cost thereof. His hearers, he said, had done a great deal for their parish church by providing the ceiling of the belfry and the belfry screen. On plate at the base of the centre panel of the pulpit is the following inscription:”To the glory of God, and in loving memory of Annie Elizabeth Wynter- Blyth, who died in Cairo, March lltli, 1906, this Pulpit is erected by her daughter, Rosa Hancock on, December 9th, 1906.” Professor Wynter- Blyth(Medical Officer of Health for Marylebone), Mr. and Mrs. Hancock Nunn, Mr. Meredith Wynter-Blyth, Mr. Stewart Wynter-Blyth, and Mrs. Archer, members of the family, and several visitors from Hailsham, were present at the service.”
Many thanks to Peter Selley for this information. He has compiled information on Annie’s husband,Alexander Wynter-Blyth on this page. I can endorse his site, The Medical Gentlemen of Bow – I quote from the front page, which describes its purpose: “For almost 200 years there had been a doctor resident in Bow. I was the twenty-seventh. This is our story”.
