Hythe Parish Church, Harvest Festival Sung Evensong, October 8th 2000 (which was followed by the annual Harvest Supper at the - now lost - Canon Newman Memorial Hall).
Vicar of Hythe (1976-2001) Canon Norman Woods BD., AKC
Hon Curate: Rev Desmond W.J. Sampson
Curate (1996-2000): Rev Marcus Ramshaw (who sang 'The Office' on this occasion)
Lay-Reader: Miss Flora D.L. Laundon
In the absence of Dr Berkeley Hill (and his son Tim) who were absent due to a concert elsewhere that evening by the New Shepway Singers, Dr Michael Lewis (son of Rev E.B. Lewis, a former Vicar of Kennington, Ashford) who was Organist & Master of the Choristers at the former Ashford Parish Church (1970-79) conducted the choir this evening.
The Tenor solo in the short anthem for Harvest: 'Thou visitest the earth' by Dr Greene, was sung by Christopher J. Cooper.
Sub-organist (playing on this recording) Dr Toby S.J. Huitson.
The choir vestry being renovated at this time and the Soldiers' Chapel being used as a Choir Vestry, a Treble can be heard saying the Choristers' Prayer at 00:07
Hymn: (NEH 262) We Plough the fields & scatter 2:48
1662 Opening Sentence, Exhortation, General Confession & Absolution (Curate Ramshaw) 6:31
Versicles (Curate Ramshaw) & Responses (Ferial) First Set 10:17
Psalm 65 (Chant: Turle) 11:09
First Lesson - Richard Birch (now Rev Richard Birch - for long years, his father Richard J. Birch was Captain of the Hythe Bellringing Society until his death in 1978) 15:55
Magnificat 18:20
Second Lesson - Miss F. D. L. Laundon 21:30
Nunc Dimittis 23:22
Versicles (Curate Ramshaw) & Responses (Ferial) Second Set 26:11
Anthem: Thou visitest the earth - Dr Greene 28:59
Welcome by the Vicar to all to attend the Harvest Supper following the service, down at the former Canon Newman Memorial Hall 31:51
Hymn (NEH 259) Come, ye thankful people, come! 32:44
Sermon - The Vicar. Subject, gratitude and an Exhortation against greed (complete) 36:33
Prayers - The Vicar (commencement of first prayer, then the tape ends) 46:27
Missing: end of prayers, Hymn (NEH 261) 'To thee O Lord our hearts we raise', Blessing & Voluntary.
As every year since 1976 (and this was the last) the large congregation with the Trebles and those Lay-Clerks who chose to attend, all went down to a splendid Harvest Supper in the Canon Newman Memorial Hall. After a splendid two course supper cooked in the Hall kitchen had been enjoyed, the entertainment consisted of:
- Jonah Man Jazz, accompanied by the Choirmaster, Sung by the Trebles
- The Choirmaster doing Les Dawson impressions with various pieces to great amusement
- Mike Cox's 'Lion & Albert' Monologue
- Sometimes 'The Highway Code Part 1' to Anglican Chant, if enough men were there to make it viable!
- The annual highlight of a chaotic attempt at 'Cinderella', which was side-splittingly hilarious and featured the Vicar as an ugly-sister, complete with hairy legs, which had us all falling about in stitches
- Old Tyme Music Hall to conclude, accompanied by the Choirmaster and others who were 'game' for taking a turn at the piano! Such highlights as 'The Keel Row', 'Two lovely black eyes', 'Daisy, Daisy', 'Love's old sweet song' and the 'Old Bull & Bush' were wheeled-out for another annual airing! Indeed, it was these annual renditions which got me interested firstly in gramophone records of these and other numbers, and more recently (since the millennium) in Phonograph Cylinders of the same!
Great days!