FAREWELL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 9

FAREWELL SERVICE

THE COSTERS' "BISHOP"

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" London

Representative.)

LONDON, September 12. The London costers' "bishop," trie Rev. A. W. Barker, has retired for health reasons from St. Mary's Church. Old Kent Road, after 15 years' work.

When appointed to the living, Mr. Barker decided to see for himself how his 12,000 parishioners lived and spent their spare time. He visited all the public-houses in the parish, ordering a pint of beer and talking about current events rather than religion with customers in the "four-ale" bar. When he called on wives in the poorer districts his first question always was: "How is the cupboard?" If it was bare it was soon replenished from his own pocket.

All the pearly kings and queens of London attended his farewell service. They came from the modest heights of Hamstead and Finsbury; from Islington and Bow. Among b them was a Red Indian in war-paint and feathers.

The church was packed. At the back people were standing six, eight, and ten deep. The narrow road outside was crammed with cars. The courtyard of the church was thronged with children, barred from the service.

■In • his last sermon, Mr. Barker cracked his "family" jokes to send the congregation into roars of laughter. He asked for loyalty to his successor, the Rev. N. E. Field-Jones, and made his own farewell.

"I don't want sobstuff. I never did, I want good service," he said.

Such of the cable news on this pago as is so* headed has appeared in "The Times" and is cabled to Australia and New Zealand by special permission. It should be understood that the opinions arc not those of "The Times" unless expressly stated Jo te po.