CHURCH SCENE

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 60, 22 May 1928, Page 2

CHURCH SCENE

WOMEN PESTER VICAR. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER FINED LONDON, ' March 19. An extraordinary scene in, a, church in which a woman locked the door' and refused to leave was described at ; Oombe Martin, nelir Ilfracombe, when JMiss Aiinco do Beaumont-Checklaud and her mother of .Torrs Dark, Ilfracombe, were summoned for riotous and violent behaviour in Combe Martin church on February 27. The charges, were preferred by the Rev'. R. Seymour, the rector, who is a widower. The mother is a woman of means and Mr G. F. Lefror, wlio prosecuted said ft fibe would be of iio use.. It was an exceptional case that demanded exceptional remedies Life, he said, was intolerable for the Rector and many other people in Combo Martin /as a result of the younger jdeferldaait’.icondiijct.

She wrote letters‘to the rector and there was hardly any subject, either of. a sacred or intimate sentimental nature, that she had not touched upon. She professed to be in communication with his late wife, and said she was “good spirit” and must marry him. The Hector in evidence said he had suffered annoyance from the younger defendant for two or three- years, during which time she had been attending his church,. Ho wrote to tlio Bishop to inquire if it were possible to< refuse admission to the church, as she was not a parishioner. The Bishop replied that he could not do that, hut a seat could be allotted to her and the churchwardens could see that she always sat in it. 1 This was done. After evensong on February 27, owing to her conduct, he requested her to leave the church and not behave in. such an irrevalent and unseemly manner, CALLED HIM A COWARD. She called him (a coward and she did not want to marry him now and that if he wished he could marry any of the widows who attended the church. She bolted the church door and refused to leave, and a policeman was isont for. The disturbance was worse on arVival of her mother. The Bench bound her over for twelve months in tho sum of £IOO and two reties of a like amount, and I also ordered that fine sTiould not enter Combe Martin again or communicate with or annoy the Rector in any way. Idle mother pleaded' “Not Guilty.” The Rector said that when she suggested she should try to get her daughter away she began to revile him as much as her cUughter. Mrs Boaumout-Checklan.l said her daughter suffered at times from violent hysteria, and .she wont to tho church to get her away quietly. Mr Lofroy road extracts from a letter which, lie said, showed Mrs Beaumnut-Cliecklaml to hie animated by very much tho quno feelings as her dan editor. The Magistrate fined the mother £i> and allowed an advocate’s fee of £2 2s.