Memories of an ex-Launton Boy: May 2024

This month the ex-Launton Boy remembers Sunday School in Launton, and some of the activities involved: highpoints are the Easter Egg Hunt in the garden of the Old Rectory, and the annual summer trip to Wicksteed Park in Kettering. And he regrets that some of the things that made Sunday special have been lost.

Now then, who remembers the days when we had, after the morning service at St. Mary’sChurch, Launton, that weekly routine known as ‘Sunday School’?

There may still be some in the village who used to attend ‘Sunday School’ when the juniors were taught by Mrs. Ida Waine (or maybe Wayne - my memory is hazy) and the seniors by Mr. Fred Reeves, he of the slowest bicycle in all Christendom, well certainly in Launton.

They were excellent teachers of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, with Fred Reeves bringing a relatively modern touch to the whole thing when reminiscing of his time spent in the then (in his day) place known as Palestine, before the formation of the land of Israel as it is now known. They would tell us stories from the Bible in a way which was easily digested and understood by children of our ages. It served as a good grounding for the understanding of the difference between good and bad in the wider sense, beyond that which we were taught by our parents, who in most cases in the village back then did an altogether pretty good job.

It taught us to have tolerance towards others, which let’s face it, is not always easy to do. And despite having been taught the difference between right and wrong, every one of us would err and go astray once in a while.

Sunday School was just one of the things that made Sundays pretty special compared to the other days of the week. For a start, in going to church in the first place, whether to morning service (Holy Communion), Sunday School or Evensong, we always wore our Sunday Best. It seems old fashioned to many these days, but I still wear my Sunday Best to church, with my Corps of Royal Engineers tie of course, especially as it is the Garrison Church that I attend.

As an aside, I know people make an effort in their appearance at weddings (though there are exceptions to that rule of course), but on important, sombre and respectful occasions such as funerals (and in my capacity I’ve attended a large number), I cannot believe the appearances of some that I have seen all too frequently. Some look as if they have just come off working on the corporation dust cart.

Anyway, getting back to Sunday School, by and large a thing of the past unfortunately, it was as I recall, interspersed with some rather super festive or seasonal occasions. For example, in the days before the old original vicarage was torn apart and sold off, on Easter Sunday there would be a massive Easter Egg Hunt throughout the extensive gardens and woods, steering away from the rather large pond (on which we could, and did on other occasions, row a boat).

I can hear now in my mind the screeching and laughter ringing throughout the grounds at each egg discovery. Such tremendous and innocent fun, and healthily outdoors!

At Christmas time we would put on, in conjunction with pupils from Launton’s St. Mary’s Church of England School, in the church itself a grand nativity play which attracted many villagers who would not ordinarily come to church.

But the big annual ‘Sunday School’ event was the coach trip to Kettering in Northamptonshire - to Wicksteed Park. If we were really lucky and had a gloriously sunny day for the occasion, it was out of this world. No Americanised Theme Park robbing you every which way. This was, as I recall, very British.

That having been said, all these years later there are relatively few of the actual attractions that I am able to remember. Of course, there were plenty of the usual recreational park attractions such as you might find in your local park today, but bigger and more imposing, such as slides, hop-on-hop-off-roundabouts, see-saws, swings and I believe there was a large carousel, but I particularly remember the pedalo’s, the small shallow water pedal boats on the lake which, a bit like bumper cars at the fair, were such fun. They ranked alongside the miniature ride-on railway with the steam engines (steam was still the main source of rail travel back then) with Arthurian names such as, Sir Lancelot, King Arthur and The Lady of The Lake, as far as popularity was concerned.

Sadly, the likes of Wicksteed Park as it was is too tame these days for children, most of whom have never even heard of Sunday School, never mind having attended one. If they are UK-bound then it has to be for them the likes of Alton Towers or Chessington, the latter of which I visited on my eldest daughter, Rebecca’s 18th birthday and after having been coaxed onto one ride, I felt positively ill for the best part of the rest of the day. There was a time when I could do any amount of that stuff, but no more I’m afraid.

But for some others of course, it has to be the likes of Disneyland, whether Paris or USA, either, it doesn’t really matter. But I do wonder though, is it really for the children or is it, likely as not, for the benefit of the parents?

Me, I’m a simple man with a liking for the relatively simple things in life, drinking in the plentiful beauty of our own picturesque Britain

That said, Julie and I are off to Gibraltar again at the end of May on another veteran Royal Engineers jaunt. Happily, Julie has for the most part conquered her fear of flying and is really looking to exploring more of Gibraltar, as am I.

Keep well and stay SAFE!

Tony Jeacock, MInstRE | The ex-Launton Boy | May 2024