1 John Kendall.

2 Frank Raymond Kendall, Researches done by Frank Raymond Kendall (2 sheets of paper with some family history research on them), Birth date from FRK researches. He gives birth place as Leicester.

3 1901 Census for Kirby Fields, Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire (RG13 Piece 2959 Folio 85-87 Page 18-22), Kirby Fields 1901 census data.

4 Jonathan R. O. Wilshere (1976), Number 194, Page 7.

5 Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland 1912 (SoG LE/D 1912
).

6 Kirby Muxloe Free Church
Jubiee Souvenir 1883-1933 (Kirby Muxloe Free Church, (1933), Booklet), Page 19. Extracts from:

Kirby Muxloe Free Church
Jubilee Souvenir
1883 - 1933


Page 14

... on behalf of those Homes which has been continued ever since by ladies connected with both our Church and the Anglican Church. Special mention ought to be made of Mrs. Winfrey in this connection, who became leader of a sewing party, and remains leader to the present day.

When Mr. George Sharp left the village soon after Mr. Laird's coming, the Church missed a very valuable worker. Mr. Edward Geary, however, stepped into his place so far as the Young Men's Class was concerned, and did the work so well that he had a very good class to hand over to Mr. Albert Pickard a year or so later. Mr. Pickard was another strong Nonconformist, who came to Kirby about the same time as Mr. Laird, but unfortunately, during the first year of his residence he was so broken down in health that he was unable to enter into any of the Church's activities, although he was a constant attender at the services.

The cause now began to prosper, as several other influential and good Free Churchmen also settled in the village. Among them were Mr. (afterwards Sir) and Mrs. Edward Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Wilshere, Mr. and Mrs. Sharples, Mr. and Mrs. Kendall, and Mr. and Mrs. How. They with their families made a vast difference to the Church s resources.

Sir Edward Wood's advancing years debarred him from strenuous service, but he was very generous, promising to do anything in th~ Church's behalf that lay in his power. Mr. H. W. Wilshere was always a willing and conscientious helper. Although he never took office, nor even became a member with us on account of his duties at Victoria Road Baptist Church, he was always consulted on matters of importance, and his wide experience made him an invaluable guide. Another leader we ought to remember, who helped the community during its period of financial stringency as well as of growing prosperity, was Mr. H. S. Bennett. We are proud to think of him, too, as one who gave both of himself and of his substance to the educational work of the village. It was an honour just and due when, on Thursday, June 22nd of this present year, a memorial to him was unveiled in Kirby Muxloe Council School. Mrs. Bennett supported her husband in all his good works, and the influence of their lives has left a sweet fragrance, not only ...


Page 19

... his office now that he had removed to Desford, because the Desford Free Church Sunday School were urgently calling him to the office of their superintendency. As Mr. Brown had already been Superintendent of the Melbourne Hall School, one of the largest in the country, he was naturally a man of wide experience in Sunday School work. His superintendency of our school was not only valuable for the capable attention he bestowed upon it, but also for the length of its duration. Twenty years, except for one short break, Mr. Brown remained in this vital and responsible office, giving the school the advantage of his magnificent supervision. The prevailing desire of his heart and the constant object of his labours was to win the young for Christ, and so devoted was he in his undertaking that he quickly gained and held the affection of the whole school. Then, in 1906, when Mr. Burford resigned the Church secretaryship, Mr. Brown also took this office.
The Choir in the meantime was advancing with steady progress, and witnessing various changes. Mr. W. W. Kendall was elected its President in 1904; choir rules were adopted, containing regulations for admittance and attendance at practices. In 1905, the first Choir Outing was made possible by Mr. Kendall's generosity, and since that time Choir Outings have taken place practically every year. In 1906, his generosity was further evidenced by his presentation to the Church of a beautiful and sweet-toned new pipe-organ. In 1906, too, his son, Mr. F. R. Kendall, became Choirmaster.
The Sunday School continued to develop in power and numbers. The library, which had practically been formed by the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Bennett and given a good financial start by the Bennett charity, was in a fine condition. Mrs. W. Holmes was in charge of the Primary Department, having held that office since Miss Pattie Bent retired from it. The Primary had a membership of about thirty scholars in those days, but under Mrs. Holmes' care and guidance that number gradually increased to fifty. Mr. Percy Kendall and Mr. Owen Wilshere were Join Secretaries of the school after Mr. F. How's retirement at the end of 1903. Before Mr. T. Brown became Afternoon Superintendent in 1904 he was Morning Superintendent, and Mr.

Page 20

W. W. Kendall was School Treasurer. In May, 1905, Miss E. Robinson began a Young Men's Morning Class, which continued with success until her removal to Leicester in 1915; Miss F. Harding was in charge of a large Young Ladies' Class, held on Sunday afternoons, On her retirement through ill-health, Miss A. Robinson took her place. The Band of Hope had a membership of sixty boys and girls, with Mr. A. W. Holmes as its leading official and more or less in charge.

The work of these various branches of activity speaks impressively of the leadership of Mr. Forth, who gave his sympathy and help to all of them. His advancing years, however, made him conscious that his active ministry must draw to a close, so on March 28th, 1906, he sent in his resignation of the pastorate. On June 24th, 1906, he preached his farewell sermons to large gatherings, and so another phase of Kirby Muxloe Free Church History ended.

MINISTRY OF THE REV. J. T. D. HUMPHREYS,
1906-1916.

Towards the close of 1906 the Rev. J. T. D. Humphreys, of Barton Fabis, was called to the pastorate. The work still expanded, so that in 1907 it was felt that neither Church nor school premises were large enough. Plans for the building of new schoolrooms, and br the old schoolroom to be added to the Chapel, were accordingly considered. The building of the schoolrooms, which cost £1,335, proceeded apace, Mr. T. Brown laying the foundation stone on June 18th, 1908. This fine piece of extension work had been made possible by means of money gifts and efforts of a social nature.

The Sunday School teachers held their last monthly prayer meeting in the old schools on October 4th, and the opening of the new schools took place on October 8th. There was now the largest number of scholars which the school has ever known, either before or since that time. Two hundred and twenty-five is the number recorded, and there were one hundred and twenty-six Band of Hope members. Mr. Owen Wilshere had become Secretary of this latter society as well as of the Sunday School, and he and his helpers seem to have had their hands full in keeping order among its youthful attenders. In one of his minutes, Mr. Wilshere records...

Page 22

... and excellent service of its secretary, after the first year the attendance began to wane. Then the War intervened. The secretary, as well as other members, was called to military service. Thus, bereft of its leader, who had been its indispensable support, it was decided to close the Society down in 1916. We are glad to know, however, that though its period of existence was comparatively short, it did good work. In addition to its Sunday gatherings, ambulance classes were held under its auspices, at which many men gained useful knowledge and passed examinations in first-aid.

In September, 1910, the Church in general, and the Choir in particular, suffered a heavy loss in the sudden home-call of Mr. W. W. Kendall. Mr. Kendall had always made the musical side of the service his chief concern, so the Choir felt they had lost their best and truest friend. For many years he had been their president. His generosity was unbounded, and to give pleasure was his chief delight. After his death Mrs. Kendall carried on her husband's work with the same unstinting and generous care until she passed away in 1932. When electric lights were installed in the Church and schools in 1929, Mrs. Kendall paid for the electrification of the organ in Mr. Kendall's memory.

In 1911, the Kirby Muxloe Association of Boy Scouts was formed. Although Mr. Humphreys initiated the movement and became its padre, it was entirely undenominational and under the charge of Messrs. 0. and E. Wilshere. It met at first in our schoolroom; then Mr. T. Brown generously gave the hut to the Sunday School, which has been the Scouts' headquarters ever since.

The Great War of 1914-1918 affected Free Church life in Kirby Muxloe as everywhere else. Many of the Sunday School teachers and young men of the Church went on active service. Three of them who were closely associated with us-Messrs. E. E. Wilshere, W. Smith and C. Russell- paid the supreme sacrifice. Mr. T. Brown resigned the office of the Sunday School superintendency in 1915, and his nephew, Mr. T. E. Brown, took his place. Two years later, however, Mr. T. Brown resumed the position in order to relieve the new superintendent, who was pressed by duties of national importance. Miss M. V. Wilshere took the Senior Boys' Class as its usual teacher, Mr. F. H. Webb, was now

Page 23

a lieutenant in the R.F.A. Miss Wilshere also became Choir Secretary in place of Mr. W. Smith, and Choir Treasurer in place of Mr. F. R. Kendall. Both these gentlemen had to relinquish their offices in 1916 in order to undertake military duties. Miss Wilshere has held office in this dual capacity ever since, and the quiet, effective work she has rendered has made the Choir conscious of much indebtedness to her. With similar loyalty, Miss Greenleaves, who had been Choir Leader prior to Mr. Kendall, after the retirement of Mr. Pochin, now filled Mr. Kendall's position as Choirmaster until his return from active service. In like manner others also responded to the needs of the crisis; thus the work was worthily maintained until the signing of the peace. It. is noteworthy that during this period of tragic warfare the Teachers' Monthly Prayer Meeting, which had been allowed to lapse, was re-started, and in 1916 the Senior Christian Endeavour was revived, while a Junior Christian Endeavour was begun. The war days called for both devotion and prayer in order that the power might come whereby the
stress and strain of things could be overcome.

MINISTRY OF THE REV. W. A. RICHARDS, A.T.S.,
1916-1928.

On October 18th, 1916, a resolution was passed, after long and prayerful consideration, inviting the Rev. NV. A. Richards, of Pear Tree Road Baptist Church, Derby, to the pastorate. Mr. Richards accepted the invitation and wrote: "In doing this, I am influenced solely by the hope of being useful in the cause of Christ and of His Church." Mr. Richards was an eloquent preacher, great in prayer and a man of faith, who stood for the fundamental truths of the Gospel. He taught that life means growth into the Image of Christ Himself-into His strength, into disciplined manhood and womanhood, and into the blessed peace of God. He remained with us until his death on November 1st, in 1928. Thus his pastorate was the longest that has yet been served here. Unfortunately it was saddened throughout its duration by the prolonged illness of his wife. Mr. Richards' messages were always up-to-date, often dealing with contemporary events from the Christian standpoint. On such subjects he particularly distinguished himself,...

Page 27

... having rendered years of faithful and efficient service in both Sunday School and Band of Hope work. A zealous and forceful character, she loved the little children with all the ardour of a mighty heart.

In 1931, when Mr. Eatough vacated his offices on leaving the district, Mr. A. Winton Caven succeeded him as Church Secretary. He did so from a high sense of duty and with a deep feeling of responsibility, convinced that the call was of God. His conviction, we are profoundly assured, was a correct one, and he is showing himself a true servant of the Most High. Mr. Caven is giving service to the Church equal to that of his honoured predecessors in his sacred office. His quiet efficiency and courteous bearing endear him to the hearts of all his fellow-workers, and draw out the best from them. We thank God for this leader, who is thus worthily maintaining a lofty tradition.

When Mr. Eatough became Church Secretary in 1929, Mr. Jaques stepped into the office of treasurership. He retained this position until 1932, when Mr. Owen Wilshere succeeded him. Owing to Mr. Jaques passing through a period of ill-health during the time of his treasurership, Mr. W. Foulds temporarily filled the office, rendering timely service for several months.

The year 1932 also marked the termination of Mr. F. R. Kendall's twenty-five years of valued service as Choirmaster. During the whole of that period of office his tactful personality, kind and equable leadership did much to preserve the peace and harmony which always reigned in the Choir undisturbed. Mr. E. K. Brown, his nephew, was enthusiastically appointed Choirmaster in Mr. Kendall's place.

In the Sunday School Mr. F. Hardy is now Superintendent, and is putting energetic and capable service into his office. The Literary and Musical Society, which was formed by Mr. Richards in 1925 for recreational and educative purposes, has steadily progressed. At the present time it has Mr. D. Martin as its Secretary. Mr. G. W. Hudson is our present Secretary of the Band of Hope. Both these young men are whole-hearted in their respective positions.

During the present ministry, a Men's Meeting was formed in conjunction with the Anglican Church. Canon Whorlow ...

7 1881 Census of Leicester, St Margarets (RG11 Piece 3159 Folio 79 Page 26
RG11 Piece 3161 Folio 13 Page 19
RG11 Piece 3157 Folio 11 Page 16
RG11 Piece 3160 Folio 66 Page 33
RG11 Piece 3164 Page 16).

8 (1864), Location of Newstead.

Thanks to Tony Addinsell for all the Addinsell and Banner information