Parish Magazine
The Parish magazine was founded in 1893. The Hon. Wingfield Stratford Twisleton Wykeham Fiennes M. A. whilst rector, covered the Milton Keynes section for the magazine. The magazine covered the local area and contained information on baptisms, marriages and burials along with news from the villages and a few sermons thrown in for good measure. There were advertisments for local traders too , copies of the magazine are held at The Living Archive and can be viewed by appointment, but we thought that we should include a few pieces taken from the magazine.
JAN 1894

Rev Fiennes reports that there were no marriages in 1893 and that this hadn't happened since 1885. The Squires son Allen Finch was in Matabeleland and in some danger as the column under Major Forbes had been cut off. A new villager had moved in called Mr Clarke who had previously worked for the metropolitan police.

APR1894

A Vestry meeting was called to discuss the dangerous state of the bridge between Milton Keynes and Broughton. From the tone of the magazine it is implied to be all Broughton fault! Miss Ethel Payne retires as organist and is presented with a clock inscribed "presented to miss Ethel Payne, on her marriage by the choir and congregation of Milton Keynes church, April 1894"

MAY1894

The Milton Keynes Cricket Club was re-established with Mr Caryl Fiennes as captain . Reverend Fiennes wrote ' ..... the cultivation of good underhand bowling will prove more effectual in village cricket than all the overhand, crooked, nose smashing projectiles which can be hurled from the arms of the unscientific. Few of us desire the rearrangement of our features ,even if we have not been much favoured by nature; it must add greatly to the enjoyment of the noble game when no such risk is incurred , and when we can face the enemy with the almost certainty of being able to "hit him for six" without apprehension..... '

FEB 1894

Allen Finch is found to be safe and well even though the rest of the troops were all wiped out in South Africa.

MAR 1894

Mr W D Clarke forms the first coal club in the village as it seems the Squire's gifts are not sufficient, Miss Chandler agrees to be the clubs banker.
JULY 1894

Miss Harrup, the schoolmistress and postmistress, announced her departure . She would be sorely missed , as would her sisters who sang in the church choir.

FEB 1895

Squire Finch rteduced his coal gift because of the slump in agriculture. He had , however ,subscribed to the Clothing Club as usual but warned that if things didn,t improve his contribution would have to be reduced.

APR 1895

Many inhabitants were affected by a whooping cough epidemic.

MAY 1895

The school children and Miss Hollier , the schoolmistress, took a trip to London Zoo and the Tower of London. Miss Hollier, who had only been schoolmistress since October 1894 ,announced her wish to retire and as a result there were thoughts of combining the school with those of Broughton or Woolstone because of the lack of children on the roll.

AUG1895

There was a report of a choir outing to Cambridge where they went to hear the King,s College Choir. The Milton Keynes choir admitted that the King,s College Choir were "... a bit better than they were! "

SEPT 1895

A favourable report on the school and the outgoing Miss Hollier meant the school was to be let off an inspection in 1896 which must have been a relief for the new schoolmistress. The harvest was poor and the allotment holders were let off 10% of their rent.
NOV 1895

Mrs Rix ,the new schoolmistress , arrived together with her husband who took up the duties of Postmaster.

JAN1896

Rev. Fiennes reported that he had completed 35 years as a priest , 15 of them in Milton Keynes. He appealed for funds toset things right at the church. The clock, although striking , could not be heard , and the face and hands still needed cleaning. The organ needed cleaning and tuning , the stack pipes needed to be cleaned out and the churchyard wall needed mending. Mr Henry Petts ,the Sexton and bellringer fell whilst in the belfry and sprained his ankle.
APR 1896

Mrs Wilson arrived to take over the school as it had transpired that Mrs Rix was not suitably well qualified to be the teacher. The salary was £50 per year with a cottage thrown in.

JUNE 1896

Mrs Fiennes entertained the Scripture Union and the children to tea in the small schoolroom at Milton Keynes.

SEPT 1896

Reverend Fiennes comments on travelling to the coast from Milton Keynes village. It remains a lengthy and tedious journey today ,as it was over a hundred years ago.

DEC 1896

In November the school had its grant halved because an under qualified teacher had been employed hastily as a replacement. It is reported that the school managers were relieved that school funds were going to be reinstated.
Jan 1897

Ladies of the parish ran a sale, and the funds raised were put to good use, in the much needed maintenace of the church clock. Reverend Luxmore took over as editor of the combined Parish Magazines.

FEB 1897

John Kent was now running the Coal Club as Sgt Clarke had left the village. The locals depended much more on the generosity of the club.

MARCH 1897

A bull demolished the churchyard gate!! Reverend Fiennes grumbled over the governments introduction of Land Tax which until then the Clergy were not required to pay.

MAY 1897

The church funds are under strain partly because of repairs to the churchyard wall. Rev. Fiennes discusses vaccination "Vaccination is no doubt vexation.The baring of infantine arms for puncture and innoculation creates quite naturally in the maternal breast an opposition and prejudice which needs some mollification; but facts are stubborn things. Some of us have heard of Gloucester, and how a few months ago there was a terrible outbreak of smallpox in that anti-vaccintion city. Did unvaccinated children die? Well only 90 per cent, that wasall, and the few that recovered were said to be disfigured for life. This is a high price to pay for prejudice. Of the two evils it tis better to chose the least; better therefore to be Terry-fied(his spelling) than slain"