Broad Street

All Saints', Wrington 
Christ Church Presentation to Horace Ashman
Appreciation by niece Anita Simmons
Sunday, 17th September, 2006 

  
Churchwarden for 52 years

Harvest 2006 marked the 52nd anniversary as Churchwarden of Redhill parish church, for retired farmer, Horace Ashman. A post held by the Ashman family at Christ Church Redhill for three generations.

If you have an hour or two to spare and you need to catch up with the latest news in Redhill and Wrington, or the lamb prices at the local livestock market, or maybe missed the recent land auction down the road, then Uncle Horace is your man.

With enthusiasm and curiosity Uncle Horace exchanges tidings about farming and rural life. He is passionate about his village and its people, and his church, which he serves so faithfully.

Having discussed the forthcoming Christ Church Grand Draw, and the numerous local businesses that he had visited in his successful quest to acquire prizes, we chatted about Christ Church, Redhill when he was a boy.

Uncle Horace was born at Goblin Coombe Farm, and clearly recalled the 1920’s. Sunday School by oil lamp, pumping the organ by hand and father attending to his churchwarden duties. During this time there were Services at 8am, 10.30am, Sunday school at 3pm and a service at 6.30pm all attended by one or another of his large family. During the war, the Italian prisoners were welcomed to Redhill and they soon became regular worshippers at Christ Church.

The Ashman family were notable Champion ploughmen with horses, and the Bristol International Airport now occupies hundreds of acres where Uncle Horace turned many a furrow to plant oats and barley after the war.

The doors of Redhill church are open throughout the day and due to the proximity to the airport, many traveller’s can be found resting peacefully in Christ Church before and after their journey.

Uncle Horace served on the Bristol Airport consultative committee for many years, and on occasions joined the Rev. Basil French when taking a Good Friday Service in the Airport building for the hundreds of people gathered there.

In his own parish and Diocese, Uncle Horace has seen vicars come and go, Archdeacons turn into Bishops, and Bishops turn into Archbishops. He has dealt with thefts from communion wine to Sanctuary carpets. He has seen the services reduced, and parishes teamed together, even dined alongside the previous Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Robert Runcie, whilst on a visit to Buckingham Palace.

Horace recalled with sadness the closing of his village school, and the housing of the School bell in the church porch.

Visits to Long Lane, Wrington are such a joy. After all, when you are nearly 93 years of age there is a great deal of information to be exchanged, and family gossip to share. We ponder over the necessity and length of PCC meetings! and the ever mystifying role of the Diocesan Advisory Committee and any other church body come to that! We banter competitively about church fundraising, in which Kingston Seymour appears to require far more arm-twisting and energy than Redhill.

 As home time nears, I haul myself from the depths of the deeply padded armchair, my bones creaking (after all, I am a little over half of Uncle’s age!), whilst Uncle Horace leaps from his seat in a spring chicken like manner. An all important football match was scheduled on Sky TV, and the friends and neighbours were on their way to join Uncle Horace for a lads night in!
On the evening of the 17th September, fresh from the milking parlour I made haste up the lane to our own Harvest Evensong at 6pm, and sang the Anthem with the choir. I promptly departed before the first hymn. With foot hard on the accelerator (a little risky in Ropers Lane, and Long Lane) I made haste to Redhill to join Uncle Horace, Jeanne and the family for the Christ Church Harvest Thanksgiving service and presentation to Uncle Horace for 52 years service as church warden. There was a warm welcome in a beautifully decorated and full church. The seven hymns, which were sung jubilantly, I could have chosen myself. The sermon given by Bishop Peter Ball was meaningful, entertaining and brief. All in all it was a delightful service.

I left feeling spiritually inspired and refreshed, and very proud of my favourite Uncle.

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