There were repeated references to the scarcity of work and to the hardship experienced by some in the excessive cold of January 1886. One article discussed the correctness of the name “Hampton Hill” and another the problems arising from Sunday Trading in the village. Plus, ça change.......

The parish matter was published in association with a centrally produced “Parish Magazine” with articles about the Christian religion, “short sermons” (several pages long), much poetry, many illustrations and a long-running serial (“Countess Helena” in 1885 and “An Heiress against her Will” in 1886). This part also had articles of present-day interest on such topics as Disestablishment and Church Unity.

It all makes very interesting reading. Archive copies are available for most of the 102 years of monthly issues but, owing to the shortage of storage space in the church, access to them is not easy. We have bound volumes from November 1884 to the end of 1932 and also for the three years 1952 to 1954 when something like the present format was adopted together with the title “The Spire”. Loose copies are available for the intervening years 1933 to 1951 and from 1955 to date except for the period January 1937 to February 1950, though we do have a complete set for 1943 and a copy for January 1948, and except also for the June and October issues of 1961. This is both odd and a pity.

Until recently we had larger gaps but, thanks to a considerable collection given to us about a year ago, some of those gaps have now been closed or reduced. If any reader has any copies that we do not have, we would be very pleased to hear about them. Also, if any readers know that the magazine was not published at all in certain months or years, we would be pleased to hear from them too.

The original aims of the magazine were set out clearly in the first Editorial of November 1884. They were to record parish events, to give statistics and financial statements of parish institutions, to give notice of services and other parish events and “to give the Vicar an opportunity of communicating with his parishioners as occasion may require”. These aims have not changed very much but the way in which they are achieved has changed a great deal with the times. It will of course continue to do so but let us hope that, so long as the magazine serves a useful purpose in the parish, it will go on for many years yet."

Source: Ron Bridges, The Spire Magazine - 1987 April