The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-09-23 00:00:00

HAOLEY HARVEST HOME,

On Wednesday this emboli' Harvest Rome was held at
flaglev. A proeession of clergy, choristers, and villagers
was formed at the Rail, and walked to the Church, where
service was h dd. Tnere was large congregation. The
prayers were luLonett by the Rev. R. Moore, tine curate.
The first lesson was read by the Re.. G. Halls (Clent
and tine second lesson by the Rev. H. sherrard (Stour-
bridge).

, -
The Rev. W. R. Coccus, the vicar of Dudley, preached
a very appropriate sermon from Exodus. 23rd c. 18th v.,
" And the feast of harvest, the first fruit, of thy labour,
which Com bast sown in the field, nod the feaat of in-
gathering, which in in the end of the year. when thou
bast gathered in thy labours out of the field.'
After the service was concluded the villagers adjourned
to the Lyttelton Arms Hotel, whets a aubstantw dinner
was provided for them. After the repast was ended,
Lord Lyttelton said for several reasons they hoped nit
to detain them but more than • few minutes file;time
was much later than usual, but tnat was in consequence
of the harvest living later than in previous years, al-
though it might be some incovenieuce to some if the
farmers in having it so early as it has been. He hal the
rheumatism very bad, and he was not going to stand
there and make a speech. And timer,' was another reason
why he should not make a speech ; be found it became
rather more ditlicalt to address them on the same sub-
ject year after year, as nothing new occurred. They had
alwaya had a few congratulatory remarks on those occa.
Rose. He thought the attendance at Church was as
good as it ever had been. He thought it had been an
average vear for corn, but he did not exactly know how it
may be, the farmers will grumble this year as they have
grumbled ever since the days of Adam—(laughterd
faking all things together, he did not think they would
make so bad a allow this year. He had lately been re-
minded that the population of the county increased at
the rate of £200,000 every year, and though they endea-
your to get supplies for that considerably increasing
population from all parts of the world, he thought it Wan
uecessary that some interest should be taken in agricul.
lure as a means increasing the products for the food for
tile increasing population. He should ask them to drink
tile health of the Rev. Mr. Cosena, the vicar of Dudley,
who had been kind enough to come there and assist them
all he could.

the Rev. W. R. Cosens said he was very much obliged
to them for the kind manner in which they had proposed
and acceeted the drinking of his health, He could only
say he was very glad to nave the pleasure of coming from
the beauties ul Dueley to the greater beauties .of Hag.
ley. They were ali working in the fields in the ueigu•
bourhood of Hagley, to supply those peopie•—the pad'
tiler. and misers of Dudley and the distridt—with the
oaf of life. He concluded by expressing a wish that
they may always live in pedee and harmony together.
The Hon. sad Rev. tN. H. Lyttelton than addressed
those present, and said he was pleased to see that the
whole of the people worked together to promote the
eludese of the day. In many cases he believed those
things were dune by the clergy, but he must say in Hag.
Icy he was not exhausted by the wink he bad to do in
connection with the Harvest Home. He was very glad
to be preeetit on such au occasion, width was the only
time that brought them all together. He thought it waii
about ten or el. Ven years since the firet Harvest Home
was held in Healey, and he did not think there was ally
fohr of its stopping The first in the district was at
Rueliock, where the Rev. Mr. Moore is, but that was
stopped this year. The lion's share of the work of the
Harvest Home Wan done by Mr. Stephens end the school.
Without the help of the school it would have been sin
pusible to get up these niceties.. He had to infarill
them that they had to make come slight alteration in the
manner in which they had distributed thetickets. There
was some trouble in the dietribution of the ticket 1
Some of the parishioners who were presented with the
tickets felt indignant at being given one, whilst others
grumbled at having to pay for them. He would not say
more to them, as there were a number of games to be
played in an adjoining field, and he thought those games
should be arranged as systematically as possible. Mr.
Brown, of Smethwick, had come over to show them a
new sort of game called '' Circular, or Ladies. Cricket."
He would conclude by saying that during the reviou•
Harvest Humes there had not beets a single rase of dem,
kenness or misconduct, and lie sincerely hoped there
would not be any cases on that occasion.
They then adjourned to an adjoining field, where •
number of games were indulged ma. including sinning.
circular cricket, Aunt Sally, quoits. &c.
A tea was given to the female portion of the villagers
in the afternoon, and a dance was kept up at the Hall
Barn for some hours.

We must not inTie.t to mention that the church was
elaborately decorated with flowers, corn, evergreens, ,tc..
and presented a very beautiful appearance.