Herald - Issue 406

Page 22 • The HERALD • 13th May 2021 v SEND ALL YOUR LOCAL NEWS TO THE HERALD v TRU-FLOW PLUMBING SERVICES For all your Domestic Plumbing, Tiling, Painting and Decorating Requirements • Fully Insured • Discounts for Senior Citizens Please Contact Andy Tel: 023 8087 0145 • Mobile: 07962 590089 PVCu FASCIAS & GUTTERING CLEANING SERVICE Gutters checked for leaks and repaired Also new installations Driveway, Patio and Decking Cleaning and Restoration Service Very reliable and fully insured Good Rates and Professional Service Special Rates for OAP’s Call us now for a free quote Holbury 023 8194 1220 or 07884 112416 The Square, Fawley, Southampton SO45 1DD T: 023 8112 3112 E: office@zebra-ltd.co.uk All Plumbing Works Undertaken Full Bathroom Installation Any Toilet Fix £75 Fully Insured Free Quotes No Job Too Big or Too Small PLUMBING & BATHROOMS • Re-Skimming • Rendering • Coving • Dry Lining • Tacking • Artex Covered • Floor Screeding www.tbrownplastering.co.uk Call: 07919 183989 Friendly • Reliable • Professional • Free Estimates A.M.H. Handyman Services Internal & External Painting All aspects of DIY Work • Flat Pack Assembly Power Washing: Driveways, Patios, Paths & Decking Gutter, Fascia Boards & Window Cleaning (Bungalows only) Call or email Andy for a free estimate Tel: 07961 443623 handyandyharding@gmail.com Local and Reliable TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD OF Written by Patricia Hedley-Goddard, Churchyard Archivist for the ancient parish church of All Saints’, Fawley There has been a church at Fawley since 971 A.D. and the graveyard contains over 3,500 known souls within it. Over the next few months, I will be writing up the stories of some of the people buried within the churchyard, many with living relatives who have so kindly contributed to these short histories. Reverend William Gibson In a handsome ‘templar’ style memorial at the east end of the All Saints Church yard, Fawley lies the grave of e Reverend William Gibson. He was born in Liverpool on the 28th June 1804, the eldest of three children, having two sisters, Martha and Ann. At the age of 19 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a well-educated young man, ordained as a deacon at Chester in 1930 and became a priest of Holy Trinity Church, Chester one year later. Sadly, his father had died when he was 19 years of age, and his mother died just three years later. At the age of 26, on the 2nd May 1831 he married Eliza Maria Sumner who was 23 years old. Eliza was the niece of the Lord Bishop of Winchester, Charles Richard Sumner, and they were married at Battersea St. Mary, England. ey lived in Chester, and a year later their rst child, a daughter, named Marianne (May) Gibson was born and two years later in 1833 their son, John Sumner Gibson was born. By the May of 1836 William and the family were living in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, where his wife Eliza Maria died. She was buried there, in the Strangers burying ground. William returned to England and one year later he married Eliza’s cousin Louisanna Sumner who was aged twenty. Once again the marriage was conducted by Charles Richard Sumner K.B, Lord Bishop of Winchester, on 17th September 1837, at Farnham Castle in Surrey. Ten months later their rst child, Ella Sophia was born. By the time their second child, another daughter Emily Louisa, was born, they were at Farnham Castle in Surrey, and in 1840 the family moved to the Rectory in Fawley. On arriving in Fawley, they realised that both the Church of All Saints, and the Rectory were in very poor states of repair. e previous incumbent had been an absentee rector since 1806 leaving the running of the parish to his curates for a period of 33 years, consequently no refurbishment or repairs had taken place. ( e curacy of Fawley had become known as ‘kill-parson’ from the unhealthy situation of the parish which had a lot of marsh surrounding it.) e interior of the church was very dark, with many oak pews and ve oak galleries. Two of these situated at the west end were accessed by two separate staircases, one for men and the other for the orchestra consisting of a bass, viola, ute, etc. ere was one gallery on the south side of the church, two on the north, one at the west end for both men and women. William instructed an architect to remove most of the galleries, reposition the pews, build a dormer window on the dark north side, and build a new gallery at the western end of the church. He also had a deep porch erected over the existing 12th century style main entrance to the church. William was a good and hardworking priest and spent the remaining 26 years of his life performing the religious and pastoral roles in his extensive parish, which at that time included Hythe. He died in 1862. Marianne (May) Gibson died at the age of 13 of dropsy, Rev. William Gibson Continued on page 23