History of FOMA
The Friends, through your generosity, has substantially supported several major improvements for the Abbey:
Memorial Garden
Floodlighting
Sound system
Heating system
New doors for South Porch
In addition the Friends regular contributes to the ongoing support of the Abbey:
Repairs to the East Wall
Rewiring and repairs to St Paul’s Tower
Annual grant towards ground maintenance
The Explore Malmesbury project
Geo-physical survey of the Abbey and its environs
Repairs to the organ
In the Beginning the war in Europe had ended just seventeen days earlier when, on the 25th May 1945, St Aldhelm’s Day, the Friends of Malmesbury Abbey was founded under the leadership of the then vicar of Malmesbury, The Revd. Arthur Beaghen. It indicated the rising optimism of a community which had been racked by war for almost six years and, of course, the war in the far east was still raging and would continue to do so for a further three months.
The inaugural meeting took place in the Old Bell Hotel and was followed by a service in the Abbey at which the Bishop of Salisbury preached. This established the tradition of an annual Friends service in the Abbey which was maintained until 1980. The first committee comprised the following worthies:-
Revd. Arthur Beaghen Chairman
Mrs Alice Beak
Capt. Chamen
Capt. & Mrs. Craig
Miss Ursula Luce
Mrs. Mary Luce
Lady Eva Scott-Mackirdy
Mr. Marks
Miss Milnes-Walker
Mrs. Morrice
The hand-written minutes of the early years do not give a complete picture of the tasks undertaken by the association but included in their activities was the commissioning and sale of guide books and postcards of the Abbey. An annual plant sale was held on a day in the week of St Aldhelms day. Concerts in the Abbey were also organised on a regular basis. More than thirty years were to pass before the newly established Abbey bookshop took over the Abbey guide book and postcard sales as well as adding the most successful book sales of today. The organisation of concerts transferred to the Malmesbury Abbey Music Society. There was in these early years, a closer association with the PCC than is now the case with, perhaps, a greater sense that the roles of the PCC and of the Friends was complementary with many tasks being undertaken jointly.
Memorial Garden
Not all of the matters discussed by the Friends were about material concerns. In 1950 the Memorial Garden had been dedicated to the memory of those who had given their lives for their country. There was thus a great brouhaha raised when, in 1956, the proposal was made to scatter and inter the ashes of newly deceased people in this garden. The division this caused in the community at large was reflected, among other places, by the committee and members of the Friends. Eventually the uproar died down and the Memorial Garden assumed its present role.
Consideration of the East Wall
In 1954 a legacy of £500 was invested in government 31⁄2% Defence Bonds to set up a fund earmarked for the re-decoration of the East End of the Abbey. Thus was established the East Wall Fund which we have, to this day, found impossible to spend. In 1964 Miss Ursula Luce made a gift of £500 to the Friends specifically for East Wall Fund. A great deal of consideration was being given to the East Wall in those times. In 1956 an offer was received from Signor Annigoni to provide a painting for the East Wall at a cost of £10,000 and this was mulled over jointly by the PCC and the Friends for some time. Whether a subject for this proposed painting was ever settled is not recorded but it never came to pass. Probably it was thought too expensive. In 1958 a mural was proposed for the East Wall by a Professor Carel Weight but again nothing resulted from this. There was, in 1962, talk of a reredos being loaned to the Abbey by the Victoria & Albert museum in London but again, with no outcome.
Muziano’s Raising of Lazarus
For several years there hung on the East Wall above the altar a painting of ‘The Raising of Lazarus’ by Muziano. The painting was taken down from the east wall, not later than 1959, at the behest of Lady Eva Mackirdy and Mrs. Luce who thought the subject unsuitable for that position. It then hung for a time on the vestry wall. At that time the vestry was in the walled off bay at the west end of the north aisle presently occupied by the bookshop That was where the bookshop is today. The National Gallery were approached in 1964 and asked if they would restore this work. They declined to do so. The question of the future of the picture was referred by the Friends to the PCC and by 1965 it was said that the Bristol Art Gallery was interested in exhibiting the painting and to clean it gratis. This again came to nothing and in 1967 the Friends recommended that the painting be sold. Three years passed without a buyer being found. The minutes record that hopes of selling the painting were now lost and in 1971 the work was put back on the vestry wall.
Eventually the painting was sold by one of the larger London auction houses raising the sum of £2,000. It is now owned by the Birmingham Art Gallery. In the place where the painting had hung on the east wall was fixed a large, gold-painted, wooden cross. Constructed of plywood, this cross was certainly in place in 1959.
The Saga of the East Wall Sculptures
From 1960 onward there were many proposals for the East wall one of which was for velvet hangings and another for a vast mirror. Discussions were entered into with Henry Moore to commission a sculpture by him. It was in 1967 there was a new proposal that sculptures be commissioned to be installed on to the East Wall. An East Wall Committee was established in 1968 and comprised members of the PCC and the Friends. It was decided to invite proposals from established sculptors of the time, acceptance to be by competition. The following five sculptors submitted proposals:-
Bernard & Ann Davis
T.B. Huxley-Jones
Walter Ritchie
Frank Roper
David Wynne
When the proposals were received they were placed before, not the Diocesan Advisory Committee, but the Cathedrals Advisory Committee no less! They considered the submissions in some depth and eventually decided that the best proposal was that of Mr. T. B. Huxley-Jones and so the offer was duly made to him to make and install his sculptures. Unfortunately Mr. Huxley -Jones died three days after the offer was made and so it was decided to turn to the runner up, Walter Ritchie. The Friends offered £1,500 toward the cost of Mr. Ritchie’s sculptures The approach was made to Mr. Ritchie but with the proviso that certain alterations be made to his proposal as required by the Cathedrals Advisory Committee. Mr. Ritchie, however, was not a man to brook any interference with his artistic concepts and refused to accept any changes. This effectively brought to an end the whole project for the East End sculptures.
Many years later, in the 1990s, Walter Ritchie expressed, in a letter to the Daily Telegraph, his sorrow that he had not been able to make these sculptures for Malmesbury Abbey. Sadly, shortly after writing this letter, Mr. Ritchie died. In 1969, shortly after the collapse of the sculptures scheme, the Friends met half the cost of removing the stencilled paintwork from the East End wall. The paintwork was by this time suffering quite badly from damp. During the 1970’s it was usual for the committee to meet only once or twice a year but, nevertheless, a number of important matters were addressed during those years.
Publications of the Friends
It was in 1975 that serious consideration was given to the establishment of a bookshop in the Tolsey. This was shortly before the whole matter of book, postcard and gift sales was taken into the very effective hands of Mrs. Margaret Barton and transformed into the Abbey Bookshop as we know it today. This ended, after 30 years, the Friends’ direct connection with sales of cards and guides. This has not resulted in a withdrawal from these matters but a change of role. The Friends first published the booklet ’A History of Malmesbury’ by Dr. Bernulf Hodge in 1968 and this, today, is still one of our best sellers. This was soon followed by ’The Sculptures of the South Porch’ by M.Q.Smith, ’Eilmer and The Flight of the Comet’ by our local historian, Max Woosnam and ’The History of the Abbey & Town of Malmesbury by Major-General Richard Luce. There is a plaque commemorating Sir Richard in the south aisle. More recently we have launched our Malmesbury Abbey ’Popular History Series’ of booklets. It is expected that, when complete, this series will extend to nine, or maybe ten, booklets covering all aspects of the history of the Abbey, its architecture and the historic personalities associated with the it. At the time of writing this booklet, five titles have been published and it is hoped to complete the set no later than summer 2009.
Social Activities
Since 1988 it has become the practice to arrange outings of members, generally to a west country cathedral. Typically the days trip provides for a guided tour, tea and attendance at the service of Evensong. This usually takes place each year on a Saturday in late September/early October and it is common for there to be forty or more members in the party. In more recent years trips lasting 3 or 4 days have been made to York and to Canterbury. These visits have been very well received by the members who were able to join them. There have been various garden parties/hog roasts etc particularly to celebrate significant dates in our history; golden and diamond jubilees for example.
Recent Projects
A number of major works have been undertaken by the Friends in recent years. During the years 1985-7 the Parvise exhibition was brought up to date with new lighting and display cases. During the course of this work it was found that the roof was leaking. The roof was re-leaded by the Friends as an addition to the project. In 1995 the South Porch inner doors were replaced with the automatic doors we have today. Later in the same decade the Friends commissioned a plan for the lighting, wiring and electrical control systems of the Abbey. At the time it was anticipated that the plan could only be put into effect in discrete stages spread over several years. In fact the money was found, mostly by the PCC but it included a £20,000 contribution from the Friends. This allowed for the scheme to light the interior of the Abbey to be completed in time for an inaugural ‘switch on’ at the 1999 carol service.
Neither the PCC nor the Friends then had money available to renew the floodlighting of the Abbey so, in 2002, the Friends launched a public appeal for the £40,000 required and raised the sum in just three months. An ample demonstration that the Abbey has many more friends than are members of our association.
Most recently Friends have spent £13,000 on repairs to timbers supporting the north aisle roof.
Where Does the Money Come From?
In 1945 the members annual subscription was set at 2/6 (121⁄2p). This figure did not increase until 1963 when it rose to 5/- (25p). Evidently this caused some bother; Mrs. Luce wished it to be specifically recorded that she was opposed to the proposal! Even today the subscription is kept low so as not to discourage membership by any who might find a larger sum to be a burden. Clearly the subscription income is insufficient to enable any major project to be undertaken. The principal source of income derives from those people who are kind enough to remember the Friends in their will and it is those bequests which, working with the PCC, we use to try and fulfil the objectives spelt out in our rules:-
‘The objectives of the Association are to promote the restoration, upkeep, improvement of the fabric of Malmesbury Abbey, its furniture, ornaments and contents, adding to them from time to time. Generally to assist Malmesbury Abbey in any way the Association shall decide for the enhancement of the Abbey and its contents, for the improvement and beautification of the buildings or the services conducted therein or thereby.’We hope the relatives and friends of those who have made bequests look kindly on how the money has been used in, on and around the Abbey they and we love.
Continuity
The committee of the Friends, like the membership, shows a high degree of continuity. In our first seventy years we have had just seven chairmen and nine secretaries. Two of the original 1945 committee were still serving in 1966 and of the 1966 committee three are still serving now after fifty years. A fifth committee member has been serving since 1968.
Chairmen
1945 - 1973 Revd. Arthur Beaghen
1974 - 1983 Revd. Peter Barton
1983 - 1995 Jim Toogood
1995 - 2000 Rt. Revd. Peter Firth
2000 - 2003 Ron Bartholomew
2003 - 2012 Roger Griffin
2012 - 2017 Mike Lynch
2017 —— Jim Toogood
Secretaries
1945 - 1963 Miss Ursula Luce
1963 - 1978 Richard Hatchwell
1978 - 1980 Mrs. Diana Fidler
1980 - 1990 Gwyn Price
1990 - 1998 Ron Bartholomew
1998 - 2004 Colin Woodfield
2004 - 2005 Jim Druett
2005 - 2006 Graham Ford
2006 - 2017 Barry Dent
2017 ——-- Ron Bartholomew
In addition to these, many other committee members have, through the years, played a valuable and active part taking care of finance, arranging tours, overseeing projects and so forth.
Mention, must be made of Jim Toogood who, in 2017, completed 56 years of continuous service as a member of the committee including 12 years as chairman.
Looking to the Future
The circumstances and climate in which the Friends operate has changed through the years and we can expect them to continue to do so in the future. Our purpose for the future, as in the past, is to continue to cooperate with the PCC and all good friends of the Abbey, whatever their persuasion, to preserve and enhance the abbey for the benefit of the present generation and for generations to come.
The Friends of Malmesbury Abbey
Spring 2017
Timeline
1949 Provision of a notice board at the entrance of the Garden of Remembrance. From 1949 onward The Friends were responsible for many of the arrangements and upkeep of the Garden of Remembrance.
1949 £120 given toward the maintenance of the Abbey bells.
1950 The Friends paid for the repainting of the notice boards in the Abbey Yard and for other improvements.
1952 A new system of Abbey lighting was paid for by The Friends.
1952 A photographic record of the carvings of the South Porch was paid for by The Friends.
1953 The Friends paid £100 for the removal of most of the monuments from the pillars of the Abbey to the West Wall.
1955 Repairs made to the binding of one volume of the illuminated Bible were paid for by The Friends.
1956 The Friends paid in excess of £100 for the removal of many broken or illegible tombstones in the churchyard.
1957 The Friends paid for a sound amplifier for use in the Abbey.
1958 The Friends made a donation toward the cost of the staves used in the Abbey as a memorial to the late Mr. Ingram.
1958 A pair of shears were bought for use in the churchyard.
1960 From 1960 onward The Friends paid all the expenses incurred in seeking an acceptable proposal for the decoration of the East Wall. This included funding the work of Mr. Dykes Bower, Mr. Carel Weight and more recently a number of sculptors chosen by the East Wall Committee. A solution has yet to be found.
1961 The Friends paid for the repair to the wall on the East side of the Abbey churchyard.
1962 The Friends contributed toward the cost of materials for embroidered hassocks.
1963 The preliminary cleaning of the Muziano ‘Raising of Lazarus’ was paid for by the Friends.
1964 £170 was paid for the repair of the churchyard footpath.
1965 Cleaning and re-decorating the North Aisle was paid for by the Friends.
1966 The Friends contributed £100 toward the cost of a new motor mower.
1968 The Friends met part of the cost of new gates to the churchyard.
1968 ‘A History of Malmesbury’ by Dr. Bernulf Hodge was published and printed by the Friends.
1969 The Friends commissioned the first reprint of Dr. Hodge’s ‘The History of Malmesbury’. (To date there have been six further reprints.)
1974 The Friends paid for the handrail to be provided for the Parvise stair way.
1975 The Friends bought a set of architectural drawings of St. Pauls church. Jeremiah Webb, who was Parish Clerk for 55 years, made these drawings before the sanctuary of the church was demolished in 1852.
1975 The Friends published and printed ‘The Sculptures of the South Porch’ by Dr. M. Q. Smith. 4000 copies were printed at a cost of £695. There are still more than 400 remaining to be sold.
1976 The Friends initiated the cleaning the sculptures of the South Porch and contributed £1800 toward the cost.
1976 The Friends contributed £50 toward the expenses of the St. Aldhelm Festival.
1976 was the 13th centenary of the founding of Malmesbury Monastery by Aldhelm.
1977 The Friends paid for the production of 250 prints of Turner’s engraving of the Abbey.
1978 The Friends contributed £50 toward the cost of a new altar frontal.
1979 The Friends published and printed ‘The Abbey and Town of Malmesbury’ by Major General Sir Richard Luce. 2,000 copies were printed at a cost of £5,040. There are still in excess of 400 of these books remaining to be sold.
1980-1983 The records for the period 1980-1983 have, sadly, been lost. During this period the Friends paid for a new path to be laid across the church yard but the cost of this work is not known.
1984 The Friends contributed £500 toward the cost of installing a sound reinforcement system in the Abbey.
1985 A re-print of Dr. Hodge’s ‘History of Malmesbury’ costing £1,600 for 5,000 copies.
1986 The Friends published and printed 1,000 copies of the 1st edition of ‘Eilmer, the Flight and the Comet’ by Max Woosnam at a cost of £500.
1987 A Garden Fund of £4,000 was set up giving an income to provide contributions for the routine maintenance of the Abbey’s grounds.
1987 The Friends donated £5,000 for the repair of the Parvise roof.
1988 A commitment was entered into to give to the P.C.C. a sum of £300pa from the Garden Fund for grounds maintenance.
1989 The Friends donated £500 for the re-wiring of St. Paul’s bell tower.
1989 A donation of £5,000 was made toward the cost of installing a gas fired heating system in the Abbey.
1989 A donation of £150 was made toward the cost of improving the Abbey sound reinforcement system.
1989 Refurbishment of the Parvise exhibition was completed at a total cost of £26,750.
1990 A further re-print of Dr. Hodge’s ‘History of Malmesbury’ costing £2,260 for 5,000 copies.
1990 A donation of £300 was made toward the cost of producing Abbey ‘Welcome’ leaflets.
1992 A revised edition of Mr. Woosnam’s ‘Eilmer’ booklet was printed. 2,500 copies were printed at a cost of £1,915.
1992 The Friends donated £50 for the provision of infra-red control of the Parvise lighting.
1992 Compost bins for the Abbey gardens were provided at a cost of £230.
1993 Robin Dare was commissioned to produce a complete set of 35mm photographic slides recording the illuminations of the Parvise Bible.
1994 Oak to the value of £4,000 was purchased for a new set of inner doors to the South Porch.
1994 An 1816 engraving by John Covey showing an internal view of the Abbey from the south-east corner was purchased for £80.
1995 Replacement inner doors to the South Porch were installed at a cost of £11,000 for manufacture, glazing, installation and polishing. (The total cost of this project to the Friends, including timber and professional fees was, approximately, £19,000.)
1997 The Friends commissioned, at a cost of £1,000, a full electrical survey of the Abbey together with plans for upgrading wiring, control and lighting both inside the Abbey and floodlighting outside.
1999 The Friends paid for the installation of a handrail to the stairs of the south-west turret.
1999 A contribution of £20,000 was made toward the installation of a new wiring, lighting and electrical control installation in the Abbey
2000 The Friends published and printed ‘The Sculptures of the South Porch of Malmesbury Abbey’ by Dr. M. Smith and Rita Wood. 3,000 copies were printed at a cost of £3,800.
2000 Six further sets of 35mm slides of the Bible illuminations were made at a cost of £200.
2002 The Friends organised a public appeal to raise funds for a new system of floodlighting of the Abbey. The appeal raised £40,000.
2003 The new floodlighting system was installed and switched on in April
2003 The installation included lighting for the Tolsey path.
2004 The Friends commissioned the production of a computer enhanced, photographic copy of the Letters Patent transferring the Abbey to William Stumpe in 1544. The Friends also produced a translation in booklet form.
2004 The Friends contributed £500 toward the cost of providing protective screens to the windows of the North Aisle.
2004 The first two books of the Friends’ Malmesbury Abbey Popular History Series, ‘Eilmer’ and’ Athelstan’, were published.
2005 Two further books of the Popular History Series were published, ‘Aldhelm’ and ‘Malmesbury Abbey, the Dissolution and William Stumpe’.
2006 Repairs made to one of the north aisle roof trusses which was affected by rot and death watch beetle.(£10,000)
2006 The fifth book in the Popular History Series, 'William of Malmesbury', published.
2006 Provided protective mesh screens to the windows of the south aisle (£3,200)
2006 Donated £5,000 toward cost of east wall repairs.
2006 Donated £4,000 toward cost of repairs to the Tolsey Gate.
2006 Presented a framed facsimile copy of the ‘Stumpe’ letters patent for display in the Abbey.
2006 Donated £10,000 toward a new sound system.
2006 Published Part 1 of the history of the Abbey church as a part of the Popular History series.
2007 Provided emergency lighting for the Abbey. (£3,200)
2007 Renewed lighting equipment on the Cross on the west wall. (£2,300)
2008 Published Parts 2 & 3 of the History of the Abbey church.
2008 Published Parts 4 of the History of the Abbey church.
2009 Published ’A History of Malmesbury Abbey’
2010 Provided four display cabinets in north aisle for Abbey silver and other artefacts.(£50,000)
2011 Provided display consoles for ’Malmesbury Bible’ installed in South aisle (22,000)
2011 Re-gilded Altar Cross
2012 Published ‘Medieval Manuscript Books’
2013 Contributed £3,500 toward cost of re-laying the Abbey footpaths
2014 Published ‘The Malmesbury Bible’
2017 Printed a revised version of ‘A History of Malmesbury Abbey’