THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
59
The tomb of Daniel Day, the founder of the celebrated Fairlop Fair, was
also inspected in the churchyard.
Next, the Fire Bell Tower, with its remarkable stone Rood, a relic
of the vanished Abbey, was visited. The actual date of the Rood is
debatable, but examination in a good light gives colour to the view that
the central Figure hanging on a tree (not the conventional cross) and
much defaced by exposure, is of considerably earlier date than the less
weathered adoring figures of Mary and John, which are on separate stones
and which, to judge from the costumes, are of 13th century date, whereas
the Rood itself may possibly go back even to Saxon times.
From here, the visitors walked to the Friends' Meeting House, which,
with its burial ground opposite, containing the humble graves of Elizabeth
Fry, Samuel Gurney and other prominent local Friends, awakened curious
interest. We were also shown the Bible given by Elizabeth Fry to
her great-nephew, Andrew Johnson (an old member of the Club), when
he was a small boy. It came as a startling surprise to our newer members
to be reminded that our Club was thus, so to speak, linked, in the person
of our late member, with the great Prison Evangelist who died just ninety
years ago!
An adjournment for tea at Messrs. Williamson's in the High Street
was succeeded by a visit to the Public Library, where our member,
Mr. McLaren, the Borough Librarian, welcomed the party. After the
Hon. Secretary had given an account of the Roman stone coffin found in
Barking in December, 1932, which is at present housed in the entrance
hall, and had emphasized the historical value of such burials as indicating
the lines of the Roman roads, recalling like discoveries at Shadwell,
Bow, East Ham and Rainham, the party proceeded to the Reference
Library, where a number of photographic reproductions of ancient
documents concerning Barking Abbey and the original Rent Roll of the
Abbey, 1345, loaned by Mr. Brand from his private collection, were
exhibited and described by Mr. J. E. Oxley, M.A., the hon. secretary to
the local archaeological society. A resolution was unanimously passed
by the members of the two Societies present, calling upon the Barking
Corporation to use its best endeavours to secure the restitution of the
bones and pottery associated with the Roman sarcophagus, which had
been allowed to get into unauthorised hands.
Our President thanked, on behalf of the Club, our conductor and
those others who had contributed to the success of an enjoyable and
instructive visit, and the party thereupon dispersed.
THE ANNUAL MEETING (742ND MEETING) and the
743RD ORDINARY MEETING.
SATURDAY, 30TH MARCH, 1935.
These meetings were held at 3 o'clock on the above date in the Physics
Lecture Theatre of the Municipal College, Romford Road, Stratford,
with the President, Mr. William E. Glegg, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., in the chair.
Thirty-six members attended.
Before commencing the business, the President referred to the recent
death of Mr. Robert Paulson, a past president and old member of the
Club. In token of respect to the memory of the deceased, the members
rose in their places.