If you stand at the ropes of the Marlow F.C ground in the 1880s cheering on the team, you have to have your wits about you. If you don't look out you may be mowed down by an energetic gentleman running up and down the lines waving an umbrella about in enthusiastic manner. Don't be tempted to let out an expletive though, because the athletic gent is none other than the vicar of Great Marlow - the Rev Arthur Fearon.
"Never was there such a football loving vicar"
So said the Maidenhead Advertiser in 1888.
Arthur arrived in Marlow in 1881 from Hungerford where he has been curate. At his induction the congregation of All Saints were exhorted to make enough contributions to cover the church expenses and to support their new vicar with "fidelity and zeal". Arthur was quickly showed his own zeal for the football club. He was soon elected one of their many vice presidents. This was almost a given given his position in the town, but the club were fortunate to have gained the support of someone genuinely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the sport. Arthur was not always able to watch the entirety of a match but he was said to have noticed on a few occasions that his arrival coincided with a flurry of goals. So he did his best to act as a lucky charm and attend the stickier matches both home and away.
He especially encouraged the young boys of the town to play the game. He was the head of the junior division of the Berk & Bucks FA, and later the senior division too. The former held a Jubilee football competition in Marlow in 1887 with Arthur also on the organising committee.
He could also be found playing cricket for Marlow, e.g in the fun High Street vs West Street matches that were a favourite of our Victorian residents. Arthur played for the High Street team as the Vicarage was in the Causeway.
A ducking in the river
Our vicar could also be frequently found on the river, helping to organise the regatta and acting in various roles as regards that. At the 1885 regatta he accidentally fell into the river from his punt. He was attempting to rescue a well lubricated man who'd jumped off the bridge during an event. The jumper was in danger as he was trying to swim amongst the boats and then disappeared under the water. The Rev reached too far forward in an attempt to fetch the man out but another managed to haul the victim up by his hair.
Up the Matterhorn
Arthur was also a keen climber with a passion for trips to the Swiss Alps (as was nearby Vicar F T Wethered of Hurley. Both were elected to the Alpine Clubs.) It was proudly reported that he had made the first descent of Mont Blanc of the season in 1884 accompanied by an unnamed Swiss guide. Reports of these expeditions made their way home to Marlow so his parishioners could track his progress. An ascent of the Matterhorn went well but Arthur reported that the descent took 8 hours and he was left with 3 inch icicles hanging from his hat which was tied on by a silk handkerchief. He praised the intelligence and skill of his Swiss guide which meant he arrived back at his accommodation "warm and happy". Later than year the equipment that Arthur used on those climbs was displayed at a fundraiser at the Marlow Institute (now Marlow Library).
Parish duties
Arthur was regarded as "in touch" with the working man as he was familiar with socialising with them to some degree at the football ground. This was not at all usual in those days. He was naturally in a fortunate position to enjoy lengthy foreign trips away from his duties but for the majority of his time he seems to have worked hard to look after the less well off. The winter of 1886 was a very harsh and cold one with lingering snows and frost putting many of the labourers entirely out of work at the very time their heating costs were at the highest. The Fearons organised a soup kitchen then to offer a heavily subsidised hot meal to the poor families. The church's heating bill was so high that year that after an appeal for extra donations did not raise enough, it was announced the church would only be heated for Sunday services. Those attending on weekdays would just have to shiver through.
Arthur also acted as one of Marlow's guardians of the poor for the Wycombe Union until he chose not to seek re-election in 1889.
Mrs Elizabeth Fearon started a parish sewing class which made articles to sell at events, in aid of their foreign missions. She was called a "model vicar's wife" which was high praise indeed. A frequent donor of cash and goods to the cottage hospital, and a regular visitor to their outpatients it is not surprising that the sick were said to have lost a good friend when she left town.
Controversy?
During his time at Marlow Arthur instigated a lot of repairs and improvements to the church. Some of it could not be avoided such as repairs to the north porch where the brickwork was "very unsound" and essential maintenance to the organ. Other work caused a few grumbles that it was generating unnecessary expense which was to be paid for by the congregation - such a new roof for the aisle and nave, and the removal of the high pews, both completed in 1889. Improvements had been ongoing at the parish church for a long time, and many people were simply fed up with it being altered - especially if they had to put their hands in their pockets to finance it.
Later that year it was rumoured that Arthur had resigned. The vicar may have been strategic. He said it was true that he was going to leave Marlow but only because he had been offered a new post at Blewbury in Berkshire. He had been in charge 9 years. Reporting on his farewell celebration, the Windsor & Eton Express said that "however opinions may differ about the course Mr Fearon felt it his duty to take, no one can honestly and truthfully charge him with shirking in any way the conscientious and energetic performance of his duty regardless of the consequences". This suggests that Arthur's removal may have been strategic. Were they referring to the upset caused by the church improvement work in some quarters or something else? His replacement at Marlow the Rev H O Fearnley Whittingstall said in his opening sermon, after referring to the recent cosmetic alteration of the church, that it was now time to concentrate on spiritual matters.
A subscription was raised to give Arthur a parting gift of a silver tea pot and salver. Mrs Fearon received a gift from the Sunday school children of a diamond and moonstone studded gold bracelet.
After they left, news of Arthur continued to feature in the local papers. In 1894 he transferred to Horton in Bucks. When he retired age 65 after 14 years there, the Fearons decided to return to Marlow in their retirement. They took up residence at Caldwell Lodge in Station Road. In 1916 the "lover of manly sport" died at his home. A few months later his widow left the town and she died in Sussex in 1920. She was however buried in Marlow.
Written and researched by Kathryn Day
Further information:
To find information about Marlow's churches and chapels and various minister biographies see the index here
To find all mentions of an individual here, use the A-Z index in the top drop down menu.
Sources:
Marlow Directory and Almanack 1907 & 1915
Kelly's Directory 1883 & 1911
Census returns from the transcript by Jane Pullinger with thanks.
Reading Mercury 18th March & 17th June 1916.
Bucks Free Press 19th July 1920
South Bucks Standard 14th January 1886, 13th June, 5th September & 7th November 1890, 25th November 1909
Maidenhead Advertiser 16th July, 13th August & 12th November 1884, 25th August 1886, 23rd March & 5th October 1887, 19th September 1888
Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News 23rd April, 9th & 30th July 1881, 12th July 1884
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