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The clergy of England and Wales in the late 18th and early 19th centuries were a mixed lot. There were those who became parsons out of conviction and a sense of vocation; there were others, often sons of the gentry, who saw the position as a suitable one for living the life of a country gentleman.
Here in the Lower Arrow Valley we have the example of a country parson who seems to have been part of the second category. There is no guessing here, for we have a written record which tells its own story.
The parson in question was the Rector of Spernall, the Reverend John Chambers, incumbent from 1799 to 1836. John was one of fifteen children of Thomas Chambers of Gorcott Hall (Studley parish) and he succeeded his brother, also Thomas, who had been rector of Spernall for 36 years. As John was one of his father's youngest sons, he had little expectation of any sizeable estate by inheritance and was probably intended from birth to secure the rectorship: this was possible, for the Chambers family held the patronage of Spernall. John came into the incumbency in his late forties and remained until his death at 83. For much of this time he also held in plurality a living in Shropshire, where he paid the curate to take the services.
John Chambers' life-style became generally known earlier this century when his account book from 1820 to 1835 was found in a pile of salvage by a waste paper merchant. The account book shows that the rector kept meticulous records - but even more it records the outlay on purchases which would have been normal among men of his class.
Some of the food and drink purchases were as follows:-
ten pounds coffee £1.13.0: loaf of sugar £1.50.: a bream 3lbs.
1/6: six dozen of sherry £15.9.1.: malt at 8/- lb £2.0.0.:hops at 2/-: lemons 4d.: a
leveret 1/-: a Birmingham fishmonger supplied oysters, lobsters, crabs, turbot, herrings,
fresh and cured. Fruit detailed included swan-egg pears, nectarines, oranges, grapes,
peaches, apricots, tamarinds.
Meats were very varied:- bacon, hams, venison rabbits, hare, woodcock, partridges,
pheasants.
Cheese and biscuits came from London and Birmingham.
The rector kept a good cellar, with the heaviest expenditure on port, sherry and mountain: purchased in hogshead and bottled by himself.
John Chambers' account book was not confined to food: some
interesting items tell us about his dress -
tan gloves 2/3: purse 8d.: hat £1.1.0.: six handkerchiefs 8/6.: silk stockings 18/-.
The mention of coat, greatcoat, cravat, hat, wig, spencers, waist coats, cord breeches, lambswool stockings, boots and spurs is sufficient to give a portrait of a man on horseback, his usual mode of travelling the countryside.
The rector appears not to have married: at least, there are no indications in that direction. However, a gentleman of the period must have servants. The account book and an enclosed cutting from the local press show John Chambers advertising for a housekeeper, not over 30 years of age and also able to cook and keep accounts: a female under-servant was already in place, as well as a man-servant.
Besides food and medical attention these servants received per annum £19 housekeeper: £18 man-servant, £6 female under-servant. The two stipends John Chambers received could probably not have covered his outgoings, which were about £550 annually, a large sum. Not allergy noted, there were house expenses such as regular supplies of coal, weekly visits to Alcester and occasional ones to Birmingham and Henley-in-Arden. One may also imagine expenses with the local blacksmith and entertaining visitors (his status as parson and gentleman would surely call for this). Where did the extra cash come from? We may hazard a guess that, as a member of the Chambers family, he had some private means.