Matthias Lucas letters to Church Warden (1838)
Post date: Apr 01, 2015 11:30:17 AM
Originals of the following 4 letters from Matthias Lucas were recently rediscovered by Christine Byron in the library of Wateringbury Local History Society. A transcription follows. The originals are difficult to read. The year, 1838, is not on the letters but taken from the textof the plaque in the vestry of the Church which is referred to in the letters and reproduced for ease of reference below the letters. A discussion of these letters and their background , written by the then vicar Greville Livett, was published in the parish magazine in 1909 and can be read at paragraph 21.
LETTERS FROM MATTHIAS PRIME LUCAS TO CHURCH WARDEN JAMES WOODBRIDGE
Initial Letter asking for permission to erect a new Vestry and Family Vault
My Dr Sir
I was very much obliged by yr call today. Since you left me I find that our Vestry is a mean
lean too against the Chancel of the Church and quite independent of the walls and
foundations of both Church and Chancel.
As this Vestry is most certainly very unseemly and inconvenient I think the Parish
would have no objection to my making my vault under the underside of the present Vestry
and the unappropriated part of this Ch Yd North of it on my taking this Vestry down and all
etc appendages on and out without the wall of both Church and Chancell and making my
family vault beneath and erecting a more convenient and spacious vestry over it at my intire
Expense taking all the materials of what may be taken down in aid of what I shall put up. I
should Hope it will appear to the good sense and sober judgement of the Parish that as
one of them I am most anxious in what ever conveniences I may be seeking for myself and
family that at the same time I am alike desirous that for the Parish that will prove my
willingness to improve this Vestry and to serve their convenience as well as my own.
Perhaps you will have the kindness as Church Warden to call a Vestry or Parishioners
meeting giving notice of it tomorrow as I have no desire to go with this outlay until I carry
the Wishes of this Parish with me.
I remain my Dr Sir very truly Yrs
Matt P Lucas
SUNDAY EVENING
My Dr Sir
As I am going to town at half past 9am in the morning I should like to see you on the
subject of my Notes before I leave as I am to send to Sutton on other matters and I have
promised that he should hear from me on the subject of the Inscriptions to be on the
tablets.
You will excuse my bringing this to your notice as the Season is now approaching for
completing the Vestry.
I propose to put up a superior Chronery? Gloss and I have two appropriate pictures
which when the walls are finished and dry that I intend to send in.
Yours truly
Matt P Lucas
Wateringbury March 31st
Private
MONDAY EVENING
My Dr Sir
I am greatly obliged by yr kindness in seeking to do me justice with the Parish – it has
been my study to be usefull to the Parish and I have lent myself much to better its
population.
In every thing that I have done on this Chancell – or in the Erection of the Vestry etc
I will leave it to them to deal with my conduct as they think it deserves and shall be pleased
and thankfull for any tokens or Testimony they may be pleased to record to my
remembrances.
I am my dr Sir
Yr truly Obliged
Humble Servant
Matt P Lucas
My Dr Sir
I presume there can be no objections to the additions I have made to the
Superscriptions to be written on the tablet – I believe it is always usual to insert the Vicar
or Rector with the Church Wardens.
And as you and I know what I have written is in strict accordance with the
understanding of your self and the Parishioners. As between them and myself I think it
ought to go on the front of the Tablet.
It certainly speaking of the present time is unnecessary but some 50 Years hence
there may be a wrong minded church warden who may take it into his head to say I find no
record of the Lucas Family having the right to take up the floor of our Vestry to get to the
Vault and therefore I should prefer its Insertion.
Yours
Ald M P Lucas
On the wall of the vestry which adjoins the chancel of the church there are two tablets.
To the right of the door from the vestry to the church is a charcoal tablet with the following words
THIS VESTRY
WAS BUILT, ORNAMENTED
AND FURNISHED AT
THE SOLE EXPENSE OF
MATTHIAS PRIME LUCAS
alderman of the city
of London
and of Wateringbury Place
Esquire;
Anno Domini
M.DCCCXXXVIII
______
In grateful acknowledgement of
and to commemorate this act of
Munificene, this tablet is
erected by his fellow
parishioners
______
The Hon'able and Rev'd) Vicar
Jacob Marsham, D.D. )
James Woodbridge )
Richard Harris ) Churchwardens
To the left of the door from the vestry to the church is an ornate memorial giving the names of the
Lucas family members interred in the vault beneath the vestry floor.