St Margaret's News November 2016 | Page 3

CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD’ sions then - she advertised for a workman. This is where one side of my family appears as a man called Samuel Edwards applied successfully for the job. He ended up marrying Caroline (a story on its own) and they produced four more children one of who was my mother’s father. All the children of these three families and with new families appearing on the scene, Holgates, Banks, Pearsalls, Morgans, Veness’s, became the backbone of a vibrant church that was renowned throughout the district. The village itself was ‘wall to wall’ shops of every kind particularly servicing the horse then moving into the early motor car era. There is only a part-time Post Office remaining. The now Uniting Church is in its third church, the last being built in 1927 adjacent to the previous one. The opening was documented by my father through photography. Rye Park became known as The Holy City during my time growing up there, as it had the Methodist Church, Salvation Army to which most of the Methodists attended as well, the Church of England, and Roman Catholic. The majority were Teetotallers so when the pub burnt down it was never rebuilt and the policeman left town! Only the Uniting Church remains. Why is this so? Because the descendants of the first settlers who still live in the area still have the fighting spirit and conviction of their Forefathers! - Robin Bennett St Margaret's News 3 November 2016