Many family members and friends will know that Richard Cobbold (1797-1877) #106 in the tree, was Rector at Wortham from 1826 until his death and left us (now in the Suffolk Record Office) a wonderful illustrated account of the village and its people, in addition to his best selling novel, Margaret Catchpole.
For many, many years The Friends of Wortham Church have provided indispensable support for the fabric of the church but this has meant that their generosity has been largely unseen. To celebrate the centenary of the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and to make a highly visible and aesthetic contribution to the church the Friends raised the money necessary for a brand new stained glass window.
On a beautiful sunny, if windy, Sunday in April the new window was dedicated and blessed by our Bishop, The Right Reverend Nigel Stock at a service of Songs of Praise. The window was designed by Deborah Lowe and includes a feast of local interests and influences most skilfully blended such that a good half hour is necessary to gain a full appreciation. A full description of the window will be given in a future Cobbweb but for the moment we will concentrate on the dedication.
Needless to say I was delighted to have been invited, and to sit next to Constance Hiller (née Cobbold) #608 and her husband George #609 who both had special reason to be there. George’s father, Rev. Hubert George Hiller #3003 was appointed Rector of Wortham in April 1935 (the living was sold by Richard Cobbold to King’s College, Cambridge) having earlier been the Initial Priest, that is the first priest ordained in the new diocese whose centenary we were marking today. As if that were not enough, George and Constance were married by George’s father in this very church in 1958.
Anthony Cobbold May 2013.
