Brockham owes much to Rev Alan Bellingham Cheales and the tireless efforts of his wife and children. They were the very heart of a rural community coming to terms with the challenges of the onset of industrialisation and they were the very spirit that encouraged the best out of both adults and children to prepare them for a fast changing word.

Alan Cheales, son of Rev John Cheales was born on 25 March 1828 in Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire where his father was vicar. The family moved to Skendleby, also in Lincolnshire, on 20 Oct 1834 where his father had inherited land at nearby Hagworthingham and was to become vicar of the parish church.

After studying at Caius College, Cambridge, Rev Cheales married Fanny Louisa Knox in June 1854. They had four children, Sophie, Edith, John Alan Carnegie and Ralph.

The Reverend Alan Bellingham Cheales was read in on 8th May 1859 as incumbent at Christ Church Brockham and remained for 33 years until 1892. He and his family were actively involved in all village life, although the population was a lot smaller then; according to the 1861 Census there were 619 people and 160 houses.

Rev Cheales was heavily involved with the schools and education. He was secretary to the Infant School in Old School Lane, the Parochial School in Wheeler’s Lane and to the Night Schools held in the Parochial School and at Root Hill. The Old School house still stands in Old School Lane.

He was both chaplain to the Brockham Home and Industrial School (Way House) for poor orphan girls of eleven to sixteen and also of a home for 14 infants. Both homes were founded by Mrs Emmeline Way of Wonham Manor in 1859 and 1872 respectively.

He inaugurated the Reading Room Club and Library in 1859. In 1860 according to records there were 83 members who paid subscriptions of 1s (5p) and who drank between them 296 cups of coffee at 1/2 d a cup (less than 1/4p). The salary of the Librarian was £2 pa and £1 4s 11d (£1.25) was paid out for coals, candles and coffee.

The Rev Cheales was a life-long horticulturist and antiquarian. Along with the late Dean Hole he was a pioneer of a little band of rose enthusiasts, who ultimately founded the National Rose Society. He was a great authority on roses, one variety having been by permission named "the Rev. Alan Cheales,' while another "the Lady Dynevor" was developed by him. He was chairman of the Cottage Allotment Fund started in 1861 and of the Betchworth and Brockham Horticultural Society.

In 1864, Rev Alan Cheales suggested a drinking fountain as a memorial to long term village benefactor and MP, Henry Hope. The plan was to erect it over the spring in The Borough, but information came to light about the spring on the Green being blocked. Local builder Mr Batchelar was asked to examine the spring and report back to Rev Cheales. Reporting back at the ‘Pump Meeting’ the location on the Green was agreed and it was resolved that only residents of the meeting should subscribe, with the exception of Mrs Way, who was included on behalf of Brockham Home. Several contributions of 6d (2 1/2p) were recorded and of one 2d (1p); the total cost of the Pump was £39 19s 6d (£39.98).

Rev Cheales served as chairman on committees that arranged special events such as the celebrations on the occasion of the marriage of the Prince of Wales in 1863. Dinner was served to the men of the labouring classes in the barn of Court Lodge Farm; 200 of the places being provided by Mr Hackblock of Brockham Warren. He also gave tea and cakes for the women and children. The committee voted £2 for the purchase of rakes and medals for the school children. A bonfire was lit on the highest part of Box Hill.

While Rev Cheales chaired the Coal Club and the like, his wife, Mrs Fanny Cheales, managed the Children’s Shoe Club, the Clothing Club and the Coal Club.

She was the church organist for fourteen years and like her husband,, was involved in many village societies.

Sometimes Mr Henry Thomas Hope allowed Betchworth Park to be used for special occasions. In August 1860 there was a Fancy Sale to raise money for the enlargement of the Parochial School and for repairs to the Church. Contributions of fancy work were handed to Mrs Cheales. A military band was in attendance and the villagers, in festive clothes, walked along the Old Coach Road to the park, now the golf course.

Finally, in Nov 1868, the Parish of Christ Church Brockham became a separate District for Ecclesiastical purposes and the incumbent, Rev Cheales, a Vicar.

After fourteen years as organist Mrs Cheales resigned and an appeal launched for money to pay for her successor. Several parishioners undertook to promise annual sums.

After the Education Act of 1870 it was made compulsory that in every parish, ample school accommodation be provided for every child between the ages of five and thirteen and also qualified teachers. This was a huge burden on the schools at Brockham and they struggled on for five years until the Betchworth and Brockham School Board was elected in 1877. Rev Cheales was still involved as a member of the Board but the Chairman was now Col. Edward Goulburn.

The Night Schools had also increased. At the one held in Brockham Coffee Room two of the teachers were John Alan Carnegie and Edith Cheales (right), son and younger daughter of Rev Alan Cheales. Edith and Sophie Brodie taught in the Night School on Brockham Hill and Mrs Wratton of Gadsbrook House promised prizes of clothing for pupils at Gadsbrook Night School.

The children of the Vicarage, Sophie (right) and Edith were as much involved in the life of the Village as their parents. The girls taught needlework and singing in the day school and both had Sunday School classes. They were District Vistors with the responsibility for their own sections of the Parish. Miss Cheales held a weekly Young Women’s Bible Class in the school and Band of Hope meetings alternated with Missionary Working Classes in the Mission Room on Friday evenings. While with their mother, the two sisters held prayer meetings during the lunch hour for workmen in the Brickyards (along Kiln Lane) and up in the Chalk Pits (in the Brockham Hills).

In 2nd Aug 1879 Rev Cheales gave a treat in his meadow for all the school children.

Income of the Church and partly that of Rev Cheales was drawn from pew rents which in 1878 amounted to £59.

Tragedy hit the family in 1881 when Edith Bellingham Cheales, the second daughter of Rev Cheales died at the age of 22, after a short illness, quite possibly tuberculosis.

Her memorial was the west window and the mosaic inscription beneath it were placed there by public subscriptions. Her father said “It is a high honour to be attained by one so young, but one I venture to say, not wholly unmerited. Her love for her natural place was unbounded and her short happy life here, from an early age, was entirely devoted to the Schools and her District.”

The School Log Book records that “the school was closed on Tuesday afternoon to allow the children to attend the funeral of Miss Edith Cheales, who had laboured so long with the girls at their needle work.”

The funeral procession was through Brockham Court fields along by the river to “that sweet spot in Betchworth churchyard to which we were so promptly and graciously invited by its Vicar.”

Three years later, on 11th October 1884 the schools were closed and the whole Village en fête for the wedding of the Vicar’s eldest daughter, Sophia to Lieut. Percy Wood. Flags and bunting were conspicuous in the neighbourhood of the Church and the wedding breakfast was held in the much decorated schoolroom.

However, tragedy struck again and only four months later Sophia became ill. She returned to Brockham Vicarage and died there on March 6th, 1885. The coffin was borne through the fields to Betchworth by men from her former District. Besides a large gathering of villagers, the children from the school and Brockham Home attended and sang a hymn at the graveside.

Colonel and Mrs Seymour of Brockham Park organised a memorial fund to provide the reredos of English oak, carved in Munich. When it was dedicated, on January 30th 1886, the Vicar said, "And now all has been done that love and friendship could do. There are two white tombstones in Betchworth Churchyard; there are two memorials here, east and west, the reredos and the window."

After the beautiful reredos had been dedicated, further "improvements" were made in the sanctuary. Oak wings bearing the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments were fastened to the wall at each side of the altar. Pine choir stalls were fitted and the walls of the nave and chancel were decorated with painted stencilled all-over patterns. The whole of the stencilling was carried out by Messrs Anning, Elson, Gosnell, Kempe, Manwell, Owen, II. Risbridger and W. Verral free of charge. The same year the church was made warm and dry by the introduction of Grundy's Hot Air Apparatus.

The Golden Jubilee of H.M. Queen Victoria on June 21st 1887 was an occasion for public festivities. The day opened with a Thanksgiving Service in Church at which was sung a hymn specially written by the Vicar. At noon 350 men dined in the barns at Brockham Court, beautifully decorated by the owners, Mr and Mrs Hatch. Athletic sports were enjoyed on the Green in the afternoon, the prizes being in the new coinage.

Tea for the women and children was provided in the same barns, where 1,200 persons feasted in the course of the day. A military band was in attendance and the festivities closed with dancing on the Green and a display of coloured lights and rockets at 10 p.m. exhibited by Mr Kempe. It was to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee that the lovely pyramidal oak tree was planted in the northwest corner of the churchyard.

In 1892 Revd Cheales retired from Christ Church and moved to Hagworthingham, Lincolnshire. He was replaced as incumbent by Rev Henry H Rugg.

We are indebted to the Revd. Alan Cheales; his unfailing zest in recording details of village life has opened windows through which we can have a privileged insight into Brockham in the 19th century.

Fanny, his wife died in September 1908 near Reading and was buried with her daughter Edith at Betchworth.

Rev Alan Bellingham Cheales contracted influenza followed by plurisy. After only a few days illness he died on 3 June 1911.

The funeral was at Hagworthingham 7 June 1911

Nick Caddick
With invaluable contributions and photographs by kind permission of Paul Bamber, great, great grandson of Rev Alan Cheales.

© 2005

Return to top