Archdeacon Colley, rector of Stockton, created a fascinating feature in his garden called a speak pipe that connected his summerhouse to children down below. He offered a reward to children for repeating religious sayings up the pipe: a half-penny, an apple or even an orange rolled down the pipe. It is to be hoped that naughty children did not shout rude things up the pipe to irritate the hearer in the summerhouse above and then run away, but it must have been rather tempting!
What happened to the speak pipe?
Sadly the rectory, summer house, speak pipe and wall have all disappeared from Stockton as the rectory is now demolished and new houses have been built on the site. However I was told that the speak pipe had gone to Hellidon Vineyard. I managed to confirm that this is true; the actual pipe disappeared some 60 years ago but the summer house still survives, though in a poor state as it is well over 100 years old. I hope to be able to visit and take a photograph to add to this article. Is this unique – or has anyone heard of another similar device?.
Comments
The speak pipe was attached through a board bearing this inscription:”Boys and Girls speaking up the Pipe the sayings and texts taught by the Ven. Archdeacon Colley (Dio. Natal), Rector of Stockton, Warwickshire, will, as a First Reward, have rolled down to them (in an Orange or an Apple), a Penny on holding their hands below the mouth-piece of the Pipe up which they speak. And when twelve sayings have been said each speaker – shewing by good behaviour that what is learned has been outwrought in daily life – will then have One Shilling, and know how much more than Pelf, Pence or Pounds, shall further follow the doing of what the wisdom spoken through the Speak-Pipe teaches should be done.”
‘Pelf’ I had never heard of before. My dictionary explains that it is a contemptuous word for money, particularly if dishonestly gained. I suppose ‘filthy lucre’ might be a more familiar equivalent.
Archdeacon Colley was my Great Grandfather, his son Major Clarence Christopher Colley was my constant companion as a child in the 1950s. He was brought up in Africa and told me many stories about his childhood in Africa and his exploits in the First World War with his Warhorse. Sadly I was very young and cannot remember it all. Grandfather also wrote a book, which we lost when my mother died. Gina Curtis
Was your grandfather’s book published Georgina? If so we might be able to track it down. He sounds a splendid character – it obviously ran in the family!
Add a comment about this page