The Vicar

A Memory of Peasenhall.

The vicar for many years was the Rev Jack Thickett. As well as his cleric duties he was a part-time farmer, he had a field in Sipton where he kept pigs and as two of his sons had a butchers shop in Peasenhall, he kept them supplied with meat. In fact they still have the shop today (2006). I lived in Church Road for many years and I can still remember waking one morning to find a flock of sheep grazing in the churchyard at the back of my house. A novel way for the vicar to combine both of his jobs. There was I think an article on him in the eadt. He also grew runner beans on his field in Sipton and he had a field next to Peasenhall Primary school which gave work to some of the women of the village, first in late spring to twist the growing up the supports and later thoughout the summer picking the beans. I used to help my mother do this in the school holidays. We were paid I think two shillings a 20 pound net, a fair bit in the late sixties. He used to claim to be able to heal people though prayer. He brought my brother-in-law back from the brink or so he claimed. I went to some of his prayer meetings but he never helped my health so who's to say. During the school holidays he organised sports days for the kids and also the village fete which I suppose was a fundraiser for the church so part of his job. He died some years ago now but his wife and others of his family still live in the village.

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