Figure 1.-- This was the church where I was confirmed. It had been a school build by the Hornsby family for the children whose parents worked in their mill. I expect the children past a certain age were part-time workers in the 1880s. In the 1960s the attached school was a Church of England school. The Mill had long since closed down and a coach builders used the building--East Lancashire Coach builders. They built the bodies on the bus chasis which came over from Leyland. It eventually merged with another C of E school called St. Stephen's (early-1980s).

One memory leads to another. reading about Albert's confirmation brought my confirmation memory back. I have a memory of confirmation class. There are no photographs, but I have one of the church. It has been demolished but the war memorial still stands. The church still meets in its social activity building. Our dad had been brought up strictly. His father was deep into religion. Dad had rebelled at some point.He never bothered about his children attending church. His view was if we wanted go we would need no encouragement from him. My brother and I went to church on and off. I went to different churches these were where my friends went. One friend attended a Methodist church, another was an R.C and another went to a C of E church. I found the actual service uninteresting but the social activities were good fun and places I looked forward to meeting my friends. My best friend's name was David. David told me about being confirmed. He said that he was going to start confirmation classes and would I go with him. I agreed to go. On the Sunday I wore my best suit and I was with the others. We were in our places which had been reserved for us.

Dad

Our dad had been brought up strictly. His father was deep into religion. Dad had rebelled at some point.He never bothered about his children attending church. His view was if we wanted go we would need no encouragement from him. We we encouraged to go but there was no repremand it we didn't.

Different Churches

My brother and I went to church on and off. I went to different churches these were where my friends went. One friend attended a Methodist church, another was an R.C and another went to a C of E church.

David

I found the actual service uninteresting but the social activities were good fun and places I looked forward to meeting my friends. My best friend's name was David. He was the same age as me. He went to the C of E church I sometimes went also. He was a regular attendeer. I was an occasional visitor.

Confirmation Classess

David told me about being confirmed. He said that he was going to start confirmation classes and would I go with him. I agreed to go. I was about 13. It was about 1961. It would be February. The classes took place at 7 pm and lasted an hour. The church was St Michael's and All Angels. It was about 20 minutes from home. I attened all the meetings. The vicar was Rev. Rogerson. I liked him. He wore a black cloak which reminded me of Flash Gorden. He was a colourful character. I went regulary from the start to the finish. I made new friends and met up with several candidates throughout life. Some worked for the same company I worked for. Another was at the same college I attended and others were chance meetings. The last meeting was a very important one. I had always arrived in good time for the previous meeting. The night of the final confirmation meeting did not follow its usual pattern. It was a bit of a shock when mum went shopping and left me in charge of my younger brother and sister. Dad was expected home so there was no cause for alarm. I needed to leave about 6:30 to be at church for 7pm. I often got there at about 10 to 7. The clock ticked and dad had not arrived home. He came in at 6: 45. I left immediately and ran all the way. I did not make it. I was a good 5 minutes late. I settled down. We practiced what we had to do on the Sunday. The Bishop of Blackburn would be conducting the confirmation.

Confirmation

On the Sunday I wore my best suit and I was with the others. We were in our places which had been reserved for us. The bread was a round waffer. I thought this was too grand to describe a piece of paper and that was what it tasted like. wine was next. This I looked forward to. I was ready to have a taste. It was not to be. The cup was tipped but before more than a drop reached my mouth it was tipped back. This sample told me I would enjoy drinking wine. There was a confirmation breakfast and I went him with a confirmation present of a pocket New Testiment and the book of Common Prayer. I did not experience anything special. I had heard talk of being drunk with the spirit. I had no such feelings nor did I fully understand what this religious experience really meant. Next day at school I was my ordinary self and was in trouble for a school boy prank that had gone wrong! In the head masters room being told off suggested that the goodness of the previous day had lasted 24 hours!

William Eric Ferguson