The Manse, Ruardean. (General)

by Mike Pinchin , Bedford, England, Thursday, September 19, 2019, 20:45 (1927 days ago) @ gillmac

This report suggests that The Manse was built and owned by the Congregational Church rather than St John the Baptist. Old maps generally refer to the residence of the minister of St John’s as The Rectory.

BNA Gloucester Citizen - Saturday 10 January 1931

TRUSTEE AND A MANSE
APPLICATION THAT FAILED
UNUSUAL POINT AT LITTLEDEAN
An interesting ejectment case, in which the Pastor of Ruardean Congregational Church was concerned, was heard at Littledean Court yesterday, the applicant being John Onions, a trustee of the church, and the respondent Ernest Watkins. Mr. W. W. Wadeson (Mitcheldean) appeared for the applicant, and Mr. P.J. Bretherton (Gloucester) was for the respondent.
Mr. Wadeson said the case was a little out of the ordinary of tenant cases. The building known as The Manse, Ruardean, was built for the pastor, but during the time there was no pastor it had been let to respondent on a three-monthly tenancy at 18s 10d. per month. This tenancy expired on November 1st. Since the pastor arrived in the district the arrangement was that he should have The Manse in which to live. In the meantime the church had taken another house, and the pastor was living in that house, for which he had pay 8s. per week. That house was available to the respondent, and was now offered as alternative accommodation.
John Onions gave evidence.

The Defence
Mr Bretherton said the house had been referred to as The Manse, but the trust said that the rent for the house should go toward the stipend of the minister. No proof of the trust had been given. Mr Onions was a trustee, and was only a landlord by virtue of his trusteeship. To say that the Rev Dr. Warren was in the whole-time employment of the church was not say that he was in the whole-time employment of Mr Onions, who was one of the six or seven deacons. He submitted, therefore, that the application must fail. Mr. Wadeson submitted that, for the purpose of the application, Mr. Onions was "the church." In reply to the Clerk, Mr. Wadeson said he could produce a resolution in which Mr. Onions was authorised make the application but the magistrates dismissed the case on the ground that insufficient evidence had been given.