There is a plaque on the wall inside Hasketon Church which lists all the past Rectors of the Parish, beginning in 1317 with John De Brandville, and up to the present day.   Notable amongst them are Frederick Wait (1907 to 1927), who lost both his sons during WW1, and famous author and translator, Thomas Tymme (1575 – 1620) who, according to Wikipedia,

“…combined Puritan views, including the need for capital punishment for adultery, with a positive outlook on alchemy and experimental science.”

Whilst the capital punishment seems a little harsh in this day and age, he should be congratulated for his interest in science. Our own Tymmes Place is named after him.

This plaque is also useful because it lets us identify Thomas Henry Simpkin as Rector between 1879 to 1896, and thus the Rector who completely lost the plot in August 1886, as described in the following two newspaper articles:

A SUFFOLK CORESPONDENT Writes – “ In the parish of Hasketon last week the rector gave the church school children their usual treat, which consisted of a ride in a waggon in the afternoon, and after tea games, &c., in the parsonage meadow. The day previous to the treat a little boy about five or six years old came crying home from school, and in answer to inquiries said that the other children were going to have their treat on the morrow. but he was not to go because (although he had been to the Church school) he had not been christened.  So the poor little fellow, with a sad heart, had the satisfaction of seeing his schoolmates ride past with shouts of gladness on the morrow, and in the evening, while they were feasting and playing in a meadow nearby, he had to be a mournful spectator. All this because his parents had not thought it right in the days of infancy to commit him to the hands of the parish priest who professes to be the follower of Him who said “Feed my Lambs.’ “

Christian World – Thursday 05 August 1886

A story of clerical pettiness comes from the village of Hasketon which, for the credit of the Church of England, we would fain believe to be untrue.  The story runs that the Vicar, having made all the arrangements for the annual school treat of the children who attended the Church school, which treat consisted of a waggon trip, tea, and sports in a field, refused to allow one little fellow of 6 years of age to accompany the scholars, although he had been in regular attendance at the school both as a day and Sunday scholar. On enquiry into the cause of the little boy’s grief, his parents were informed that the Vicar absolutely forbade his attendance at the treat because he had not been baptized. Appeals and entreaties were unavailing.  The little fellow was compelled to remain at home because his parents did not see the necessity of or had neglected have their child baptized. The littleness of a man who would thus deprive the child of an innocent and enviable enjoyment ought to be to be severely reprobated. Largeness of heart must be a scarce commodity in the Parsonage at Hasketon.

Northern Weekly Gazette – Saturday 14 August 1886