Entertainment at Horham Schoolroom IPSWICH JOURNAL, April 1885:

“A dramatic and musical entertainment was given in the parish schoolroom on Tuesday evening before an appreciative audience amongst whom were the esteemed rector of the parish the Rev. E. H. Frere and his family. In front of the stage was suspended a beautiful wreath of primroses, and a conspicuous object in the background was the Union Jack. The entertainment opened with the “Cornelius March,” which was well rendered by Miss Frere (Horham) and Miss Frere (Yarmouth) piano, and the Rector, violincello; being followed by “O Swallow, Swallow,” sung by Miss Agnes Gray. Miss Dora French having delighted the audience with a concertina performance, the Rector followed with one of his masterly solos upon his favourite instrument, the ’cello. This was succeeded by a song in character, “Old Susanah White,” by Mr. A. H. Frere. The song was vociferously encored. Part II was a farce entitled “Old Gooseberry” in which the cast was as follows:- Mr. Fizzington Corker, a retired wine merchant, aged 63, who is very deaf, Mr. A. H. Frere; Simon Snapshot, a “sportsman” from the town, Mr. Hetherington; Laura, Corker’s lovely and accomplished daughter, Miss Gray; Matty, a lively and discontented housemaid, Miss Hobson. The piece was extremely amusing. The National Anthem was sung at the close.”

EADT, September 1887:

“An entertainment was given in the Horham Schoolroom on Thursday evening. The Rev. E. H. Frere and family, who are always endeavouring to do something for the amusement as well as the good of their parishioners, got up this affair in order to raise money for the purpose of buying new books for the lending library. The schoolroom was well filled, and a capital programme was gone through. One and all of the performers proved themselves thoroughly capable, the instrumental portion of the programme being especially good, particularly the full band of toy instruments. The conjuring tricks of Mr. E. A. Holmes gave unbounded delight, and caused frequent outbursts of laughter. Miss Dora French, so well known at the Horham entertainments, was vociferously encored for her second song, “Turn again Whittington.” The Rev. F. W. Cogswell, for his excellent reading of extracts from “Handy Andy,” also received well-merited applause, but the comic features in the programme seemed to be most favoured by the majority of the audience. Mr. Peterkin and Mr. A. H. Frere, in their ludicrous rendering of “The Twins,” elicited uproarious outbursts of gratification, and Mr. A. H. Frere completely brought down the house with “Never, never, never no more,” and “Cousin Sarah Sukey,” both of which were vehemently encored. A violincello solo by the Rev. E. H. Frere was very tastefully rendered.”

Other newspaper articles tell us that in 1853 the recently appointed Rev. Edward H. Frere was raising funds for the building of a school in Horham and that the school opened in 1858. He died in Horham in December 1899. His son Arthur H. Frere became a surgeon.

Linda Hudson (Athelington, Horham & Redlingfield News, Spring 2023, Issue no. 60).