Miss Scadding  played the church organ. She was quite eccentric; had her hair cut like a man, which was not usual in those days, and wore a mortar board.  She regaled us with stories about her cats. Her family had a music shop at Totland. I believe her father used to teach organ at Osborne House, maybe to Queen Victoria’s children, I seemed to have heard that at some time.

There were plenty of “characters” who attended the church, such as the Dashwood family from The Mount ; Theresa , Caroline, Cuthbert  and Constance.
The Dashwood family had always had their private pew in the church balcony, but the balcony had been put out of bounds because it needed repairs and the roof leaked. However, Theresa took no notice of this and alone took her rightful place on the balcony. If it rained, she just put her umbrella up.

Cuthbert wore plus fours and rode an old fashioned bicycle. To mount it, he used to run along with the bike and suddenly leap onto a sort of pedal at the back and jump into the saddle. We children loved to witness this!

Caroline came to my house one day when I was small and took me to The Mount to look at the wisteria which was growing on a wall and was very beautiful. She brought some freshly cooked asparagus for my cat, which she said cats enjoyed. I could not believe it, but he did.
Constance had rosy cheeks and was very sweet and friendly. Serena Dias de Deus nee Hunt b1939