Coddington History Group has compiled a substantial research file containing details of Constance Penswick SMITH and her efforts to revive Mothering Sunday in the early part of the 1900s.
Much of the Group’s archive is the work of Michael LORD of Coddington who was a great supporter of the religious festival “Mothering Sunday”. He was an active member of the History Group.
Since Michael’s work, the History Group has added a significant amount of additional research, particularly from the British Newspaper Archive and a deep trawl of internet resources. The Group has helped All Saints’ Church to produce a new booklet “The Story of Constance Penswick Smith and The Revival of Mothering Sunday“, drawing out the connection that Constance had with Coddington and her role in the ‘battle’ between the mid-lent British tradition and the newly established American national ‘holiday’ of Mother’s Day (celebrated on the second Sunday in May).
Additionally, within the History Group’s archive, there is Family History information about Constance Adelaide SMITH [aka Constance Penswick SMITH] and the wider SMITH family, including Reverend Charles Penswick SMITH, Vicar of All Saints’ Church, Coddington near Newark between 1890 and 1922.
Mothering Sunday
In the modern world many old customs and traditions have been overwhelmed by brash commercialism.
An example of this is Mothering Sunday, which is especially relevant to Coddington and All Saints’ Church; the following is taken from “A Church Guide” writen by Michael Bache with additional input from Coddington History Group.
CONSTANCE PENSWICK SMITH – (1878-1938)
Constance Penswick Smith (real name “Constance Adelaide SMITH”) came to Coddington, Nottinghamshire at the age of 12, when her father the Reverend Charles Penswick Smith was appointed Vicar of All Saints’ Church Coddington. Constance was the 3rd of seven children, and from an early age asserted her independence. Of the seven children, it was Constance who struck out on her own and made a career outside the family circle.
She travelled to Germany and spent two years working as a governess before returning to Nottingham and finding employment as a dispenser with the eminent skin specialist, Dr Thomas Mallett in Park Row. She became friends with Ellen Porter who was Superintendent of the Girls Friendly Society Hostel in Nottingham.
One day in 1913, Constance read an article in the evening news, which outlined plans by an American, Anna Jarvis from Philadelphia to introduce an American festival into Britain to celebrate “Mother’s Day”, which was to match the recently established American event on the “Second Sunday in May”. Constance realised that despite having a similar sounding name to Mothering Sunday, it would not have any of the Christian values, which made Mothering Sunday so special. She began to devote her life to re-establishing the true Christian celebration of Mothering Sunday in a campaign co-ordinated by the Mothering Sunday Movement; a campaign that was to extend beyond her death in 1938.
Working with her friend Ellen, she set up her headquarters at 15 Regent Street in Nottingham and designed Mothering Sunday Cards for school children to give to their mothers. She wrote plays and articles to promote interest and made a collection of appropriate hymns for use on the day. First she approached the Mothers’ Union, but as much as they approved of the idea, they thought that the custom had been dead for so long that a revival was virtually impossible.
She refused to be discouraged. In 1921 she published a book on Mothering Sunday in which she drew together alt her findings about the ancient custom from across the world. She also founded “The Society for the Observance of Mothering Sunday“.
At first her Movement was rejected by many established religious societies, but gradually the clergy did become interested, particularly Rev Killer of St Cyprians in Nottingham, who used the hymns that Constance had selected. Constance went to live in Rev Killers’ parish, and when the new St Cyprians church was dedicated in 1936, a canister containing orders of service, and other material was placed beneath the altar.
Other early converts to Constance’s Movement were her four brothers who had all taken holy orders and were each conducting Mothering Sunday services in their own churches.
Constance Penswick Smith (who’s name was actually Constance Adelaide Smith) died in 1938, at the age of 60 and was buried at Coddington next to her father. Her friend Ellen Porter, who later carried on the work of the Movement from her home in Marston Road, Nottingham, died in 1942 at the age of 74.
(Source: Nottingham Evening Post (Michael BACHE) with additional input from Coddington History Group)
Constance Penswick Smith (1878 – 1938)