Another Stamford Mercury columnist picked up a mistake in S.H.E.’s reminiscences. However, it adds to her story and explains how the blind organist learnt his music.
“Blind Stamford Organist
My attention has been drawn to a slight straying from the path of strict accuracy by our ‘memorist,’ ‘S.H.E.,’ whose series of articles have proved so absorbingly interesting to readers of the ‘Mercury,’ who will share with me the regret I feel at the fact that, for the time being at least, her writings will disappear from our columns.
In last week’s article, ‘S.H.E.’ referred to Mr. Hilary Hewitt as the blind organist of St. Mary’s church, whereas the blind organist at St. Mary’s was Mr. William Marriott, who lived at Borderville and was led to the church by a boy. This information has been given to me by a septuagenarian resident of Stamford, who tells me that when she was a child she used to sit with a hymn-book before her reading out the notes as Mr. Marriott found them on the piano and so committed the hymn tunes to memory. In those days the Rev. A. C. Abdy was Rector of St. Mary’s, and the organ was exactly opposite its present situation.
Mr. Hilary Hewitt was a blind resident of St. Mary’s at the time, but, as far as my informant knows, had no occupation. His father was engaged in Burghley estate office, and his sister conducted a preparatory school at the house in St. Martin’s now occupied by Mr. Fred Miles.”
The Stamford Mercury, 13th May, 1938.