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2.5.1.13 - D4 -
Support from non-parishioners
This last question was to be the one which brought the greatest
response. Almost all the treasurers made some comment, several writing
two or three paragraphs. This had been partially anticipated - indeed
one motive for so locating it had been to provide an opportunity for
expression of suppressed feelinq before final signature - but behind
it lay a perfectly serious desire to learn something about two aspects:
first, the valuation among non-anglicans, or at least among non-church-
goers, of the church in their midst; and secondly of the value to
certain rural parishes of the transient tourist trade. Thus covering
two in one again led to some inevitable ambiguity which was spotted by,
and caused concern to, some of the more thoughtful respondents, but
nonetheless yielded an interesting set of responses.
2.5.2
Summarised results
Thirty-five questionnaires were despatched and by the cut-off
date 31 had been returned (of which one was returned blank, "I on a
long-standing principal [sic], have always eschewed compilation of
them".) The typical treasurer probably took the job on with some
reluctance, often after 'persuasion' ("press-ganged"; "'bulldozed'
into it"; "no-one else volunteered") by other parishioners or the
incumbent; had a difficult time at first (possibly because he was
unlikely to have any formal qualifications) especially with the first
year's balance sheet; but thereafter became more at ease. He is quite
happy to continue (indeed there is a one-third chance that he has
already held the position for more than ten years) notwithstanding the
probability that he is solely responsible for as many as eleven diffe-
rent bank accounts (though the mean was only 4½ and the mode 4). He
would probably not now appreciate any outside help but might have done
so when he was taking over, and in most cases would complete his weekly
