This week's Berwickshire has an article of particular interest to Huttonian written by our local in-village historian. It is about the Rev. David Leslie who was minister at Hutton for 60 years and 11 May the local church is celebrating the centenary of his ordination. His predecessor, Dr Kirke, was in office for 46 years -2 incumbents in 106 years must surely be some kind of record.
David Leslie lived in what is now our house for his full stint. The Manse had been built in his predecessors time -from 1879-81 apparently. Mr Leslie found it not altogether a satisfactory home and asked the Church authorities to install 'hot water apparatus' extensive plumbing work,wash hand basin for the bathroom, servants lavatory, wash tubs in the wash house, a rainwater system for it, varnishing all the woodwork and external redecoration. A frosty (probably quite literally) to his requests denied him the plumbing and hot water but he was allowed a 'sanitary pail in the convenience near the kitchen door' (Now our downstairs loo-can't find the pail anywhere)
However as the article relates he did manage to do a lot for both the church and the Manse over his sixty years. His garden was magnificent-a perpetual unachievable role model for the wife-and it was noted for its parish garden parties and its competitions including a' suffragette' race : lady leading a 'blindfolded gentleman' on a string among 'a host of bottles' The winner being the team which left least number of 'dead men on the grass.
Indeed he is warmly remembered by the older generation of villagers some of whom were married in what is now our bedroom-his sitting room at that time. He was into every activity going and was a noted Bee keeper as well as farming the Glebe Field and some other fields he bought on his own account.
Apparently Hutton in 1906 was very different to today-it had a shoemaker, a blacksmith, a mason, a joiner (still does) baker, innkeeper-The Hutton Inn and every house/cottage was occupied.
Leslie died in 1971 aged 91. He had retired (some say very reluctantly) in 1966. His life and ministry is being celelebrated with an exhibition and a 'Songs of Praise' evensong.
