#high status organists for instance lol

[gogandmagog]

I am sooo 19th century churching ignorant. Every once in a while in the Anne series, all throughout the series, there’ll be these tiny mentions of certain families and ‘their’ pews in church.

But as Anne sat in the Green Gables pew, on the first Sunday after her return…

Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Or

When Billy, beaming with pride and happiness, showed his be-plumed and be-silked bride into the Harmon Andrews’ pew, Anne dropped her lids to hide her dancing eyes.

Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

And for me, I guess I always took this as… not exactly assigned seating but definitely as people being creatures of habit and having a ‘usual’ or preferred spot at church. Then today I found out parishioners paid for designated pews back in those days (the closer to the pulpit the more expensive, the further back the less expensive; very much real estate-y class system), as means to raise income for the church.

And now I want to see a full seating chart of who-was-sitting-where both in Avonlea and in the Glen.

Just because I’m pretty much nosey.

How far up were the Blythes in Four Winds? Do you have to stick with your pew, once you’ve chosen it? Is the lease month to month? What about changes of circumstances? Was there any strategic planning in pew placement? Like was one day Susan all, “this won’t do… we have to move up two rows so Jem will stop making faces at Bertie during prayer”? What if you’re Mrs Rachel and you have ten children? Do you have to purchase two pews or is the price per family, no matter how large?

Who sat in front in Avonlea? The Barry’s?