Mary Wales son-in-law, the man destined to become Clavering's vicar was the son of Lancelot Stephens, a shopkeeper, comb-maker and 'coffee man', who was appointed a Freeman of the City of London in 1774. Lancelot senior owned a coffee house near the Strand, and one of the trustees was a Thomas Pepys, hence Lancelot junior's other unusual name. Our 'Lance' was born in London in 1766, studied at Christ's Hospital School and at Pembroke College, Cambridge University. He was ordained in 1797, but continued to teach at Christ's Hospital. He and his wife had three sons, Lancelot, William Wales and Arthur Lancelot, baptised in 1814, 1815 and 1817 respectively. Jenny Elliston sends the following description of the teacher 'Lance' and his wife 'Mary Judith' from 'Recollections of Christ's Hospital' edited by R. B. Johnson (1896): 'What a bit of a golden age was it, when the Rev. Mr Steevens, one of the under grammar-masters, took his place, on some occasion, for a short time! Steevens was short and fat, with a handsome, cordial face. You loved him as you looked at him; and seemed as if you should love him the more the fatter he became. I stammered when I was at that time of life: which was an infirmity that used to get me into terrible trouble with the master. Steevens used to say, on the other hand, "Here comes our little black-haired friend, who stammers so. Now, let us see what we can do for him!" The consequence was, I did not hesitate half so much as with the other. When I did, it was out of impatience to please him. Such of us were not liked the better by the master as were in favour with his wife. She was a sprightly, good-looking woman, with black eyes; and was beheld with transport by the boys, whenever she appeared at the school-door. Her husband's name, uttered in a mingled tone of good-nature and imperativeness, brought him down from his seat with smiling haste. Sometimes he did not return.'

Another description, which reinforces the delightful image of Lancelot, was written by his nephew (great-great-grandfather of Jenny Elliston), Rev William Trollope in 'A History of the Royal Foundation of Christ's Hospital' (1834), describing how Lancelot left teaching to become a vicar here:

'Scarcely had the new system been brought into active operation, when the Hospital was deprived of the services of the Rev. L. P. Stephens, who retired in the year 1817 to the living of Clavering, in Essex, after a faithful discharge of the entire duties of the under school for more than twenty years. His name will long be remembered with affection by those who, in passing through the school, had been partially under his charge. In communicating his instructions the sternness of the preceptor was forgotten in the indulgence of the parent; and, while his mildness of manners and gentleness of discipline will not be forgotten by the objects of his care, his openness of disposition, benevolence of spirit, and warmth of friendship have endeared him to the hearts of all who know him. He has been followed into his retirement by the best wishes of his friends and pupils; and may he long survive in the enjoyment of the happy consciousness of a useful and well spent life!'

And so it was that this much-loved teacher left Christ's Hospital to become Vicar of Clavering with Langley, remaining in situ until his death in 1834. During this time his teaching skills were deployed in educating the poor, moving the Sunday school out of the church and into two rooms in the Guildhall, then the village workhouse. There were 41 boys and 34 girls originally, but by 1828, there were 81 girls in a separate weekday school and 58 boys on Sundays. When the Vestry reclaimed the workhouse space, the teaching had to take place in church again - presumably using the children's pews which once stood in front of the screen and pulpit. The school was later allowed to use part of another building in the workhouse grounds. When the Dissenters opened a day school, numbers dropped to 39 girls and 35 boys.

Rev L.P. Stephens is also remembered as the vicar who led a group of 30 Clavering residents in the 'beating of the bounds' procession in 1823, which forms such a useful record in the parish register. He died in 1834 in his 67th year, possibly at Ugley where he had family connections.

One of the objects of Cook's expeditions was to observe in 1769 the Transit of Venus, at that time vital to navigation. Since this rare astronomical event occurs again this year (on 8 June 2004) it is an interesting moment to reflect on Clavering's link through the vicar and his wife and mother-in-law with the greatest of maritime explorers.