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Comments, complaints, broken links, disappointed hopes - please contact the caretaker. 31/07/2009 |
A Short History of St Albans Church - 2[History index] [St Albans page] [St Albans centenary] [First page of St Albans history] [Next page of St Albans History] Worship Worship is the life-blood of the Christian community. When St Albans was dedicated a rich programme of services was instituted:
The timing of services, and the frequency of mid-week services varied over the years depending on the availability of clergy and the enthusiasm of the congregation. Holy Communion, Matins and Evensong remained the staple of the parish until Rev Philip Allin (following changing patterns nationally) dropped matins. He set the time of the Sunday morning service at 9.30am where it has remained since 1976. Baptisms and funerals have been held in the church since its opening. St Albans was not licensed for weddings until 1936. The first wedding, on October 21 1936, was that of Keith David Erskine and Kathleen Diana Keyser of Eaton Hall. The bride had for many years been an active member of St Albans church. Sunday School The Sunday School, which had been meeting in a church house on Thrumpton Lane, promptly moved into the hall (originally a timber and iron structure built in 1902 by Boulton and Paul, and then known as the Parish Room). They met each Sunday afternoon and at prize giving in December 1902 12 girls and 12 boys received prizes. The Sunday School continued to meet regularly, except when, in 1905. 1909, and again in January 1937, measles epidemics temporarily closed the school. Sunday school work has always been taken seriously by the church. In 1906 instruction was on the Catechism. School superintendents and teachers were given the opportunity of a week’s training at Derby Diocesan Training College for 10/6d [52½p]per week including board and lodging. By 1935 the school had grown considerably with 100 people attending that year’s Teachers’ Party. Mr. Ernest Widdowson remembered that there were 6 boys’ classes and 6 girls’ classes in the 1930s. He and his brother were Sunday School teachers and the boys enjoyed discussing football and cricket with them. [History index] [St Albans page] [St Albans centenary] [First page of St Albans history] [Next page of St Albans History] The organ and choir Music has played a central part in the life of St Albans Church. Its organ was installed in 1903 at a cost of £160 having been purchased by Dr Stott. It had originally been built 50 years earlier by Bishop and Sons of London and Ipswich as a small chamber organ for Lady Hay’s London home. Then it had 3 manuals and 18 stops. The first organist was Miss Taylor (from 1902 to 1907). She was followed by Mr H. Turvey, Mr E. Lidster, Mr G.H. Ellis, Mr F. Ellis. A small choir had been formed for the services in the temporary Parish Room. At the start of the first world War ten members of the choir joined the forces. Of these, Sgt. Leslie Green was awarded the Military Medal for courage and gazetted to Lieutenant, and Sgt. W. Gleaden, a bass in the choir for 14 years, was killed in action in France. In 1921 Gilbert Wynne was appointed as organist and choirmaster. He continued in post for the next forty years, establishing a strong musical tradition. In 1931 there were 12 men and 20 boys who had given 3 musical recitals with solos and anthems during the year. Wynne was proud of the choir’s achievements. Ted Skelton remembered that “the then Headmaster of the Grammar school (C W Pilkington-Rogers) had asked the Rector to pass on his congratulations saying that the choir’s rendering of ‘Ride on, ride on in Majesty’ to the tune of ‘St. Drostane’ on Palm Sunday was the finest he had heard anywhere.” The second world war again saw several choristers enlist. A strong social life was important to the strength of the choir. There were Christmas parties, bonfire nights, annual outings to Skegness (invariably with a stop at Lincoln Cathedral for the boys to look in awe at the great building), and a weekly Boys’ Club where the boys played badminton, billiards and tennis. Easter eggs were distributed after the Easter day service at 8.00 am. In the summer a cycling club held fortnightly rides in the 1930s. In 1941 the boy’s cricket team not only played other local teams, but also a Great Yarmouth team made up of evacuees living in Retford. And in the week before Christmas senior choristers would cycle round various houses in the district to sing carols – and to receive ‘pop’ and mince pies in return. As further bays were added to the nave it became evident that the organ was not powerful enough. In 1926 it was re-voiced by Brindley and Co. of Sheffield and given an additional diapason tone and two stops. On September 22 1926 a special service was held to celebrate this work, and recital was given by the organist at East Retford Church, Dr Clifford Richmond FRCO. In 1932 the blower was converted to electricity. Then in 1957 the organ was completely overhauled and rebuilt by Nelson and Co of Durham. At the service of rededication that October the guest organist was Dr David Lumsden, Rector Chori and Organist at Southwell Minster. St Albans now had a 2 full manual and pedal organ, with 7 great organ stops; 9 swell organ stops; and 5 pedal organ stops. There were a number of organists after Gilbert Wynne including Ron Smithson and Alan Gilbert. Since 1974 the organist and choirmaster has been Stephen Carey. Although numbers in the choir have declined over the past few years the services have been enlivened by his playing, and his voluntaries have become popular recitals. [History index] [St Albans page] [St Albans centenary] [First page of St Albans history] [Next page of St Albans History] The Working Party From at least 1899 until the 1980s the Working Party played a central role in the life of the congregation. The group was initially known as ‘The Ladies’ Sewing Guild’. Its purpose was both to raise funds and to provide the church with altar linen. Mrs Edna Smith recalled first attending the Working Party in 1927 when she was 12 years old, with her mother Mrs. Dicken. There were 20 to 30 ladies at that time, led by Mrs. Appleby. She didn't like to see people without a piece of work to sew, so the young Mrs. Smith was given some fabric and created her first piece in tapestry work, called ‘Country Cottage’. All the items produced were plain and hand sewn. After the second world war the Working Party belonged to a ‘Household Club’ where members could buy plain pillowcases, tablecloths and other household items to sew and embroider. These were then sold at Coffee Mornings and Church Bazaars. Some members produced many items of knitwear, including jumpers, bed socks, gloves and much else. Others baked buns and cakes. One of the highlights of the year for the Working Party was the Ordsall Parish Bazaar held in the Town Hall in the years before and after the War. There was much rivalry between St. Alban’s Working Party and All Hallows’ Working Party as to which would raise the most money on the day! Money raised at the Coffee Mornings and Church Bazaars went to purchase items for use in Church, and also into a Supplementary Fund from which the Curate’s expenses were paid. For 20 years up to 1948 at St Albans this was Rev. W.P. McFerran, known as ‘Mac’, who served the parish on Sundays. When membership of the Working Party dwindled it was decided that the group would close at the end of the 1980s. [History index] [St Albans page] [St Albans centenary] [First page of St Albans history] [Next page of St Albans History]
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