 |
In 1959, the Ministry of Housing said that St George church had been included in a list of buildings of special architectural and historical interest. So why was it demolished in July 1976? Local historian Dave Stephenson investigates an East Bristol mystery Despite the use of explosives, this church in Summerhill Road, St George, only came down after the fourth blast.
If it had to go, it would have been nice to have had someone like Fred Dibnah, say, the famous steeplejack, to take it down with dignity. Today, I'm sure that it would have been a listed building, perhaps turned into flats like St Matthew Moorfields - which has at least survived, with the conversion work done with elegance and good taste.
St George church started life on June 1, 1751, when King George II went to the House of Peers to give his royal assent for the division of the Pip 'n' Jay parish and to the construction of new church, a church that would give its name to a new Bristol suburb (although for many years it was known as the New Church, Kingswood). This royal charter, 13 pages long, gives details of its new boundaries, who gave monies, that two petty constables were to be appointed at the Michaelmas Court and that its commissioners were to hold meetings to discuss all aspects of its building in the Lamb Inn outside Lawfords Gate (West Street).
The foundation stone was laid with some pomp in 1752. Several pieces of that year's coins were buried under the stone and five guineas (more than £5) given to the workmen so that they could enjoy a meal at the Lamb Inn. The church finally opened its doors on September 6, 1756. But in 1845 it was pulled down, rebuilt and enlarged, and then, a year later, reopened again. Then, just before 4am on Sunday, December 22, 1878, tragedy occured.
The chancel was already in flames when the vicar sent a telegram to Bristol for the fire brigade. They arrived quickly - even though the church was outside the city boundary (in Gloucestershire) - but it was too late, the building had already been gutted. The brigade had trouble locating water and two bells in the tower came crashing down, no doubt waking those neighbours who were not already at the scene. The cause of the fire was believed to be a stove overheating. St George reopened on May 8, 1880. The Lord Bishop, presiding over a public luncheon costing 2/6d each, announced that from now on all the seats in the church would be free.
The church had two well known vicars. The first was the Rev John Emra (1809-1842), a poet and gifted painter, who married Elizabeth Bastone Blake, a descendent of the great admiral Robert Blake. The other vicar, more infamous than famous, was the Rev George Henry Willmott Elwell (1913-1970). He had intended to go into the law but a hearing problem caused a rethink. Instead, his wealthy wife bought him what is known as an advowson - the church and all the land around it.
It was like being Lord of the Manor, and he certainly lived up to the title, collecting ground rents on houses in St George, Redfield, Brislington, Redland and Keynsham. If you didn't pay up you were taken to court. The eccentric Rev Elwell would sit on his lawnmower in the nude, cutting the grass. Couples getting married would spot his tennis clothes underneath his cassock.
And when one young couple turned up to find the church doors closed, the guests discovered him slightly 'under-the-weather' and had to sober him up. But they were the lucky ones. He refused to marry some couples on the grounds that one of them didn't live in the parish.
The vicar was described as autocratic, arrogant and pompous - he even parked his Rolls-Royce anywhere he wanted. He tried several times to block other churches being built, on the grounds he would lose some of his parishioners.
Then he upset his own parishioners by marrying again 'too quickly' after his first wife died. He upset them even more when he was caught in a compromising position with women - not once, but twice, by two very prominent members of the community. He answered his critics by telling his flock: 'My job is to preach the gospels to you on a Sunday. What I do in my own life during the week is my own business. If you don't like it, you are free to leave.' Most of them did.
I am not aware of any bombs falling anywhere near the church, but in 1950 Mr R. J. Phipps, of the building family who erected many of St George's finest buildings, was paid £320 to put right 'war damage'. In spite of this, the building was not at its best and when the Rev Elwell died in 1970, the church authorities had an excuse to close it down. Father Todd, a former missionary, carried on for a few years, as did a few priests-in-charge. After the last service in 1976 the congregation moved, for a short time, to the Old School House in Glebe Road.
After demolition, about 20 lead coffins were found under a second floor, certainly from the earlier church. Do any readers know what happened to the organ, bells and furniture? Were the graves removed, or are they still there? What happened to the war memorial? In order to complete a history of this St George church, Dave would appreciate copies of any photographs, parish magazines, memories, etc, that readers may have.
Please feel free to add your own comments to the Guestbook or Forum
Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.