There is a lot of history attached to the Church of Christ the King, Salfords dating back to 1881 when the first church building was erected and dedicated as 'Christ Church'. I have created these pages for the website to both rekindle memories for some members of the congregation as well as being informative of the history of the church in Salfords for those who knew nothing about the years leading up to the building of the new church of Christ the King. I have to admit that whilst putting this together I found it very interesting reading just to see how we have evolved from a 'Mission Church' back in 1881 to the church building we see today.
If sufficient information is forthcoming I would like to cover the years from 1981 to date. If anyone has any articles/photos they feel might be of interest for this purpose perhaps you could email me at salfordsparish@blueyonder.co.uk marking it for the attention of Chris with the subject: 'Christ the King - 1981 to date'
As you may have gathered from my previous comment the church in Salfords was originally known as Christ Church. It was built in 1881 as a 'Mission Church' (see picture to left) at a cost of £500, on land given by Mr. Miller, freeholder of Pear Tree Farm, on a 999 year lease.
In 1883, John Maple, a member of the Maple family of London, of the Petridge Estate saw the Curate in charge of the Mission Church returning to Horley for lunch after the Sunday morning service. John Maple enquired of the Curate as to why he was living in Horley, to which he replied that there was no house for him to live in at Salfords'. John Maple then promptly told the Curate that he would build him one, as he wanted him to spend all his time here in Salfords.
John Maple then proceeded to build the Vicarage, which remained the home of the Salfords clergy until the present vicarage was built in 1968. John Maple also paid the stipend and church expenses until 1900, and for ten years thereafter provided £200 per annum stipend, £100 per annum expenses and £20 per annum 'for Christmas gifts of Beef and Flannel'. This was extended till 1911 by John Maple's granddaughter Mrs. Grace Weigall (then Baroness Eckhardstein).
Sir John Blundell Maple gave the original organ and pulpit, and his sisters gave the old font (now in the Garden of Remembrance). The fine East end Window (now in the South Chapel Window) was given by John Maple in memory of his eldest son, Harry a victim of typhoid fever.
(Christ Church was extended around 1892)
(In 1891-1892 'Christ Church' was enlarged by John Maple's son, Sir John Blundell Maple, at a cost of £300 - see picture to the left.)
(Below are pictures of the interior of 'Christ Church' between the 1890's and 1960's.
Click on the thumbnail to see more.)
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1906-1915 - The Reverend C.J.M. Godfrey
Reverend Godfrey was a graduate of Hertford College, Oxford, a cricketer for Sussex (1881-1892), full-back for Corinthians (1887), tenor, cornet player and ex-Burstow schoolmaster. Rev Godfrey's advent was described as the 'birth of a new dawn' for Salfords, much needed in 1911 when the end of the Maple endowment spelt financial crisis. It had originally been agreed that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners would give financial assistance to Christ Church as a District Church until their architect reported that the church building was not up to the required standards.
The Reverend Godfrey then began an appeal to keep the church in Salfords. A booklet was published to appeal to 'the Gentry of Surrey' to raise enough money to see Salfords through the financial crisis and to build a new, acceptable, church. The former was achieved but Salfords did not attain the status of Conventional District until 1935 and the new church came much later.
1911
Despite all of this the church boasted a Sunday School some 150 strong with eight teachers, 120 members of the Band of Hope, 56 BP Scouts, a choir comprising of 20 boys and 14 men, and three District Visitors as well as a Girls' Bible Class, Mothers' Group, Girls' Club, Library, Institute, Cricket and Football Clubs and a children's soup kitchen. The services were reported to be packed, and the congregation enthusiastic. A summer post-evensong service was held on the corner of Redhill Common near the 'Nag's Head' (which is now no longer standing)
1915-1932 - The First World War and After
Reverend Cheesman was appointed Curate in charge and remained so until 1919 when Reverend Bryce took over as Curate. During his Curacy the freewill offering scheme (now known as CMOS) was begun with members subscribing anything from one penny upwards a week.
In February 1922 an appeal was launched for money to build a Parish Hall - this appeal was also aided by a fete which raised £100.
In 1923 the building of a new church was discussed but left in abeyance.
In 1925 the Parish Hall was built and was officially opened on 14th November 1925 by the Bishop of Woolwich. The first Holy Matrimony in Salfords Church also took place in this year.
In 1929 a crucifix carried at Oberammergau was given to the church by Mr. Walter Brown, in memory of his mother. The second marriage was solemnised during this year.
In 1931 the 50th Anniversary of the Church was celebrated - several days of special services were arranged. The sung Mass tradition was begun by Father Bryce, who wrote in the magazine "To be present at this service with the intention of worshipping God is the highest act of Christian Devotion."
1932 - 1955 Before and After The Second World War
Reverend Bryce left to go to Plumstead and was then succeeded by Reverend Watson.
In 1934 a new altar was erected, carved under
the direction of Miss Pym of the Redhill Wood Carving Class. One of the
carvers was Mr. Charles Walter. This altar stood in the Lady Chapel of
Christ the King until the church was reordered in 1995.
Reverend Watson died in 1935 at which time Christ Church was at a very low ebb and the financial position was very poor.
Reverend Witcomb succeeded as Priest in 1936 and things improved rapidly. Each road had it's own 'Friend of the Church'. The Youth Fellowship began and flourished under the leadership of Graham Castle and distribution of the magazine to every home in the Parish was organised.
1939-1945 The War Years
Reverend Anderson became Priest in Charge in 1945
The church was 'blacked out'. The Parish Hall had an electric light installed and blackout curtains fitted...... it was hired to Surrey County Council for schooling purposes. The Parish Council took over the Church field as allotments.
A new floor was laid in the Church Hall in 1949 after severe fire damage. Forty three candidates were confirmed in Salfords Church and The Young Wives Group was formed.
In 1951 the Parsonage and Church Room came up for sale on the death of Lady Weigall, a descendant of John Maple. The South London Church Fund bought the Parsonage for £2,250 and Salfords Church paid £100 for the Church Room. (since sold to Salfords Stores as a stock room).
In 1952 an Order in Council made Salfords a 'Legal District', a Parish in everything but name.
Between 1948-1955 Reverend Whitlock was Priest in Charge.
1955-1966 The Building of the New Church
Father Peter Lewis became Parish Priest in 1955.
The building of the new church began in 1958, financed by the Diocese (£20,000) and the Parish (£10,000) and designed by David Evelyn Nye, ARIBA. The Foundation Stone was laid by Mrs Peters on 13th September. The Bishop of Kingston, the Mayor or Reigate and past Priests of Salfords, Rev Anderson and Rev Bryce, all took part in the service. Parishioners voluntary labour was used as much as possible, two teams working on Monday or Thursday evenings for some nine years, with a spirit of friendly rivalry. A shed was set up as a workshop for laminating the large beams and work often went on until midnight. Father Peter Lewis frequently appeared at about 11 oclock with hot cocoa laced with rum to revive the workers. The work took longer than anticipated, but the momentum was kept going by the perseverance, drive and enthusiasm of Father Lewis.
On 2nd November 1965 Father Lewis died and so sadly did not see the completion of the new Church. The funeral service was held within the partially completed walls of the new building, pall bearers being six of the volunteers engaged in building the new Church.
1966-1981
In 1966 Reverend Michael Nicholls was inducted as the new Parish Priest taking on a three-quarters finished new church.
On 5th October 1967 the Cupola and Cross (that weighed some two tons) were hoisted by a mobile crane into position on the roof of the new church. You can imagine that this was by no means an easy task but one that was achieved.
The church was now complete and capable of seating about 300 people. The Dedication of the new church was held on 31st October 1967. Mervyn, Lord Bishop of Southwark dedicated the new church under the name of 'Christ the King'. The service of consecration was conducted in a completely packed church.
There was one minor hitch....when the Bishop arrived at the main door of the Church, he struck three times on the door with his pastoral staff saying 'Life up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.' The congregation within the church duly responded: 'Who is the King of Glory' and the Bishop intoned 'It is the Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.' The doors should then have been flung open for the Bishop's entrance, but the latch had slipped, and the triumphal entrance was delayed for what seemed like an age. Thankfully no further problems arose and the service proceeded smoothly.
In 1967 builders began work on the new Vicarage, following plans agreed by the Church Commissioners.
In 1968 the demolition of the old church was completed and a professional landscape gardener was engaged by the PCC to form a Garden of Remembrance, preserving the outline of the old building (which still stands to this day). Father Michael Nicholls and his family moved into the new Vicarage which was blessed by the Bishop of Southwark.
On 2nd July 1972 Allan Hounsom, who was the Parish Lay Reader throughout Father Lewis's incumbency, the interregnum and during Father Nicholls' time, was ordained as Deacon.
In 1974 Father Nicholls left Christ the King to become Vicar of St. Barnabas in Tunbridge Wells.
On 24th February 1975 Reverend George Nairn-Briggs was inducted as Vicar of Christ the King by the Bishop of Kingston, Hugh Montefiore. Father George's first letter in the Parish Magazine said: "I hope that together we can all work to strengthen what I know to be already a deep community of love at Christ the King, so that people may look at us and say 'if that is what belonging to the Christian Family means, then I want to join too'." A Club for mothers and young children was begun and Family Services, incorporating the Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cubs and Venture Units started. The first Children's Holiday Project was held during the summer holiday.
In 1976 Frances Plummer was commissioned as a Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary to work in the Parish of Salfords under the supervision of the Vicar.
In 1977 Marjory Hobbs, the church Sacristan, died (who had been in the Choir, had been a PCC member, the Hon. Sec of the Parish Magazine and Sacristan for many years). The first 'Egg and Spoon' race round the church was held at Easter and a Youth Club for 14-17 year olds begun under the leadership of John Hobbs. A flower festival was held in church and incorporated folk and madrigal music. In July the first Celebration Mass became a regular feature of worship being an expression of worship with song, poetry and dancing. The Queen's Jubilee was celebrated in the village. The church entered a float of 'Noah's Ark' in the carnival procession and a yew tree was planted in the church grounds to mark the occasion.
In July 1978 Father Michael Lewis arrived in the Parish having been made Deacon and was sent to Salfords for his final training. The renovations and repairs necessary to keep the Parish Hall in existence were proving to be beyond financial means of the church. The Civil Parish Council were approached, the lease of the land by the Ecclesiastical Authorities to the Civil Authorities completed, and the contract signed to build a new Village Hall controlled by the Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council.
Father Michael Lewis was ordained Priest at Southwark Cathedral in July of 1979 and was married at Christ the King in August. In September the new Village Hall was opened by the Chairman of the Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council and the Vicar Father George, followed by a reception.
Mrs. Hilary Johnson was authorised as a Southwark Pastoral Auxiliary in October.
The first Village Pantomime was held in the new hall. Many of the congregation took part, including the Vicar, Father George who played the villain.
In 1980 Father Michael Lewis left the Parish to become Chaplain at the Thames Polytechnic.
Richard Tyler and Ian Johnson were both authorised as Southwark Pastoral Auxiliaries.
In 1981 Father George left the Parish to take up an appointment as Vicar of Morden.