All Saints' Church Dedication.

Watford and West Herts Post October 22nd 1961.

Bishop ,Rev Trillo leads the choir of All Saints' Church
Watford and West Herts Post
All Saints Dedication
Watford and West Herts Post

A great day for Al Saints’ Church, Gosforth Lane, South Oxhey, took place on Suday when the Bishop of Hertford conducted a triple dedication ceremony, taking in the old and the new.

The Bishop, the Rt. Rev. A. J. Trillo dedicated the old chapel, which has been restored at a cost of £7000; the new Church Hall and six beautiful stained glass windows in All Saints’ Church itself.

There was a packed congregation for the impressive ceremony, during which the robed Bishop, followed by choristers, walked from the 17th Century chapel to the church, then to the Hall.

In his address the Bishop spoke of the way in which the Church links old and new.

And he said: “While the windows are in the modern idiom they can be understood by simple people like me.”

Among the visitors for the service and the tea afterwards, were the architect of the Hall, Mr. Keith Powell who designed the building while he was a member of the Parochial Church Council at All Saints’, and Mr. A. S. B. New, architect in charge of the chapel restoration.  They met for the first time.

DEMOLISHED.

Also present was Mrs. B. Boyce, sister of the late Mr. Blackwell, who owned the chapel in the days when it was a a private chapel for his family home, “Oxhey Place”.  This has now been demolished tomake way for new flats and houses.

Mrs. Elizabeth Blower, the 82 years old widow of the late chapel organist, was also there, together with the artists who designed the stained glass windows – Miss Agnes Charles, sister of the vicar of All Saints’, the Rev. H. E. R. Charles,  and Miss Vera Brookman.  They are from Codicote.

Former curate at All saints’, Father T. J. Maddox was present as well as the Rural Dean, the Rev. J. G. Downward, and the local Methodist Minister, the Rev. F. Townley.   Lessons were read by Mr. Downward and Mr. Townley.

Cost of the restoration was paid largely by the Diocese of St. Albans.   But £700 was raised by local appeal and £500 was given by the Historic Churches Preservation Trust.

The Hall cost £8400 of which £5000 was allocated by the Diocese.   The remainder is being raised by All Saints through its Church Hall Fund.   So far £600 has been raised and an anonymous donor has guaranteed to double anything raised by the end of the year, up to a limit of £800.

 

This page was added on 09/11/2018.

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  • The service took place in October, 1964.

    By Nigel Lee (18/08/2023)
  • Vera Brookman was my much loved aunt. She was an artistic inspiration to me when I was a child. She and Agnes Charles worked together producing beautiful oil paintings, ceramics, and stained glass windows which can be seen in churches around the country.

    By Lesley Brookman (17/07/2022)
  • Vera Brookman was my Great Aunt, I wish I had met her.

    By SARAH ELIZABETH ADAMS (23/12/2020)