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The Chelsea Anchor
The Chelsea Anchor
was the Parish Magazine of Chelsea Old Church. It was in print
for 36 years and was a quarterly publication, featuring articles
of local historical, charitable, religious and cultural interest.
The Anchor symbol is the traditional mark of the famous Chelsea
Pottery Manufactory, which was situated in Lawrence Street,
at the heart of the parish, from 1745 to 1784.
As many of you know,
The Anchor has always been a much loved publication and a
source of continuity and communication at Chelsea Old Church.
It is being launched again by popular demand.
The Anchor reflects the unique character
of Chelsea--its artistic, literary and historical importance.
As always, it will serve the Chelsea Old Church community
by providing relevent parish news, information and articles
of interest.
For further information, please contact
Hallie Swanson on 020 7352 6513.
Here is the first
edition, after a lapse of some years, of The Chelsea Anchor.
We aim to put each edition on line in the future. However,
we have removed the illustrations from the magazine to prevent
lengthy download times, but they can be seen in all their
glory in the magazine itself - available at the Church.
CHELSEA
OLD CHURCH MAGAZINE
THE
CHELSEA
ANCHOR
SUMMER
2008
T
HE
CHELSEA
ANCHOR
A
note from the vicar
'CHELSEA
MAN MADE SAINT'
Thus
ran the headline of the local paper when Thomas More was beatified
by the Roman Catholic Church, demonstrating wonderfully how
to catch the eye in a headline by making a national and historic
figure both local and personal.
The
headline could be said to encapsulate the purpose of a parish
magazine: to make saints of us all, have an eye on both national
and local life and an eye on history -- and yet to be personal
and contemporary, remembering that to strive for sainthood
means being well aware that we are all sinners!
The
Chelsea Anchor makes a welcome return. It could be said that
this is a turbulent time in history. We are on the edge, some
say in the midst, of the biggest financial recession in history.
The Church is in disarray. But, bearing in mind the history
of our church, it was ever thus.
The
Anchor is your magazine; it is what we make it, your contributions
will fashion it.
I
take comfort when showing off Chelsea Old Church, which I
love to do, bearing in mind its history, its near destruction,
its survival and present thriving two things: The first is
that if Sir Thomas More were to make a present day visit to
our church, he might be surprised by the traffic and the helicopters,
but it is still recognisably the church he knew and loved
and in which he made his devotions. The second is that in
a thousand years, in a yet more changed world, it will still
be here, pointing us to God and making us sinners into
saints.
David
Reindorp
CHELSEA
OLD
CHURCH
SUNDAY
SERVICES
8am
Holy Communion
10am
Children's Service (not during August)
11am
Mattins
12.15pm
Holy
Communion
6pm
Evensong
On
the first Sunday in the month, 11am Parish Communion replaces
11am
Mattins
and 12.15pm
Holy Communion.
Services
follow the Book of Common Prayer
(The
monthly Parish Communion follows the traditional
language
option in the 2001 Service Book)
WEEKDAY
HOLY COMMUNIONS
Thursday
at 8am
Friday
at 12noon
CHURCH
OPENING TIMES (Sundays)
The
Church is open for services on Sunday
Church
Guides are on duty between 1.30pm
– 5.30pm
CHURCH
OPENING TIMES (Weekdays)
The
Church is open on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday From 2.00pm
– 4.00pm
For
visits at other times, please make an appointment through
the Parish Office,
Telephone:
020 7795 1019
Email:
chelsea.oldchurch@virgin.net
Web
address: www.chelseaoldchurch.org.uk
CHELSEA
OLD CHURCH DIRECTORY
MEMBERS
OF THE PCC 2008/09
Chairman:
The Reverend Canon David Reindorp T.D.
2
Old Church Street, SW3 5DQ. Tel.
7352 5627
Churchwardens:
Mr John Griffith-Jones, Mr Robert Gwyn Palmer
Deputy
Churchwardens: Viscount Chelsea, Mrs Linda de May
Children's
Warden & Deputy Warden: Mrs Susan Gaskell 42
Chelsea Park Gardens, SW3 6AB Tel.
7352 9878 or 07770411225
Readers:
Mr David Royce, Mr John Watherston
Hon
Treasurer: Mr Simon Metcalf
Gift
Aid Secretary: Mr
Robert Beale
Colonel
Dick Bland
Mr
Ian de Leschery OBE
Mr
Anthony de Winton
Mrs
Angela Feather
Mrs
Agnes Osei-Kissi
Mrs
Penny Pocock
Mr
George Powers
Mrs
Carla Muñoz Slaughter
Mrs
Jenefer Tatham
Mr
Mark White
Mrs
Priscilla White
Co-opted
Member: Mr Keith Hood
Parish
Administrator & PCC Secretary: Mrs Trish Coleridge
Petyt
Hall, 64 Cheyne
Walk ,
SW3
5LT
Email:
chelsea.oldchurch@virgin.net
Tel:
020 7795 1019
Director
of Music: Ms Andrea Watson
Flower
Co-Ordinator: Mrs
Sarah Phillipps
Tower
Captain: Mr Keith Hood
Caretaker:
Mr Kwabena Poku
The
Chelsea Anchor Editor: Mrs Hallie Swanson
27
Cheyne
Walk ,
SW3
5HH
Email:
Halliecreative@aol.com
Tel.
0207 352 6513
THE
50TH
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
RECONSECRATION
OF
CHELSEA
OLD
CHURCH
A
conversation
with
former Chelsea
Old
Church
Vicar, the
Reverend
Prebendary Leighton Thomson, on the
rebuilding
of the church after its bombing in WW2.
Many
of you know Leighton Thompson, who was Vicar at the church
from 1950 to 1992. His great love for the parish and his deep
faith helped him complete the Herculean task of rebuilding
the church after its near destruction. In his book, The
Rebuilding of Chelsea Old Church, he describes in detail
the challenges, triumphs and close calls that led finally
to the longed-for day in May 1958, when Chelsea Old Church
was made whole again and reconsecrated, by the Bishop of London,
in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Leighton Thomson kindly offered to share his reminiscences
with The Chelsea Anchor on this half-century anniversary.
With
his stately bearing, silver white hair and piercing blue grey
eyes, Leighton looks more like an Old Testament prophet than
a retired vicar. At nearly ninety, he has lost none of his
passion for Chelsea or the Church. According to Leighton,
‘when I arrived in this parish as a new, young vicar I was
immediately struck by the devotion of the congregation. They
loved Chelsea
and they were determined that their church would be rebuilt,
so I committed myself to the project. Right from the start
there was a quiet sense of the Holy Spirit being our guide.'
The
task was daunting: ‘On the night of April
16 1941 ,
450 German bombers rained terror from the skies for eight
hours in south and central London
.
More than 1,000 civilians were killed, and 2,000 seriously
wounded. Eighteen hospitals and thirteen churches were hit,
among them Chelsea
Old
Church
.
All five local volunteer fire watchers who were on duty up
in the church tower were killed.' As soon as it was light,
Reverend Ralph Sadleir, Incumbent of Chelsea Old Church since
1934, surveyed the damage and realised the situation was desperate.
He immediately called Walter Godfrey, the church architect.
As Godfrey later wrote, ‘When I came to inspect the Church
I found it in ruins.' The tower had been blasted to oblivion
and its rubble was strewn across Cheyne Walk and Old
Church Street .
Only the Thomas More chapel remained recognisable.
According
to Leighton, it was the combined efforts of Sadleir, Godfrey,
Ralph West
the
Verger, and Mr Reader (whose firm Fenning & Co had for
years looked after the care and maintenance of the precious
monuments) that made it possible to restore the church. Within
a few days they had organised a salvage team and began the
backbreaking, painstaking task of sifting through tons of
rubble to save what they could. Pressure was intense because
the Borough Engineers were keen to clear the streets as soon
as possible in keeping with wartime regulations.
The
situation became a race against time to save the fragile alabaster
monuments
for
which the church is famous, such as Dacre tomb of 1595, the
Sir Robert Stanley
altar
tomb and that of Lady Jane Cheyne. Reverend Stadleir quickly
rallied volunteers to help. As he recounts in his church newsletter
of 1941, ‘One of the first things that was brought out of
the ruins was the tattered remains of one of the hatchments
that used to hang on the walls. Under the coat of arms it
bore the motto ‘Resurgum'-I will rise again'. It was to prove
a good omen.
According
to Leighton, ‘If it hadn't been for their quick response,
much of Chelsea
Old
Church
's
architectural heritage might have literally been swept away.
It was considered nothing short of miraculous that beneath
the debris, so many monuments survived. However there was
no safe place to put the salvaged pieces, and they were in
danger from the elements, looting (although this was rare)
or further enemy action'.
As
Leighton describes, ‘Rescue came in the form of Prebendary
Gordon Arrowsmith, Rector of St Luke's, who let us store the
recovered fragments. It was a continuous journey between the
cruelly bombed church and warm, welcoming St Luke's, where
space was made in the crypt vaults to keep the monuments until
they could be pieced together and restored. Without that essential
aid, many artefacts would have been irreparably damaged by
exposure.'
The
kindness and generosity of spirit of the Governors of the
nearby Cheyne Children's Hospital made it possible for services
to keep going close to the church. This was hugely valuable.
A mere ten days after the bombing, the first service was held.
As Leighton states in his book, ‘ This will be recognised
forever as a key factor and a sign of the quiet, firm determination
of the people of God to stand shoulder to shoulder in spite
of all that had happened. In the truest sense the rebuilding
had already begun because the continuity was never lost'.
Little did the congregation know that day they would be having
services held in the hospital for another nine years, but
they never gave up the hope that the day would come when the
doors of Chelsea
Old
Church
would open again.
As
the Blitz raged, the people of Chelsea
got on with life as usual. However, another
battle
was being fought that was all about the future of the church.
As Leighton makes clear, the wartime damage to London
's
churches had been devastating: ‘Out of 701 churches, 614 were
damaged and of these 91 were completely destroyed.
There
wasn't enough money to rebuild them all and so in 1944 the
Ecclesiastical
Commissioners
of the Diocese of London were given the powers of parochial
reorganisation.' A priority was the building of new churches
in new parishes, as a result of population shifts during the
war evacuations. In an alarming article in The
Times by
the Bishop of London, Chelsea
Old
Church
was not on the list of churches to be rebuilt.
An
outcry ensued, with letters to The
Times ,
impassioned arguments from the Chelsea Society, distinguished
historians and architects like Reginald Blunt and Sir Alfred
Munnings all helped sway public opinion. Chelsea
Old
Church
may have been a small church in a small parish, but it was
one of the most historic and muchloved churches in London
.
At last the Bishop of Kensington had the pleasure of announcing
that the initial decision had been reversed. Chelsea
Old
Church
had been saved. Now the hard work of rebuilding, under the
auspices of renowned architect Walter Godfrey, could begin.
As
the years passed, the church gradually rose from the rubble
to regain its former stature. There were always struggles
with finances, and fund raising was an ongoing effort. Fetes,
fairs, jumble sales, concerts, lectures and even the highly
imaginative ‘buy a brick' scheme all helped. Even the children
of the parish helped laying bricks. In 1950 the More Chapel
was reopened, followed by the chancel and Lawrence Chapel
in May 1954. The Church had been restored in its entirety
on its old foundations, with its historic monuments gradually
put back in place after their sojourn at St Luke's. With characteristic
understatement, Leighton remarked, ‘Those concerned with the
rebuilding of Chelsea
Old
Church
had simply one end in view and that was to finish the job.
From the congregation's point of view, it was a period of
maximum chaos mollified by the ultimate vision.'
On
a bright May
13 1958 ,
the dream at last came true. Accompanied by the sound of royal
trumpeters and a roar from the crowd, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother entered Chelsea
Old
Church
for the Service of Reconsecration.
For
a more detailed account of the bombing and rebuilding of COC,
please read ‘The Church that Wouldn't Die' by Tom Pocock Alan
Russett, available from the parish office for £25. Sadly
Leighton Thomson's book, ‘The Rebuilding of Chelsea
Old
Church
'
is currently out of print.
WHY
THE CHELSEA
OLD
CHURCH
CHILDREN'S
SERVICE MATTERS
Let's
be honest here: the most brilliant of all the many brilliant
things about the Chelsea Old Church children's service is
the length. Half an hour – bosh – and you're out.
Soul
saved. Kids not too discontent. A good chunk of your morning
still ahead of you.
Mars
bar, if you're lucky. It's a lesson I think a lot of churches
could learn.
The
church nearest where I live in South
London ,
for example, is a complete nightmare. The
Sunday
service goes on for about an hour and half; the Christmas
one lasts more like two.
There's
a Sunday school below where you can dump your kids for the
duration but I don't
see
the point. If we're expecting our children to become reasonably
regular churchgoers when they get to our age, then we've got
to give them the habit when they're young.
Some
churches – a lot of churches, unfortunately – think the way
to do this is to try to get
“down
with the kids.” They change the archaic words in the hymn
book (even Chelsea Old
Church
is guilty of this, I'm sorry to say), they strip out the pews,
they modernise the prayers, they have groovy sound and light
shows with overhead projectors, they play rave music… All
in the idiot belief that the only thing stopping young people
flocking to church in their droves is that they don't consider
it sufficiently “relevant” to their lives.
This
is nonsense. If I were still young, the very last thing I'd
want to go to is a church that
thought
it was a club. I could go to a proper club for that and have
much more fun. Also, I
would
find myself thoroughly despising an institution that had so
little faith in its traditions
and
core values that it felt it needed constantly to reinvent
itself if anyone were to remain
remotely
interested in it. That smacks to me of desperation. And as
anyone who has ever been chased by someone they don't particularly
fancy knows, there's no greater turn-off than desperation.
So
what should the Church of England be doing to bring a new
generation of punters in? I'd
suggest
something very much like what Chelsea
Old
Church
does now at its marvellous
children's
service. All the basic ingredients of the traditional service
are there: the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, three hymns (at least
two of which are proper old ones with original tunes), the
reading, and so on – but served up in such a way that no child
(or grown up) ever has the chance to get seriously bored.
I think its handling of the reading (or “the story” as we
call it) is especially inspired – and not just because I'm
the bloke who sometimes ponces about with the microphone when
David's away. What I think is pure genius is the way children
are given a vested interest in both listening to the bible
story as well as comprehending it. Play their cards right
and they might win a Mars bar in the quiz.
Then,
of course, there's the bit where children get to act out the
story. It means a lucky few get to show off and dress up,
which almost all children enjoy. It also means that the details
of the week's bible story are reinforced in their brains,
ensuring they're never likely to forget them.
This
is important because the Bible is – or at least was, and I
would maintain still very much ought to be – a vital part
of our cultural and literary heritage. Of course, like all
the world's most sophisticated democracies, we understand
the importance of separating church and state. But we are
still essentially an Anglican country, not a Muslim, Catholic,
Jedai or anything else, and if we let that tradition die,
than we are killing one of the things that makes us British.
I could rant a lot more in this vein, about the great clash
of civilisations and so on,
but
I think I'm probably preaching to the converted. I don't sense
a great deal of wishy-washy liberalism in the Chelsea
Old
Church
congregation. Even in the bit in the prayers where it says,
“teach us to love peace and hate war”, I know a lot of us
add the silent codicil “but not to the extent that it in any
way jeopardises the ability of our gallant armed forces to
put Johnny Jihadist in his place.”
Anyway,
look, I'm not being paid for this, I've got a novel that badly
needs writing, so at this point I'm going to bail. But can
I just, before I go, express on behalf of all of us, how boundlessly
grateful we are to the delightful and indomitable Susan Gaskell
for the work she does in making the children's service go
smoothly. And also, can I add how utterly brilliant I think
it is, that we still teach our children to say “Our father
which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name” etc. Hurrah for
Chelsea
Old
Church
!
Hurrah for the Children's Service! Hurrah for Susan! Hurrah
for David! (And hurrah for Peter Elvy too!)
James
Delingpole contributes to a variety of magazines and newspapers,
including the Spectator and the Sunday Telegraph. He is also
the author of How To Be Right, a, politically incorrect A
to Z, and Coward On The Beach, a WW2 comedy adventure.
CHELSEA
ANCHOR NOTICEBOARD
Friends
of Royal
Hospital
launched: One
of Chelsea
's
most beautiful buildings, Sir Chrisopher Wren's Royal Hospital
Chelsea, has a distinguished history as home of the famous,
redcoated Chelsea Pensioners. For more than 300 years these
retired soldiers have found comfort, friendship and support
within the red brick halls. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is
not owned by the State and depends on its own efforts and
those of supporters for the maintenance of one of the world's
most admired veterans' institutions. In order to maintain
the highest standards into the 21st century, The Royal Hospital
has launched an appeal in order to build a new infirmary and
refurbish the living quarters.
By
becoming a Friend you not only help contribute financially,
you become part of
this
unique community.
Benefits
include a guided tour of the hospital, hire of the sumptuous
State Apartments, Great Hall and Chapel, invitations to events
like the Governor's Review, concerts, events like the annual
cocktail and garden parties, and access to the nearby Burton
Court Tennis Club and dog-walking facilities. Membership rates
start from £35. For further details please call Colonel
Michael Barneby 020 7881 5514 or visit www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk
Petyt
Hall can be hired for a variety of occasions, from anniversary
dinners to
wedding
receptions. For
details please call Trish Coleridge on 020 7795 1019.
Part
Time Helper Available: Jennifer
Roberts is available for help with driving,
cooking
(Cordon Bleu), errands and all round assistance. Excellent
references.
Please
contact her directly at Jennifer.Roberts@virgin.net
Room
wanted: Our
wonderful former tenant is currently looking for a room or
bedsit. Excellent references, very responsible and reliable.
Can pay up to £100 per week. If interested please call
Hallie Swanson on 0207 352 6513 for further details.
Secretary/companion
available. Kind,
capable woman in 40s, is happy to help with
correspondence,
accounts, shopping, errands, household organisation, pet care,
outings, and more. Excellent references. Ring 07796 057 812.
Museum
of London
features excavation of Chelsea
Old
Church
:
During
the Second
World War
Chelsea
Old
Church
was completely destroyed by bombing, and was rebuilt in the
1950s. In 2000, excavations carried out by The Museum of
London
Archaeological Services. These revealed a number of coffin
plates attached to the burials of 25 people. For further details
of this fascinating chapter in the church's history visit
www.museumoflondon.org.
Learn
the ancient art of bell ringing at Chelsea
Old
Church
.
For
details please call Mr Keith Hood on 7622 7658.
Young
voices wanted: Any
children aged 7 and over who are interested in joining the
Children's Choir, please contact the Director of Music, Andrea
Watson, on alwandms@aol.com, or call 07976 589 212.
The
Children's Choir sings at the 10:00
o'clock
service and also joins the adult choir once a month and for
major services. Ability to read music is not essential, as
this will be taught.
Advertise
in The Chelsea Anchor. If
you have a business you wish to promote, do
please
consider placing an ad in the upcoming Autumn edition. For
details contact
Advertising
Director: David Maddocks on 07860 545 362.
MAKING
A DIFFERENCE
Through
the founding of Chiks charity,
one
British couple
is
helping to save orphaned and abandoned children in Southern
India .
The
family, frail and hungry, face each day with uncertainty at
best, more usually with despair. They are beggars, living
under a plastic sheet on a foul road in a small and insignificant
corner of poor India . Until recently, this desperate family
in Kerala, southwest India , had eleven mouths to feed. Then
a children's home, funded by the UK charity Chiks, took in
the four youngest. We expect that others in the family will
one day be welcomed into The Little Flower Mercy Home, set
up many years ago by a couple, driven by the example of Mother
Teresa, to provide for destitute adults. Meanwhile, Chiks
created its own home for children, not far from the coastal
town of Cochin . When the Little Flower Mercy
Home occasionally found abandoned or runaway children in their
mountain region – the victims of cruelty or neglect, or simply
poverty - they would be transferred to Sister Mary Matthews's
Home of Mercy (Karunanilayam), some three hours away.
Today,
with Chiks' help, Little Flower has in place provision for
children as well as adults, and 70 boys and girls are being
supported. Both homes offer total care and education, plus
the prospect of further education and training. Karunanilayam
was refurbished after monsoon damage and expanded to more
than twice its original size in 2005 when Chiks bought neighbouring
land, ensuring selfsufficiency in years to come. The Home's
60 children can now enjoy safe recreation, but it this was
no more than the start of a new phase in its life. Our targets
now include a separate house for the older boys, and the development
of a vocational training centre to provide for young people's
independence, in-house and within the wider community.
As
those two Kerala homes for children were established, yet
another was developing, also with Chiks' help, in the northern
mountain region of Kerala state. The Carmel Matha Santhi Bhavan
was established to rehabilitate street children, of which
40 are being financed by Chiks, who also rebuilt the poorly
made home and provided farmland.
Given
that our first children were aged 5, the oldest are now only
17. Several whose
life
had been in total poverty, and who were often subjected to
cruelty from a drunkard father, are now involved in courses
that will set them up confidently for independence - nurses
to secretaries to engineers. Two or three are seeking priesthood.
In December 2004, we took in our first casualty of the dreadful
tsunami - 6-year-old Sam, now nine, has thrived on loving
care, regular good meals and three years of regular schooling.
Sam's father was lost in 2004 and his mother needed psychiatric
care, but while we keep him in touch with her, he so loves
his new life that we have great hopes for his future. Sister
Mary has had many youngsters move on when I'd have liked to
have nurtured them with continuing influence as they faced
the future. But she quotes Mother Teresa to me, saying that
'life is like a flowing river', and that's how it should be.
Each year, Mary is told that hers are generally among the
best-disciplined and most successful students (at the government
schools).
Following
what, for most, were years of poverty, sadness, and often
abuse, today the children enjoy love and security. This is
home; a base in every child's life. Last winter saw
Chiks
celebrate the twelfth anniversary of this exhilarating work
- much done, lots still to do.
“We
would be delighted to hear from anyone interested to know
more about our work. I have to say that it provides us with
every bit as much pleasure as it does challenges!” says Robin,
who welcomes enquiries to 13 Lickfolds Road, Rowledge, Farnham
GU10 4AF tel 01252 794212 or email robin.radley@tiscali.co.uk,
or visit
www.chikschildrenshomes.org
for information.
BAPTISMS,
MARRIAGES
AND MEMORIALS
Baptisms
January
6
Theodore Frederick Bond McCULLOCH
13
Daniel Jacques GERMOND
27
Flora Isabella WATSON
Olivia
Charlotte NICHOLSON
February
3
Maximillian James McLENNAN
10
Jemima Elizabeth Rose LETHBRIDGE
March
30
Milo
Charles George HOFFMAN
Olivia
Alison Audrey MANSON-BAHR
Giacomo
David Lucky STEVENS
Tabitha
Constance Lola SMYTH
Magnus
Frederick Angus McLEOD
April
6
Flora Louise Sarah STEELE
Thomas
William Byron HILL
13
Catherine Anne TOTHILL
20
Iris Mary Constance SMITHER
Robert
Casper Archie MOSS
Agatha
Heather Allegra JONES
Frederick
Arthur Richard ELWORTHY
27
Camilla Alice Martha HORNIMAN
Henry
Alexander William HORNIMAN
Florence
Grace TEMPLE
Alexander
Thomas Campbell HOLMES
Alice
Florence de LASZLO
May
11
Isla May REID
Olivia
Rose SLADE
Orlando
GIBBS
Felix
GIBBS
18
Beatrix Rose Coleridge WILLIAMS
25
Austen OSEI-KISSI
Cyrus
OSEI-KISSI
June
8
Maximus CROSSLEY-WRIGHT
Katherine
Isabella India ARCHER
George
Anthony James MURRAY
Tatiana
Sophia Ann OSBORNE
15
Sophie July Joan JUHASZ
Georgiana
Emily MACLEAN
Weddings
February
9
Duncan James MILLS & Emma Carolyn Wyatt TILBY
29
Peter Jonathan DENYER &
Francisca Harriet de BRAUW
March
1
Mark Broke LEVERSON-GOWER &
Naomi Jane HANCOCK
April
5
Peter Claydon STOKES & Rebecca Marie KOURI
19
Paul Sebastian ROSE & Sarah Kate ALLEN
26
James Hamilton LOW & Flora Eileen Gian COX
May
2
Lloyd Jeffrey TAMLYN &
Birgitta Sarah Gruce MEYER
10
James JEEVES & Nicola Jane OGILVY
17
Jan Michael PERRY &
Amanda Jane Gaisford Wilson-Barrett
31
Michael William GIFFIN & Jane Barbara INGRAM
June
6
Charles Anthony HOFFMAN &
Georgina Alice ORSSICH
13
David Hector Craig Creswell &
Valerie Wylde WILKINSON
20
Maximillian John Marcus de CHAPPUIS-KONIG &
Juliet Margot FETHERSTONHAUGH
21
Paul William DUNBAR & Lara Claire de QUINCEY
28
Patrick David Charles KING &
Helen Victoria FIELDING
Memorials
January
10
Alison MCMILLAN
15
Paul HART
18
Robine REED
February
19
Adrian Edgar Mark COOPER
20
Frances Mildred LENEY
A
GARDENER'S
TALE
For
the last 35 years Penny
Pocock
has cared for the gardens
at
Chelsea
Old
Church
My
first connection with Chelsea Old Church garden was in about
1973. In those days, the garden was divided into four areas,
looked after by different people. We all did our own thing
under the watchful eye of Leighton Thomson. He and his wife
Prue had created it after the church had been rebuilt. He
used to have big bonfires on the north side, which occasionally
so alarmed the neighbours that the Fire Brigade was called!
My
mother and I looked after the section to the north of the
Church round to the Philip Miller monument. Over time gardeners
left and changed and my mother and I took over the bed under
the east window and the triangular bed running from the Philip
Miller monument to the gate. During this time, as members
of the Chelsea Gardens Guild we competed in the Summer Competition
against Christchurch
,
St. Andrew's, Park Walk and St. Mary the Boltons. There has
always been a friendly rivalry between Christchurch
and us.
The
great change came when the Hall and the Vicarage were redeveloped
from 2000 onwards. Virtually the whole of the north side and
round to the Cadogan Gate was destroyed. A few trees remained
and we managed to save some plants, which now flourish on
the south side. We also took cuttings particularly of the
lovely white Hydrangea, which Prue Thomson had grown and often
used in her flower arrangements for the Church. Two of them
have been returned to almost exactly the same spot and look
as splendid as ever.
Another
happy survival from the past is the rose Compassion. It was
transplanted from my mother's garden over 20 years ago and
never did very well as it was shaded by a Weeping Holly –
a tree I never liked and which I persuaded Leighton to encourage
not to weep! Thankfully we finally managed to cut it down.
The rose disappeared during the building works. However, the
first Spring after the new bed had been created, I noticed
a strong rose shoot coming up. I smothered it in manure, blood,
fish and bone and lots of water and it is now the magnificent
specimen that you can see at the entrance to Petyt Hall.
Nearly
all the plants in this part of the garden have been donated
by kind parishioners and mostly they are plants which the
donors wanted to see growing in the garden sometimes with
gentle persuasion from me! It is not a designed garden but
rather a product of many people taking an interest and lots
of hard work from a host of volunteers. We are down to a hard
core of three now – Primrose Metcalf, Jane Watherston and
me, plus Suzy Reindorp who diligently waters all the containers
in the courtyard.
Some
of the special plants in the garden are the rosemary bush
in the south west corner which was grown from a cutting brought
back from the Holy
Land
by Susan Gaskell in her toilet bag. The rose beside it is
Crimson Bengal grown from a cutting from the Physic
Garden
by Una Brass. Moving eastwards there is an Amelanchier tree
in memory of Edna Cook who gardened for over 30 years in that
patch, and the flowering cherry was given by Frances Leney
in memory of her friend. The Wisteria was planted by Leighton
Thomson – there are two different ones on the buttress on
the south side. One purple and one white, which lengthens
the flowering period. The lovely fuchsia Versicolor by the
tomb at the Cadogan Gate came from Powys
Castle
,
the Myrtle came from friends returning to Australia
and the Elvys contributed a collection of Phlox and the Wineberry
under the east window from their garden in Suffolk
.
I could go on for pages – almost everything has some sort
of
history or memory attached to it.
Chelsea
Old
Church
wins the 2007 ‘ Best
Church
Garden
'
cup at the Brighter Kensington & Chelsea Awards
POET'S
CORNER
Holy
Sonnet X by John Donne
Death,
be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty
and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For
those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die
not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From
rest and sleep, which yet thy pictures be,
Much
pleasure, then from thee much more, must low
And
soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest
of their bones and soul's delivery.
Thou
art slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men
And
dost with poison, war and sickness dwell,
And
poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And
better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then ?
One
short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And
death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.
John
Donne was the greatest of the metaphysical poets who wrote
in England
during the Jacobean period.
The
Holy Sonnet X was written after the poet's beloved wife Anne's
death after giving birth to their 12th child. He mourned her
deeply and never remarried. John Donne was also a preacher
and he once held a sermon at Chelsea Old Church .
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THE
CHELSEA
ANCHOR DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY
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King's Road Chelsea London SW3 5UZ T. 020 7351 3133 F. 020
7352 5858
info@chelsea.kallkwik.co.uk
www.chelsea.kallkwik.co.uk
The
Chelsea Anchor is the parish magazine of Chelsea
Old
Church
.
It has been
part
of the community for nearly 40 years and is now a quarterly
featuring articles
of
local, historical, charitable, cultural and religious interests.
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