Home | Services | Calendar | Magazine | Media | History | Diocese | Links | Clubs

Updated 29 November, 2008

An Abbreviated History

Some highlights in the history of St. James' Church, Westgate & Garlinge

1872 - The Foundation Stone was laid 23rd March.

1873 - Consecrated on the 3rd January. First Vicar, George Collis inducted. (Rev. Collis >)

1874 - A new organ was installed.

1876 - East window installed, depicting scenes from the life of St. James.

1885 - Parish boundary adjusted, when St. Saviours Church was established in Westgate-on-Sea.

1904 - Second Vicar inducted, Mark Cassidy.

1906 - First issue of the Parish Magazine produced.

1911 - Census of Garlinge Parish taken - 1480 inhabitants, with 322 houses, of which 50 were empty.

1913 - First visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Part of Church funds given for widening of the Canterbury Road.

1917 - 25th February - Removal of a large number of residents because of the danger to the locality of damage during a bombardment from the sea.

1922 - First elections to a Parochial Church Council - 7 ladies and 8 men being elected.

1923 - Jubilee year -

1931 - East Window restored. (East window>)

1933 - Third Vicar arrived, Ernest Evitt.

1937 - New pulpit presented by St. John the Baptist Church, Margate. Fourth Vicar inducted, H.J. Bowman.

1938 - New stained glass windows installed in the Lady Chapel.

1939 - Church closed for the duration of the Second World War. Old School Hall requisitioned by the Army.

1941 - Damage to windows and fabric by land mines on the 17th April.

1945 - Fifth Vicar arrived. Peter Harrison.

1946 - Church re-opened in August.

1952 - Spire re-shingled. (Work in progress >)

1953 - Sixth Vicar inducted, A.J.W. Barker. New oil fired boiler installed, replacing solid fuel.

1955 - Archbishop of Canterbury preached on 28th February.

St James' Choir Party 1956

1958 - New plans accepted for East window. Renovation of the Old School Hall and the purchase of a former Army Hut, as an annexe to the Hall. Seventh Vicar arrived, W.H. Correy.

1959 - Christian Stewardship introduced, with the abolition of collections and special fund raising.

1960 - New East Window installed, 'The Spread of The Spirit' by Francis Spear. Dedicated on the 27th March. The Lord's Table Cross dedicated at the same time.

1961 - Present organ installed. (Original organ >)

1966 - Eighth Vicar, Alan A.W. Dawkins arrived.

1967 - New Vicarage built at rear of Church and old building sold for re-development. Houses built on the site.

1971 - Church Centre built and opened.

1972 - Centenary of stone laying. Archbishop of Canterbury preached.

1974 - Ninth Vicar inducted, James Watts.

1975 - Visit of Miss Pat Lelliot (our SAMS link) from Chile. St. James' Youth Orchestra performed for the first time, on 28th December.

1976 - Temperature in Church over 76ºF in June. Hottest June since 1842 when records started. Worst drought for 250 years. Summer Fete and Christmas Bazaar introduced into the Church Calendar. Church re-wired and new lighting installed in August.

1977 - Dedication to the Festal Pulpit Fall and book markers (to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee), in July. Holiday club in August, led by Capt. C. Taylor and Capt. D. White, of the Church Army.

St James' sings for St John Guild for the blind - Carols December 1978

1978 - Archbishop of Canterbury preached on 12th March. New Hymn Books "100 Hymns for Today" donated in memory of Mrs. Whybrow, in June.

1978/79 - Heavy snow and severe frost. The worst winter for 15 years. Burst pipes in Church Centre. (Original church heating! >)

1979 - Church boiler converted from fuel oil to gas burning in September.

1980 - The wettest June for 101 years. Joyce Bennett (Missionary Link from Hong Kong), preached in July.

1981 - The wettest March for 20 years. The worst April weather for 80 years.

1982 - In April, 22 pipes were stolen from the organ. The PCC decided that the Church should remain locked when not in use. 'Disciples' Youth group formed in October. Tower Room cleaned up and heating installed for their meetings. Better lighting installed on the tower stairs. (>)

1983 - New churchyard mower purchased. Grant received from the local authority lottery fund for renovation of Tower Room for the Youth Group.

1984 - 'Peace' Rose Garden created in Memory of Ron Gillham, PCC Secretary for nearly 40 years. Flowers Festival and Exhibition held in June.

1986 - Saturday Shop started at Old School Hall, monthly, as a major fund raiser. Hobbies and Handicrafts Exhibition held.

1987 - October hurricane caused massive damage to roof and fabric of Church. New suspended ceiling fitted in old School Hall, funded by member's donations and gifts.

1989 - Tragic death 'in harness' of Rev. James Watts. December preacher at Christingale, was Archdeacon of Canterbury and at midnight Communion; the Bishop of Dover.

1990 - January storms caused further severe damage to Church roof. In June, tenth Vicar installed, John Cheeseman. (Rev Cheeseman >)

1991 - Constant vandalism necessitated protective screens being erected over most of the Church windows.

1992 - October launch of the Heritage appeal project, to re-roof the Church, enclose the Lady Chapel and extend the Church Centre.

1993 - Serious structural failure of external wall at Old School Hall.

1994 - April to May - Church roof completely renewed as stage one of the Heritage project. No less than 25 fund raising and social events held during the year in support of the Heritage project, including the first Charity Shop.

1995 - Lady Chapel enclosed with a timber framed double glazed screen and new carpet, curtains and chairs purchased. Autumn craft Fair held. Contract awarded for re-building and extending of the Church Centre. Church heating fails in September and new boiler installed.

1998 - New Public address system and Induction loop installed.

2000 - New Public address system installed in Church Centre.

2000 - June - First 'Thanet Bible Week' held at church. Sermons by Wallace Benn and Brian Edwards.

2001 - June - Rev. John Cheeseman departs to a new calling at Eastbourne. Church enters a period of interregnum.

2001 - June - Second Bible Week held at the Church with lectures and sermons this year from John Blanchard and Mark Ashton.

2001 - August - Constant vandalism necessitated protective screens being erected over the remaining Church windows.

2002 - January - New incumbent announced, - Rev Robert Bashford, his wife, Barbara and daughters Rachel and Sarah, arriving July.

2002 - May/June - New CCTV (closed circuit television) system & extension to public address installed in the church/church centre. This, to allow viewing of services/events in the church centre when the church is filled to over capacity.

2002 - June - Third year of St. James' hosting Thanet Bible Week. The event getting more popular. Lectures and sermons this year from Rev's Philip Hacking and Gwynn Williams.

2002 - July 25th - Eleventh Vicar installed - Rev Robert Bashford. The church was packed for this event. (Rev. Robert Bashford >)

2002 - December - The mildest since 1930 (and probably the wettest).

2003 - June - Fourth year of Thanet Bible Week. This year, excellent lectures and sermons from Rev. Mark Johnson and Rev. Tony Baker.

2003 - Summer - The best in living memory with record temperatures of 100 plus degrees in Kent. St. James' church hall annexe at Garlinge given a complete overhaul. Some 1.5 tons of rubbish cleared from the grounds!

2003 - A monthly lunch established in the Old School Hall for Garlinge residents. An evangelistic epilogue given at the conclusion of each meal.
A main prayer meeting introduced on the third Wednesday evening of each month.

2004 - The PCC agrees to set up the Servant Church Trust to fund the appointment of an extra staff member to head up it's outreach into the Garlinge community.

2004 - June - Fifth year of Thanet Bible week with guest speakers Dr. John Benton and Rev. Paul Williams.
New 'Metal Halide' lighting (150w fittings) installed in the church to replace the old main halogen lighting. A vast improvement over the old and recommended to other churches considering an upgrade who may come across this page.

2005 - June - Sixth year of Bible Week. More excellent meetings with speakers; Rev. Phil Arthur & Rev. Christopher Ash.
August/September - Induction loop system fitted in church centre and PA system upgraded. New replacement (low energy 26w) 'fluorescent' flood lights installed in the church (side aisles) to replace the last remaining halogen lighting.

2006 - June - Seventh year of Thanet Bible Week at the church with Dr. Ray Evans and Rev. Jonathan Fletcher.
'Servant church trust' funds for the extra staff member increase steadily.

2007 - The wettest Summer since records began in 1766!
June - Seventh year of Thanet Bible Week. Guest speakers Rev. Dr. Liam Goligher and Rt. Rev. Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes.
Garlinge Staff Member Project - Funds now sufficient and advertising for the post takes place. The requirement is for an extra paid staff-member for St. James’, who will have the responsibility of heading up outreach to adults, young people and children in Garlinge. In effect, this person will be an Evangelist.

2008 - June - Eighth year of Bible Week with speakers Angus MacLeay and Steve Lawson.
July - Garlinge Staff Member Project - We welcomed Jean-Pierre (or “JP”) Schroeder who joined the staff-team at St James’ from the beginning of July, thereby doubling the full-time team from one to two! JP took on the role of Garlinge Evangelist and is also involved in ministry in the life of the parish as a whole.