After the bombing in 1940 |
War Years 2
The church was gutted, the roof had fallen in, the windows and fittings utterly destroyed. The magnificent Willis organ had gone and all Mr Parker's music. It had been hit by high explosive and by fire bombs. The spire was still standing, but later had to be taken down as it was in a dangerous state. A few precious scraps and artefacts were salvaged from the ruins by Patrick and Hugh Bodey, and they hold an honourable place in the archives today. A little angel's head with a broken nose was retrieved from somewhere. This was built into the new church as a symbol of continuity and keeps watch today over the font. The church was without its sanctuary and at that time the BBC was in possession of the hall. A church is more than the building and there was no thought of giving up. Our neighbour, Trinity Methodist Church on the corner of Ashgrove Road just below Redland Park, (now sadly no more), came at once to our aid. The very next morning they telephoned Mr Thompson, commiserating with him and offering the use of their premises. |
As it used to be |
On the following Sunday, 8th December, there was an unforgettable occasion. The whole congregation of Redland Park gathered in Trinity Church and a statement drawn up by Mr Thompson and the Deacons was read out by Mr Mann, Deacons' secretary. (It was he who was subsequently killed in a daylight raid on Bristol). This inspiring document was unanimously endorsed by the church and ran as follows:
"We the members, seat-holders and worshippers of Redland Park Congregational Church, humbly thankful to God for his merciful blessings throughout the 79 years of her life, record with profound sorrow, the destruction of our beloved sanctuary, through enemy action on Monday night, December 2nd, 1940, the building having already been damaged by the same cause on September 5th of this year. "We resolve with God's help to maintain the effective life of the church and to support her ministries for the kingdom of God at home and abroad, so far as lies within our strength, true to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose Grace we shall find sufficient for all our need. |
"We ask every member, seat-holder and worshipper to dedicate himself or herself anew to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose Grace we shall find sufficient for all our need."
Moving this resolution Mr Mann said, "The building has gone but the church remains", and that became more or less the motto of the church for the next 16 years. At every annual church meeting this statement was read out and re-affirmed by the church.
For some time Redland Park and Trinity held joint services each Sunday, taken by the two ministers alternately. Mr Thompson and the Rev L Babb MC, each
following the order of service they were accustomed to use, and in all this the two choirs combined.
One joint effort by the two churches was a canteen for soldiers billeted in Bristol. This was in the schoolroom under Trinity Church, a big hall with a large well-equipped kitchen adjoining, so it was possible to serve hot meals or snacks as well as tea or coffee. It was open seven days a week, manned by members of both churches and was much appreciated. At one time over a thousand meals were served every week and by the time it was closed it was estimated that it had served 293,834 meals, and 400,000 hot drinks. There were table tennis facilities and the piano was often strummed by one person or another, with what result to the piano one cannot say, and a concert was held once a week.
Travelling home in the blackout at 11 pm after one's stint at the canteen was quite an experience, though in those days the fear of mugging did not exist. The few cars still on the road (with petrol severely rationed) moved at a steady pace with masked lights. The only fear was of air raids. Many humorous stories were told such as when the author apologised to a lamp post (unlit of course) with which she had collided.
In May, 1941, the hall was de-requisitioned, but we could not use it until it had been made habitable and cleaned up. Then, in September, 1941, thanking our kind hosts at Trinity, we moved over the road to have our services in our own building. The choir sat on the platform which had a low dais in front for the communion table. Some woodwork, furniture and floor covering were loaned by our friends at Christchurch Congregational Church, Sneyd Park (closed in 1962) which made the hall look more like a church and saved considerable expense.
For the rest of the war and beyond, services were accompanied by a piano, until 1950, when a small pipe organ, a two-manual Father Willis, was purchased and installed in the gallery. This did wonders for the music of the services.
Worship continued in the hall for the rest of the war, and indeed until 1957, as permission to re-build was slow in coming. Homes had to have priority over public buildings with building materials scarce.
A reconstruction fund had been started almost on the day the church was destroyed. At first Redland Park's target was £3,000. This was raised to £4,000 and then £5,000, which was eventually reached. Later the Congregational Union of England and Wales opened a nation-wide fund "New Advance" into which we put our
money. We wanted some of our funds to help re-build other churches, smaller or poorer than ourselves, which had been damaged.
Read about the Rebuilding of Redland Park Church.
Moving this resolution Mr Mann said, "The building has gone but the church remains", and that became more or less the motto of the church for the next 16 years. At every annual church meeting this statement was read out and re-affirmed by the church.
For some time Redland Park and Trinity held joint services each Sunday, taken by the two ministers alternately. Mr Thompson and the Rev L Babb MC, each
following the order of service they were accustomed to use, and in all this the two choirs combined.
One joint effort by the two churches was a canteen for soldiers billeted in Bristol. This was in the schoolroom under Trinity Church, a big hall with a large well-equipped kitchen adjoining, so it was possible to serve hot meals or snacks as well as tea or coffee. It was open seven days a week, manned by members of both churches and was much appreciated. At one time over a thousand meals were served every week and by the time it was closed it was estimated that it had served 293,834 meals, and 400,000 hot drinks. There were table tennis facilities and the piano was often strummed by one person or another, with what result to the piano one cannot say, and a concert was held once a week.
Travelling home in the blackout at 11 pm after one's stint at the canteen was quite an experience, though in those days the fear of mugging did not exist. The few cars still on the road (with petrol severely rationed) moved at a steady pace with masked lights. The only fear was of air raids. Many humorous stories were told such as when the author apologised to a lamp post (unlit of course) with which she had collided.
In May, 1941, the hall was de-requisitioned, but we could not use it until it had been made habitable and cleaned up. Then, in September, 1941, thanking our kind hosts at Trinity, we moved over the road to have our services in our own building. The choir sat on the platform which had a low dais in front for the communion table. Some woodwork, furniture and floor covering were loaned by our friends at Christchurch Congregational Church, Sneyd Park (closed in 1962) which made the hall look more like a church and saved considerable expense.
For the rest of the war and beyond, services were accompanied by a piano, until 1950, when a small pipe organ, a two-manual Father Willis, was purchased and installed in the gallery. This did wonders for the music of the services.
Worship continued in the hall for the rest of the war, and indeed until 1957, as permission to re-build was slow in coming. Homes had to have priority over public buildings with building materials scarce.
A reconstruction fund had been started almost on the day the church was destroyed. At first Redland Park's target was £3,000. This was raised to £4,000 and then £5,000, which was eventually reached. Later the Congregational Union of England and Wales opened a nation-wide fund "New Advance" into which we put our
money. We wanted some of our funds to help re-build other churches, smaller or poorer than ourselves, which had been damaged.
Read about the Rebuilding of Redland Park Church.