St Christopher's Church
Round Green, Luton
Laying the
Foundation Stone
Three months after the first turf was cut, the 'Bishop's Order' came again to Round Green. The building had progressed far enough for the foundation stone to be laid.
The Bishop of St. Albans, who was Patron of the Order of Church Builders, could not come owing to illness. So it was Bishop Lumsden Barkway of Bedford, along with about thirty other robed clergy, who followed the six hundred strong procession assembled in Felix Avenue.
The
procession included the Archdeacons of Bedford and St. Albans, and the
Rural Dean of Luton (the Revd. W. Davison).
In the presence of nearly two thousand children and adults, the Cross
led the choir of St. Christopher’s, followed by Scouts and Guides
from the town.
The procession of The Order of Church Builders, with their coloured sashes,
badges and rosettes, and carrying their builders implements, made a striking
picture, vying with banners and flags in the streamer and bunting-bedecked
Felix Avenue.
AND IN HONOUR OF
ST CHRISTOPHER
PATRON SAINT OF CHILDREN
THIS FOUNDATION STONE OF
THE CHILDRENS CHURCH
WAS LAID BY LUMSDEN, BISHOP OF BEDFORD
10TH OCTOBER 1936
After the Bishop had blessed and laid the stone, he gave an address especially to the children, for the young people of the Diocese had played a key role in bringing the building of the ‘Children's Church’ thus far.
Prominent among the contingents from all over the Diocese were those from Bedford, St. Albans and St. Albans High School, who, under their headmistress Miss Archibald had been staunch supporters from the first.
Bishop Lumsden and Miss Ursula Robins presented certificates to representatives of parishes and groups who had contributed over £5 to the funds, with beautifully illuminated ones to those whose contributions had exceeded £20.
Tea for nine hundred and thirty was laid on afterwards in the Drill Hall in Old Bedford Road , catered for by Mr. Austin of the White Rose Catering Company.
During tea, presentations of books, inscribed with the names
of the Church Council officials, were made from the congregation of St.
Christopher's to the Chairman of the Order, the Honourable Ian Lawson
Johnston, the secretary, Miss Ursula Robins and the treasurer,
Mr. James Robinson.
© Luton St Christopher 2008