Low Down Articles
Echoes from the Past
Article 85 of 111
This article first appeared in the "Echoes from the Past" column of the The Low Down to Hull and Back News.
Reprinted with permission. Search complete list of Low Down Articles.
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The Church of England Chelsea
Early in 1875 the Rev. F.R. Smith, newly ordained into the Anglican ministry, was assigned by Bishop Oxenden of Montreal, to take charge of Templeton, Chelsea and Portland. Templeton was then a new station and Mr. Smith served from that place. Portland was then vacant. The following year, 1876, Mr. Smith served Portland, but was living in Chelsea.
Bishop Oxenden in 1875 had decided that Chelsea should have a church of its own and had directed the young Mr. Smith to take charge of the parish and to initiate the necessary steps to effect this. The priest quickly set about the task. The congregation contributed liberally and the Gilmour Company supplied the required lumber at less than cost. In 1877, the new building which had been erected at the north end of the village on a high knoll, with its door facing west, was dedicated by the Rev. Canon Johnson representing Bishop Oxenden.
In July of 1877, the Rev. Robert Kerr was appointed to the new station at Chelsea. He was the first married priest who lived in Chelsea. It was his first posting but he only remained for one year.
Chelsea was vacant in 1878 but was served by Rev. F.R. Smith, who was at Templeton for the early part of the year. Mr. Smith took the service every Sunday afternoon at Chelsea for about a year. An interesting wedding took place on May 23rd, 1878, when the Rev. Mr. Smith was married to Barbara Edith Jane, the daughter of Canon and Mrs. Johnson.
From 1879 to 1885, Chelsea was without the regular ministrations of a priest except from a divinity student from Montreal who took charge of the mission during the summer for two or thee years. In 1885, the Rev. S. Moore, newly ordained in 1884 served the area from Portland.
The next resident clergyman in Chelsea was the Rev. George Johnson who did much to revive the interest of the people in church work. It was during his incumbency that a commodious parsonage was constructed in Chelsea. At this time there were some 23 families and 9 or 10 individuals. In addition to Chelsea Mr. Johnson also served Ironside and Templeton. He resigned in 1888, being replaced by the Rev. W.A. Fyles.
Mr. Fyles saw to the completion of the parsonage. He, with Mrs. Fyles organized a very active Women's Guild, of which Mrs. Alonzo Wright was Honorary President. Mrs. Fyles was herself its first President. Apparently, about 1890 there was a decline, as the church records show in September of that year that nearly 50 souls had left the mission in the past fifteen months. The last entry in the parish register by Mr. Fyles was dated June 24, 1891.
Mr. Fyles was succeeded by the Rev. Aaron A. Allen who recorded his first official act on Nov. 8, 1891, five years later a very much brighter picture was evident.
In 1896 Mrs. Alonzo Wright presented a beautiful marble front to St. Mary Magdalene. The same year the church was re-shingled. A new verandah was built and other improvements made to the parsonage. The deanry report stated that St. Mary Magdalene was free of all debt. It was further reported that two services and one Sunday School was conducted every Sunday.
To be continued