Grimsby Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Grimsby Minster is a minster and parish church
located in Grimsby
, North East Lincolnshire
, England
. Dedicated to St. James, the church belongs to the Church of England
and is within the Diocese of Lincoln
.
, the Bishop of Lincoln
. The following years saw many renovations and developments to the building, which eventually produced a church containing a nave with six bays, with the central tower being added in 1365. In 1586, St. James' became the parish church of Grimsby, after John Whitgift
united the parishes of St. James' and St. Mary's, the parish church of the latter having been located on Victoria Street. In 1856, Canon Ainslie began a complete restoration
of the church, which included lengthening the chancel and the rebuilding of the South transept. Later works included the building of new windows with stone tracery, and the installation of new oak roofs. The next key event in the history of the church, was the opening of the James College in 1883. The predecessor of today's St. James' School, it was founded by Canon Young, and continues to be the only choir school in the UK to be attached to a parish church. The news that the church was to be granted minster status was announced in the Grimsby Telegraph
on 15 April 2010. The Minster-making ceremony took place on Sunday, 16 May 2010 and was led by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and the Bishop of Grimsby. The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor John Colebrook, accepted the official declaration of Minster status on behalf of the Borough.
and dates from 1951, built to replace an earlier instrument destroyed by enemy action during World War II. Parts of the pre-war instrument were incorporated within the new organ, notably soundboards and some pedal pipes. A specification and pictures of the organ can be see on the National Pipe Organ Register. The Walker organ was rebuilt by J.W.Walker in 1976, with significant tonal modifications being made at this time.
Given the significant distance between the West End of the Church and the Choir, a second organ was installed on the North Side of the Choir in the 1970s, by Johnson. This two manual and pedal instrument is used for choral services in order to accompany the Choir. The specification and photographs of this instrument, too, can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The Choristers within the Choir at the start of the Michaelmas Term 2009 were:
David Whitworth, Head Chorister
Sam Lee, Head Chorister
Lyle McNally, Chorister
George East-Dunning, Chorister
Charlie Maxson, Chorister (pupil of Lisle Marsden Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School />Jack Turrell, Probationer
Two probationary choristers, pupils of Saint James' School, joined the Choir in June 2009 : Liam Pudsey and Roy Hillson
Choral Scholars, former choristers now singing with the Gentlemen of the Choir, were:
Ashley Draper, Tenor
Adam Rogers, Bass
Oliver Woods, Alto
Gentlemen of the Choir include:
Altos
Sam Maxson (formerly Head Chorister, when not at Durham University)
Steven Maxson (when not required to play the organ)
Tenors
Robert Adams (Organist of All Saints' Church, Waltham, Grimsby)
Thomas Drew (formerly Head Chorister)
Phil Huckin (when not at his home in Wales)
Harry Pickering (formerly Head Chorister)
Martin Pickering
Basses
David Parker
David Overton (formerly Master of the Choristers)
Thomas Drew (former Head Chorister)
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
located in Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Dedicated to St. James, the church belongs to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and is within the Diocese of Lincoln
Diocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.- History :...
.
Background
Today's St. James' church came into existence in 1114, when ownership of an earlier religious building was transferred to Robert BloetRobert Bloet
Robert Bloet was a medieval English bishop and a Chancellor of England. Born into a noble Norman family, he became a royal clerk under King William I of England. Under William I's son and successor King William II, Bloet was first named chancellor then appointed to the see of Lincoln...
, the Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
. The following years saw many renovations and developments to the building, which eventually produced a church containing a nave with six bays, with the central tower being added in 1365. In 1586, St. James' became the parish church of Grimsby, after John Whitgift
John Whitgift
John Whitgift was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1583 to his death. Noted for his hospitality, he was somewhat ostentatious in his habits, sometimes visiting Canterbury and other towns attended by a retinue of 800 horsemen...
united the parishes of St. James' and St. Mary's, the parish church of the latter having been located on Victoria Street. In 1856, Canon Ainslie began a complete restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
of the church, which included lengthening the chancel and the rebuilding of the South transept. Later works included the building of new windows with stone tracery, and the installation of new oak roofs. The next key event in the history of the church, was the opening of the James College in 1883. The predecessor of today's St. James' School, it was founded by Canon Young, and continues to be the only choir school in the UK to be attached to a parish church. The news that the church was to be granted minster status was announced in the Grimsby Telegraph
Grimsby Telegraph
The Grimsby Telegraph is a daily British regional newspaper for the town of Grimsby and the surrounding area that makes up North East Lincolnshire. It is owned by Northcliffe Newspapers. The main area for the paper's distribution is in or around Grimsby and Cleethorpes...
on 15 April 2010. The Minster-making ceremony took place on Sunday, 16 May 2010 and was led by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and the Bishop of Grimsby. The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor John Colebrook, accepted the official declaration of Minster status on behalf of the Borough.
Parish structure
It is in a group of parishes which includes:- St. Hugh's Church, Grimsby
- St. Martin's Church, Grimsby
- St. Mark's Church, Grimsby
Organ
The church has two pipe organs. The West End Organ is by J. W. Walker & Sons LtdJ. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
and dates from 1951, built to replace an earlier instrument destroyed by enemy action during World War II. Parts of the pre-war instrument were incorporated within the new organ, notably soundboards and some pedal pipes. A specification and pictures of the organ can be see on the National Pipe Organ Register. The Walker organ was rebuilt by J.W.Walker in 1976, with significant tonal modifications being made at this time.
Given the significant distance between the West End of the Church and the Choir, a second organ was installed on the North Side of the Choir in the 1970s, by Johnson. This two manual and pedal instrument is used for choral services in order to accompany the Choir. The specification and photographs of this instrument, too, can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists
Former organists include- Edwin Brammer ca. 1872
- James Forbes Carter ca. 1896
- John Stanley Robson 1924 - 1953
- Eric Arthur Conningsby 1954 - 1955 (formerly organist of Llandaff CathedralLlandaff CathedralLlandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is situated in the district of Llandaff in the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The current building was constructed in the 12th century over the site of an earlier church...
) - Dennis TownhillDennis TownhillDennis William Townhill OBE was an English organist and composer.Born in Lincoln, he was educated at Lincoln School and studied under Dr Gordon Archbold Slater at Lincoln Cathedral....
1956 - 1961 - Martin HowMartin HowMartin How is a British composer and organist. Martin is the son of the late Most Revd J C H How, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church....
1961 - 1964 - Michael Dudman 1964 - 1968
- Robert Walker 1968 - 1973
- Christopher Weaver 1974 - 1979
- Patrick Larley 1982 - 1987
- Andrew Shaw 1987 - 1993
- Andrew CantrillAndrew CantrillAndrew Cantrill is a British-born organist and choral director. He has held cathedral positions in New Zealand and America and is currently Organist & Master of the Choristers at Croydon Minster.-Education:...
1994 - 1996 - Steven Maxson 1997 - 2003
- Adrian Roberts 2003 - 2006
- Anthony Pinel 2006 -
Assistant organists
Stephen Maltby 1979 - 1982- Barry Whitfield ??? - 2006
- Steven Maxson. 2006 -
Choir
Grimsby Minster is known for being the only parish church in England to have its own Choir School, St James' School. St James' School was founded in 1880 by Canon James Peter Young to provide boy choristers for St James' Church. The School is now a co-educational school of the Woodard Corporation and a member of the Choir Schools' Association. From September 2008, Choristers have also been drawn from a neighbouring Voluntary Aided Church of England School, Lisle Marsden Primary School (named after a former Rector of Grimsby, Canon Lisle Marsden).The Choristers within the Choir at the start of the Michaelmas Term 2009 were:
David Whitworth, Head Chorister
Sam Lee, Head Chorister
Lyle McNally, Chorister
George East-Dunning, Chorister
Charlie Maxson, Chorister (pupil of Lisle Marsden Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School />Jack Turrell, Probationer
Two probationary choristers, pupils of Saint James' School, joined the Choir in June 2009 : Liam Pudsey and Roy Hillson
Choral Scholars, former choristers now singing with the Gentlemen of the Choir, were:
Ashley Draper, Tenor
Adam Rogers, Bass
Oliver Woods, Alto
Gentlemen of the Choir include:
Altos
Sam Maxson (formerly Head Chorister, when not at Durham University)
Steven Maxson (when not required to play the organ)
Tenors
Robert Adams (Organist of All Saints' Church, Waltham, Grimsby)
Thomas Drew (formerly Head Chorister)
Phil Huckin (when not at his home in Wales)
Harry Pickering (formerly Head Chorister)
Martin Pickering
Basses
David Parker
David Overton (formerly Master of the Choristers)
Thomas Drew (former Head Chorister)