Tom Owens – “St. George’s Church history tied to growth of St. Catharines”.

Bill Holman introduced guest speaker Tom Owens and his topic “The history of St. Georges Anglican Church”.

Tom has an Honours BA from Carleton, a Bachelor of Education from Queens and a Master of Education from Brock. He taught high school history and social sciences for 32 years in the Lincoln County/Niagara school boards.

Tom began his presentation with some background on the mythical or real St. George who lived back in the third century and was a martyr for his early Christian faith and he Tom Owens was believed to have been a Roman soldier warrior/saint. He became a patron Saint in the Church of England in the thirteenth century. There is today a St. Georges Chapel in Windsor castle.

Tom went on to talk about the historic St. Georges Church here in St. Catharines. The Church of England established a parish in St. Catharines in 1792. The first gathering of Christians here was in private homes and the first church building was erected in 1796 and was located near the site of the present CKTB building. This wooden building was destroyed by fire in 1836 and its replacement was built in 1840 on land purchased from William Hamilton Merritt on Church Street where it is today.

Tom distributed a diagram illustrating when various additions were built on to the original 40 by 60foot structure. The first addition came in 1845 when the steeple was added. He pointed out that a new steeple was constructed in 2016 to accommodate the 23 Carillon bells. A hall and other outbuildings were added in the 1900’s and they were connected to the main church in 1992.

A cemetery behind the church was moved and relocated to Victoria Lawn in 1856 to allow the expansion although some of the tombstones, including one for Paul Shipman, remain around the outside of the church. Tom remarked on the number of tombstones naming young people and said that 21-25 was the median age of death in those early years.

Tom mentioned some of the features in the church such as the walnut wood screen carving just inside the front entrance, the stained-glass windows dedicated to various local families, church pew benches that had doors which are now used as wainscoting, and the Casavant organ.

Tom concluded his presentation with a note of appreciation to many who provided insight into the history of St. Georges noting especially Walter Asbil and Ron Baum.

Duncan McLaren thanked Tom for his presentation with a token of appreciation.