Church's History

The Early Church

By the year 1640 Saint Philip’s Parish Church was established and associated with it were a number of Chapels-of-ease. These were built in populated areas not served by the Parish Church. Two such Chapels-of ease were Holy Family and Holy Cross. The message of the church at this time catered mainly to the wealthy planters, the white and the free coloured population.

The records of The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (S.P.G) have noted the damages of the church during major hurricanes. Those recorded were; the hurricane of 1780 which saw the church being severely damaged, and it was rebuilt in 1786. Then again, during the hurricane of 1831 the church was totally demolished, but rebuilt in 1836.

The Rectors of the church during this period were:

Rev. Charles Irvne
Rev. Dudley Woodbridge
Rev. Reynold Forster
Rev. Richard Temple
Rev. Robert Brathwaite
Rev. Joseph Hebson
Rev. Timothy Blenman
Rev. Thomas Allinson

- 1704-1728

- 1744-1748
- 1748-1749
- 1749-1753
- 1753-1792
- 1792-1793
- 1793-1797
- 1797-1815

The 19^th Century Church

The sugar revolution saw an increase in wealth of both the planters and the church. However the decrease in the numbers of African slaves did not go unnoticed. This and several events started what would be the movement for the Abolition of Slavery. By 1834, the enslaved Africans were granted the freedom to control what they did and how they did it.

The church made significant contributions to the people by establishing parish schools to teach Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. During his episcopate, the first Bishop, Rev. Dr. William Hart Coleridge demonstrated his commitment to education by increasing the number of schools.

The Rectors of the church during this period were:

Rev. William Als -1815-1831 Rev. Robert Francis King -1832-1875 Rev. Bruce Austin -1875-1880 Rev. R. Fitzharding Berkeley -1880-1891 Rev. Edward Lisle Smith -1892-1901


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