Churches - Bevendean History Project
Holy Trinity Church, Ship Street - Newspaper Articles
FAMOUS BRIGHTON CHURCH HAS NO LEADER
Hopefully waiting for new Vicar
Standing
on the busy junction of Ship Street and Duke Street, Holy Trinity
Church (formerly known as Trinity Chapel) was once a focal point for
Christendom in this country, and abroad, during the six brief but
glorious years (1847 – 1853) of immortal incumbency by Mr
Frederick William Robertson, who short life (1816 – 1853) and
work are a perpetual testimony to the power that can flow from God
through man.Hopefully waiting for new Vicar
Today it’s once wide open doors now tightly shut, historic Holy Trinity has no leader. The last Vicar, the Rev Paul James (he was 13th and was appointed by the privy Council), left in July, his duties also included the chaplaincy of Brighton College of further education.
Now hopeful members like Mr Gerald Milner, 45, vicar’s warden for about 14 years, (and born in the same year as the church’s centenary), Mr Reuben Ledley, a stall walked 87, peoples warden for some 14 years in the church council member since 1941, and noted organist Mr George Newell, B.Mus., F.R.C.O., L.R.A.M., (There is no choir, and he has held the post for 12 years) wait for 2 things.
The first is the announcement of the new vicar’s name by the Bishop of Chichester (Dr Roger Wilson).
NEW CIVIC CENTRE
The
second is the proposed building of a new Civic Centre on the site of
Brighton Town Hall – something the council has been talking about
for around 25 years.This would enable the Motor Taxation Office to move out of its adjacent offices in what is really the Robertson Memorial Hall, the building members would dearly like to retrieve.
Strictly speaking, Holy Trinity was never a parish church, but rather a preaching centre ancillary to Brighton Parish Church, whose present Vicar, Canon J. M. Keeling, is its patron.
Built by Mr Thomas Read Kemp, then Lord of the Manor of Brighton, in 1817, it had a short history of an independent character before becoming definitely associated with the Established Church.
That was, of course, an age of proprietary chapels, few of which now survive.
PERPETUATED
Mr
Kemp, whose name is perpetuated in the eastern picturesque part of
Brighton known as Kemp Town, eventually sold it to the Anderson family
of Brighton, and they turned it into a perpetual proprietary chapel run
by a board of Brighton trustees.A special Act of Parliament had, in fact, to be obtained constituting it as a Chapel of Ease to Brighton Parish Church under the trust.
Nominations to the incumbency were subject to the approval of the Bishop of Chichester, and after the right of nominations passed from the Anderson family (the Rev Robert Anderson was then officiating as the first incumbent) to the Vicar of Brighton, the church was consecrated on April 21, 1826.
For this landmark ceremony, the Rev Robert Anderson, Professor of Oriental Languages in the East India College at Hailesbury, and owner of the freehold, but the building in the hands of the famous architect, Sir Charles Barry, ‘for the purpose of converting it into a house of prayer war in accordance with the usages of the Anglican rite’.
(Quotation from ‘A Notable Centenary’– Holy Trinity, Brighton: 1826 – 1926), by the former renowned Vicar, the Rev R. J. Campbell, D.D.
And exterior photograph in Campbell’s book shows the exterior of Holy Trinity with houses running up its Duke Street side, while an interior view depicts, a windowless alter of considerable dignity but less beauty.
Brighton has many buildings bearing plaques that tell the world “So-and-So lived here.”
Holy Trinity – packed with history, and proud of its great tradition of huge congregations who flocked to hear it’s great preachers – does not boast any plaques on its walls, though there are plenty of memorials and sacred relics inside, including the pulpit cushion used by the greatest of them all, Frederick W. Robertson, in his day.
Instead, it had postcards printed at one time showing the old view of the interior.
This bore the wording: Brighton – Trinity Chapel (interior) Frederick W. Robertson preached here 1847 – 1853; a testiment that surely no other church in Brighton or beyond has emulated.
Born in London in 1816 of Scottish descent, ‘Robertson of Brighton’ (Frederick William Robertson) became one of the greatest preachers of his time, and is renowned as a great Christian. His sermons were translated into many languages and were welcomed where no other preacher had obtained recognition. His six year ministry at the Ship Street church made his memory immortal.
BLIND
Organist
George Newell is deeply proud of the extensive collection of sacred
Braille music housed at Holy Trinity – one of the finest of its
kind.To hear him, one would never imagine he is blind – something he brushes aside is quite irrelevant, which, in fact, it is.
As these few, inadequate details were being assembled, he was busy at the organ, playing ‘My heart is filled with longing’ – No. 27 from Bach’s Little Organ Book, written while he was imprisoned because he wanted to leave the service of his master, the Duke of Anhalt-Köten.
As he played, piles of Braille hymn books stood alongside him on the organ seat, though this former tutor for the former L.C.C. (Now G.L.C.) rarely needs to refer to the music for guidance.
Organist George Newell, seen in this shot through the mirror above the organ console, plays Bach from Braille music.
LONGING
His choice was sympathetic of present day Holy Trinity.The hearts of its devoted members – including the retiring Mr Winfield, who does such unassuming work as cleaner – are ‘filled with longing.’ Let us hope that very soon now this famous Brighton church will have a new Vicar to lead and develop, and that the dreamed off Civic Centre may become a reality, thereby releasing the Robertson Memorial Hall to fulfil its true destiny as a place where future history can be worked out harmoniously in the building dedicated to one of the church’s greatest evangelists and preachers.
The dignified Altar showing the beautiful Robertson Memorial Window
Two young visitors to Brighton – Ian Perry (18) and Robert Foord (18), both of Luton, who are very interested in churches and their architecture. They wandered into Holy Trinity while this article was being compiled, and were pictured studying the memorial to the first incumbent, the Rev Robert Anderson, who died in 1843 following 17 years service.
The beautiful personal silver Communion set used by Frederick William Robertson, now kept, with other sacred vessels, in a repository away from the church. It was presented to Holy Trinity by his grandson, Colonel F. W. Robertson, for the church’s centenary in 1926.
From the Brighton & Hove Herald – 23 September 1971
