A Sesquicentennial look at St. Anne’s and the Diocese
When the Diocese of Huron was formed 150 years ago, St. Anne’s was already in its infancy.

Property for an “English” church in the village of Hall’s Mills (later named Byron)  had been purchased in 1853 and deeded to the Diocese of Toronto.  The diocese, at the time, embraced all of Upper Canada (now Ontario).  Tradition holds that the little cobblestone church on Commissioners Road was completed in 1855 and opened for community worship soon thereafter.

In the next two years, the administrators of the Diocese of Toronto, realizing their territory was too large and unwieldy for effective administration, agreed the diocese should be divided and made into two.  In 1857, that is exactly what occurred.  And the Diocese of Huron, which essentially covered southwestern Ontario, was established.

The first Bishop of Huron was an energetic cleric from London (Ontario), the Reverend Benjamin Cronyn, who was consecrated bishop on October 28, 1857, in the Chapel of Lambeth Palace in England.  (On the same date this year, Anglicans will gather at John Labatt Centre in London to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the diocese.)

At the formation of the Diocese of Huron, the ownership of St. Anne’s was transferred to the new diocese.  Administration of the church was now centred in London, much closer to home.

The Anglican priest responsible for St. Anne’s in 1857, was the Reverend Abraham St. George Caulfield. Caulfield resided in St. Thomas and was rector of the old St. Thomas Church there.  He was also assigned to minister to the entire township of Westminster, his circuit including congregations in Glanworth, Lambeth and Hall’s Mills.  Considering that Caulfield had to travel by horse – either on horseback or by horse and buggy – over roads that were rough and often impassable, his visits to St. Anne’s were probably occasional, at best.

One of his visits, however, to a church that had to be St. Anne’s, was recorded in The History of the County of Middlesex, Canada (Goodspeed, 1889).

About 1859, the Goodspeed story goes, Caulfield was called upon to investigate a complaint at a church (a stone building) in Westminster.  Some one complained that the temperance men, who rented the church for one dollar a month for their meetings, were destroying the building.  “Mr. Caulfield, who was sent to report, could not agree with the rumour,” the story ends.  The complaint was apparently quashed and the complainer must have had egg on his (or her) face.

Indeed, in the early years, St. Anne’s was used by the Sons of Temperance, a fraternal organization of teetotallers, for their meetings.  And being the only church building in the village, the church is said to have been used by a number of different Christian denominations, as well as Anglicans.  But it was always owned by the Anglican Church.

The inside of the simple rectangular building was more like a meeting house, than a church, containing only the bare necessities – wood floor, a small wood stove for heat, coal oil or kerosene lamps for light, something portable such as plank benches or stools for seats, perhaps a table.  The original structure consisted of about three-quarters of the present nave of St. Anne’s.  Plus there was a porch.  The raised chancel, the West Wing, and an extension of 10 feet at the back, were added later.

The pioneer members of the English church in Hall’s Mills would be astonished to see St. Anne’s today, with all its modern conveniences.  They would also be gratified to know the church is still going strong after more than 150 years.

For those of you who are wondering whatever happened to the new history of our church, the work is still in progress.  Some day you’ll have it in your hands.

Submitted by Shirley

Diocese of Huron Sesquicentennial Celebration Tickets
FREE Tickets are now available for the Diocese of Huron 150th Anniversary Celebrations at the John Labatt Centre on Sunday October 28th at 2:00 p.m.
 
The Tickets are available from Ron and those who have signed the Sesquicentennial sign up sheets can obtain your free tickets on Sunday October 7th following both the 8:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. services.
 
For anyone who has not signed up but would like to attend we have some extra tickets.
 
Two buses have been reserved for transportation from St. Anne's to the JLC. The cost is $5.00 per person and we are now accepting payment for the transportation. Payment can be made to Ron at any time prior to October 28th.  If you are unable to see Ron on October 7th , he will be available following the 8:30 a.m. service most Sundays.
 
Don't miss this important service of rejoicing together in Christ and celebrating of our Diocese's history.