HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-06-01, Page 21This is Victoria Street United Church with its tall steeple still intact. Ths
steeple does not exist today. It was difficult to keep clean and was struck
with lightning several times, so it was removed. Although the exact date of
its re oval is not known, it is believed to have been sometime during the
pastorate of the Reverend Arthur J. McKaye (1941 to 1944). Victoria Street
United Church is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its church building
this ylar. (Photo compliments of Mrs. Chester Feagan)
This is a side view of Victoria Street United Church' in Goderich
as' it stands today (minus its steeple). There have been many
changes in the church since thedtaying of its cornerstone in 1878.
The architect of the church was W. H. Mallory of Chatham. The
contractor was J. B. Crane and the contract price with extras
There has always been a Sunday School in connection with
Victoria Street United Church which observes its 100th building
anniversary this year. Pictured here is one of the earlier classes. •
Back row, left to right, are Mrs. Thomas (Amy Wark)Salkeld,
Mrs. Jim (Ida Smith) Videan and Mrs. M. (Stella Clark)
Crawford. In the front row, left to right, is an unidentified girl
(can anyone identify her?), teacher Mrs. Straughan and Irene
Thurlow. The exact date of the picture is not known. (Photo
compliments of Mrs. Chester Feagan)
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Mrs. Chester (Lizzie) Feagan of Goderich could almost be considered
Victoria Street United Church's historian. She has, in her possession, many
photographs and scrapbooks containing clippings of various events which
have taken place at the church over the years. In 1967 she condensed the
church's history into a written report to be presented to the U.C.W. of which
she is a member. Her grandfather, William Swaffield, was one of the
church's earliest members. Here, she shows an old poster advertising a tea
meeting to beheld by the church in 1867, Her grandfather was chairman of
the committee. (Photo by Joanne Walters)
te
derich
131 YEAR -22
was $6,379.21. The total cost with inside furnishings was $8,237,50 -
a great burden of debt on the congregation at that time. Today
the church has about 300 members who will celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the church building and the 120th anniversary of
the congregation itself this year. (Photo by Joanne Walters)
Swaffield
memory
'lives on
William Swaffield was
connected with the
Methodist Episcopal
Church, nowknown as
the Victoria Street United
Church, since its
beginning in 1857. The
church lost this valued
member when he died at
the age of 89 in 1923. His
name crops up again and
again in the pages of the
church's history" and his
memory lives on. Many
of his descendents still
belong to the church.
(Photo compliments of
Mrs. Chester Feagan)
SIGNAL
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1978
STAR
SECOND SECTION
Victoria St. Church observes
100th anniversary of building
BY JOANNE WALTERS
Goderich is fortunate in
having many fine old
historical buildings which
add to the flava „a,.,and
character of the town as
any citizen here knows.
shot least among these
historical buildings are
many of the town's
churches which record
'colorful pasts and
dedicated congregations.
This year, the
congregation of Victoria
Street United Church in
Goderich is observing the
100thanniversary of their
church building as well
as the 120th anniversary
of the congregation itself.
During the ten decades
which have passed since
the cornerstone of the
present edifice was
placed into position,
many pages of history
have been recorded in
Canada's national and
religious life. Two very
important landmarks
stand out in the history of
the Christian Churches of
the Dominion since the
days of Confederation.
One was the
crystallization of the
varied branches of
'Methodism in 1884 and
the other was the merger
of the Methodist,
Presbyterian and
Congregational Churches
on June 15, 1925. Vic-
toria's congregation has
marched in the vanguard
of both these movements
and after being erected
as a place of worship for a
Methodist Episcopal (M.
E. congregation it later
merged, its identity in the
Methodist Church of
Canada. It is now a
member of that wider
fellowship, the United
Church of Canada.
CHURCH HISTORIAN
Mrs.• Chester (Lizzie)
Feagan of Goderich could
almost be considered the
present day
'congregation's historian. •
She is extremely in-
terested in -the church
and has, in her
possession, many pic-
tures and scrapbooks
with clippings of various
events which have taken
place at Victoria Street
church over the years.
Mrs. Feagan's gran/
dfather, "William Swaf'-
field, was connected with
the Methodist Episcopal
Church (later known as
Victoria Street United) in
Goderich right from its
beginning and many of
his descendents, like Mrs.
Feagan, still attend the
church faithfully.
William Swaffield was
born in 1834 and came to
Goderich in 1856. Hend
his , family lied
sometimes in town and
sometimes on a farm
located on Black Point's
Road south of town.
William Swaffield was
a member of the church's
•official board for 53
years, recording steward
for 25 years and choir
leader in the old church
and for a number of years
in the new church too.
Victoria Street Church
lost this valued member
when he died in 1923 at
the age of 89. But his
name crops up again and
again in the pages 6f the
church's history and his
memory lives on.
During Centennial
year, 1967, the United
Church Women of Vic-
toria Street Church, were
studying The Growth of
the Church in Canada and
Mrs. Feagan, a member
of Victoria Street's
U.C.W. condensed a
written history of the
church at that time in
keeping with the theme.
Much of the following
inform'ation on the
church's history must be
credited to her report.
According to
Sutherland's Gazateer,
County of Huron, 1869-70,
the M.E. Church, now
known as Victoria Street
congre.gation in the
United Church of Canada,
was built in 1857 on what
was known as "The
Commons" (on Picton
Street east of Highway 8).
It was a frame building of
about 30 feet by 40 feet
which seated 200 people
and cost $1,300 to erect.
The minister was the
Reverend William
Graham assisted by the
Reverend E. A. Ter-
williger and their com-
bined salaries were $300.
There were ten ap-
pointments, composed of
classes with class leaders
and these classes were
apportioned, in keeping
with their strength, the
financial commitments of
the whole. The classes
were mostly held in
school houses in Colborne
Township, Goderich and
Goderich Township,
including the Union
School house on Bayfield °
Road. -
In those days,
donations to the Church
were often in produce, as
in depression days when
the minister's family at
Benmiller for instance,
kept account of every
vegetable or other stich
contribution and credited
same towards salary,
says Mrs. Feagan in her
report.
LOT PURCHASED
During the pastorate of
the Reverend Jas A.
Livingsone (1867-1868),
the lot on the corner of
Victoria and St. David
Streets where the present
church building stands,
was purchased 'for $400
from the Canada Com-
pany. The deed was made
out to Mark Whitely,
Benson S. Bennett,
William Papst, Robert
Black and Richard Young
who were trustees at the
time,
According to some of
Grandpa Swaffield's
notes, says Mrs. Feagan,
the old church was moved
from The Commons in'the
summer of 1868 for he
says, "Livingstone
The cornerstone of Victoria Street United
Church was laid on July 18, 1878 by this man, the
Reverend Albert Carman, D.D., then bishop of
° the Method Episcopal Church in Canada. On
November 24 of that year the basement was
opened for service and on December 22 the
Church was dedicated. (Photo compliments of
Mrs. Chester Feagan)
started it a few feet and
Brown had to get it
down," Brown referring
to the Reverend Joseph
Brown, minister of the
Church in 1869.
In the year 1877 the
Reverend Owen G.-
Collomore was sent as
Pastor and through his
untiring efforts the
present church was built.
At that time, to build a
church of the type and
cost planned for Victoria
Street, was regarded as
an exceptional un-
dertaking.
In December of 1877 a
committee was appointed
for the building of the
church. The members of
this building committee
were William Papst,
William Swaffield, Jas.
Martin, Jacob Young,
James Millian and a Mr.
Parks.
The church property
was valued at $1,000. The'
old church which stood on
the site was moved over
nearer where the par-
sonage now stands and
later sold to Robert
Thompson for $25. The
cost of later moving it to
the c er of Victoria
Street a� d Elgin Avenue
was $8. At the time
Robert Thompson had a
Blacksmith Shop on this
corner where the Texaco
garage is located today.
•
CORNERSTONE LAID
The present"day church
was erected during the
summer and autumn of
1878 and on July 18, 1878,
Bishop Albert Carman,
D.D. then Bishop of the
Methodist Episcopal
Church in Canada, laid
the cornerstone. On
November 24, the
basement was opened for
service and on December
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