VE Day 75th Anniversary

VE Day 75th Anniversary

Friday 8 May marks the 75^thanniversary of VE Day and we had planned to host a deanery service at St Jude’s this Sunday afternoon. The Corona pandemic of course makes that impossible.

Victory in Europe is only briefly mentioned in the St Jude’s Gazette for 1945.  The parish magazine, which had once been a substantial weekly, had by then been reduced to a slender monthly.  It seems that wartime censorship extended even into such local publications, and very little is said about the war other than brief reports of lost or missing parishioners serving with the forces.  The invasion of Europe following D Day in June 1944 receives no direct mention until September when it is announced that “the King has bidden his people to join in corporate prayer for the welfare of the Allied Nations and ultimate victory . . . [as] the great news of our victories sweeps in . . . “.

That same month a new book by the Vicar, the Rev W. H. Maxwell Rennie, and Mr L. D. Gibbin, “a valued member of the St Jude’s congregation”, entitled Our Men Returning is announced (Evans Brothers 1/6).  “Detailed suggestions are given for contacting men and women returning from the Forces and from Industry, and for using their individual talents in the service of the Church.” The cover (“in two colours”) evidently carried a picture of Fr Rennie (we have no copy in our archive),as the reviewer (in the same edition of the Gazette) described it as “a mistake; it should have been a symbolical, or at least impersonal design. The incumbent, say, of Nether Wallop, to take a basic example, will think of his own flock returning and not of them being welcomed by the Vicar of St Jude’s”.

Some things could not be censored.  The summer of 1944 saw the beginning of the ‘doodle bug’ (V1 flying bomb) attacks. These put an abrupt end to the recently reinvigorated children’s activities inaugurated by a new curate, Father John Knight, who had arrived only that June. ‘Doodling’ had caused not inconsiderable damage on the Suburb, and the church had served as a refuge for local residents and for furniture from their bombed-out houses. “Censorship will not allow us to say more [but] the St John’s Chapel is a very safe sleeping space . . .”.  We read also (in July) “that by the time this appears in print our scientists, one of whom is well known to St Jude’s, who deal with Nazi machinations, will have gone a long way to solving the problem of the ‘Buzz-Bomb’”.

 In September 1944 the St Jude’s Director of Music, Charles Proctor, under the heading ‘Wohin? (Wither?) The purpose of music is to teach (Wagner), offered a lengthy essay, a “psychological study of German obsessions’, in which he suggested “the age in which we live can best be explained as a projection of the myth-laden mind of the rulers of Germany. If one considers for a moment the condition of Germany under Nazi rule, as but a projection of the [Wagnerian version of the] Nibelungen Saga upon its generation, one can perhaps attune oneself to the inconsistencies of the regime and even perhaps foretell its doom. . . What is the end of the story? ‘Gotterdammerung’. The Twilight of the Gods . . . Had the leaders of Germany learnedfrom their great dramatic poet, Wagner, instead of glorifying him, they might have hesitated before setting out to emulate these primary legendary figures, without first considering the end of the story”.

In a more mundane note in November, thanks are offered to “those who responded to our request for knitted garments for Liberated Europe”.

Early 1945 editions of the Gazette make little mention of the war.  In April a short series of Sunday evening addresses by distinguished speakers is announced. These include Sir Stafford Cripps, the Minister of Aircraft Production, and C. S. Lewis. 

Victory in Europe is finally announced in the Gazette of June 1945.  A Thanksgiving Mass had been held on VE Day itself when the choir and orchestra had performed Schubert’s Mass in B Flat and the church was filled from end to end. 

The vicar announced that he was under doctor’s orders to take a month’s rest. “One of the more tiring elements in my daily duties – the constant cycling uphill back to the Vicarage, for I could not have managed my job walking about the parish – will in future be abolished through the kindness of a parishioner who has presented me with a New-Hudson Autocycle.” 

 In July we learn that the altar ornaments (gold and rock crystal crucifix and candlesticks by Lutyens) and the stained-glass window (by Robert Anning Bell) from the St John’s (Harmsworth Memorial) Chapel have been stored “somewhere in England” and are about to be returned. 

There was a strong recognition that the ‘Japanese War’ had not yet ended and that the time for the resumption of normal duties and family reunions was ‘not yet’.

50 Years Ago

Half a century ago on 7 May 1961 we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the Consecration of the Church.. The president and preacher was the Rt Revd Gerald Ellison. Bishop of Chester and later Bishop of London. The Bishop dedicated a bust of the late Revd William Maxwell Rennie (Vicar of St Jude's 1936 - 1954) by his daughter Rosemary, wife of the Charles Proctor the organist. The bust is positioned to the right of the St George's altar beneath the memorial to her brother Michael Rennie who died after rescuing children from the evacuation ship City of Benares which had been sunk as a result of enemy action. The memorial was painted by the church artist Walter Starmer who was present in the congregation on what was probably his last visit to the church.

Mrs Rosemary Proctor with the Bishop and the Vicar

the Revd William Masters.

Click on pictures to enlarge

The Centenary: Friends and Guests

(Former chorister) Ken and Ursula Hunt

Church Warden Jennifer Radice

Gerdi McCrae and Barbara Young

Councillor John Marshall, Trust Chairman Angus Walker, Trust Manager Jane Blackburn, Mr Mark Rutter and Councillor Lisa Rutter Deputy Mayor of Barnet, (the Vicar), Mike Freer MP, the Bishop of London, Councillor Daniel Seal, Councillor Andrew Harper and Residents Association Chair Janet Elliott.

David Rennie and family at the bust of his Grandfather William Maxwell Rennie (Vicar 1936 -1954). David's parents, Peter and Valerie, were married at St Jude's in September 1952. David and Christa's eldest son Michael (seen here with the Bishop) is named after his great-uncle Michael Rennie.

Ed and Angela Zanders

Former organist Andrew McCrae with family and Nic Chalmers

Centenary mugs

All photographs by Cesar Rodriguez-Duran

Processions

Liturgical processions (such as we had for Candlemas) are a feature of our life at St Jude's - indeed the church almost seems to have been designed for them. These illustrations, however, are all from outdoor processions.

1. The Rt Revd Graham Leonard, then Bishop of Willesden, is escorted by Church Wardens Antony Rawlinson and Ernest Tietjen. Frank Parlett is MC. Is that the vicar, Robin Dunhill, acting as deacon on the bishop's right? Probably taken at the opening of the Church Rooms 6 May 1967.

The Bishop of London (Robert Stopford) preceded the Vicar Robin Dunhill (1963- 1973). The church warden on the left is Ernest Tietjen again. Colin Parlett, the server bringing up the procession, has probably been detailed to look after the bishop's mitre and crozier.

The Bishop of London (William Wand) preached at 10.00 High Mass on St Jude's Day (Sunday 28 October) 1945. The vicar, obscured by the sub-deacon, was William Maxwell Rennie (1936 - 1954). A churchwarden is hurrying to his position in front of the bishop.  A policeman stands guard. There were six other services that day - all taken by the curate the Rev'd John B Knight.

The High Altar

A painting of the high altar by Karel Verschaeren (1881-1928) in 1915 or early 1916 before the installation of the sanctuary gates and the murals of Walter Starmer, and before the organ was moved from the west end (1934).

The sanctuary lamp was given by the first vicar in February 1912 replacing the earlier lamp (consecrated by the Bishop of London in May 1911) which is now in the Lady Chapel. It is of silver-gilt and (he said) "was fashioned more than 350 years ago, and both in style and size . . . is admirably adapted for our Byzantine building". If this date is correct, it is the oldest item in the possession of the church.

The sanctuary chairs (together with a bishop's chair) were given in September 1912. The large brass candlesticks were given in March 1918 (probably by the same donor). These all remain to this day, unlike the hanging illuminated cross. This was originally in St Olave's, Hanbury Street and was brought to St Jude's in May 1913 after that church had been demolished.

The ambo - or "Lectern in keeping with the Byzantine character of the building" - was designed by H. A. Welch and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1914. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Winchester in April of that year in memory of the Rt Hon. Alfred Lyttelton.

This picture (from a postcard) shows the High altar and choir stalls in their original form. The altar is against the original flat east wall. Behind and above it is a fabric baldachino. The altar has a very high rear-table on which stands short candlesticks and a very high cross (not a crucifix) mounted on a twisted wood pillar (this is now the paschal candle holder). The choir stalls are of a simple design and are positioned further back into the space later occupied by the organ. There are no altar rails and the congregational chairs extend much further east.

Below, two paintings of the high altar in February 1960 by J. P. Offley who was sacristan at St Jude's for many years.

The credence table (to the right) was designed by Lutyens, and was an anonymous gift to the church. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Willesden on 30 May 1912 together with the choir stalls.

The stalls (shown in the first picture) (and later the repositioned organ) actually subvert the 'Byzantine' layout of the church by artificially creating a 'chancel' where there is none. In theory the congregational space comes right up to the sanctuary steps, but has now been pushed (too far) back beyond the 'crossing', presumably because of the pressure to make the church conform to Anglican expectations (see plan).

The brass sanctuary gates were unveiled in July 1916 by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, as a memorial to Mrs Cockroft (the probable donor of all the other items mentioned here). These were also designed by H. A. Welch.

'

The celebrant in this painting is presumably Father William Mansfield Masters (Vicar 1955-1962). He is assisted by a deacon and sub-deacon. The altar frontal and vestments are all still in use (and were indeed used on the day of posting, being All Saints' Sunday).

The high altar from the History of S. Jude-on-the-Hill (1923). Starmer's murals are complete in the Lady Chapel, but his paint brush has yet to reach the sanctuary. All items (and several more) present and correct. The large, brass alms-dish on the credence table was the gift of Mr A. S. Maynard of Montreal, and was dedicated in February 1912. Between 1916 and 1923 the long green curtains behind the altar have been removed, but not yet replaced with the shorter blue ones (themselves removed in about 1998). The altar still has a high back panel.

In recent weeks we have been using the high altar, rather than the new free standing altar. This is in order to accustom the servers (and the Vicar) to celebrating in the 'traditional' manner for the centenary of the consecration next year.

C. S. Lewis at St Jude's

C.S Lewis and his signature in the St Jude's Register for April 1945

An enquiry today from Professor Joel Heck of Concordia University in Texas about wartime talks given in St Jude's by C. S. Lewis, the author of the Narnia books and Christian classics like The Screwtape Letters.

Lewis's first visit was announced in the St Jude's Gazette September 1942 (for 27 September) as part of a series called 'The Voice of the Laity'. It is made clear there that these talks followed Evensong, so it is strictly speaking inaccurate to describe them (as some have done) as 'sermons' or to say the speakers 'preached'. Lay people were not (and, unless licensed, are not) permitted to preach in the Church of England. The talk was printed in full in the October edition under the title 'The Brilliant Exposition on "Miracles" given by "C. S. Lewis, M.A.' (It looks like a good hour's worth.)

His second visit was announced in the April 1945 edition (for April 15) and printed in the May edition as 'The Grand Miracle By C. S. Lewis'.

The 'Voice of the Laity' series was widely advertised, 'featured' (as we would say today) 'high-profile speakers', and attracted large audiences. Other speakers in the 1942 series included the Headmaster of Rugby and (rather oddly) the Archbishop of Canterbury. The American Ambassador had to cancel his appearance because of ill health. In 1945 the speaker the week before Lewis was the prominent wartime government minister Sir Stafford Cripps.