St George's Church, Edgbaston

St George's Church, Edgbaston
St George's Church, Edgbaston
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Liberal Catholic
Website	www.stgeorgesedgbaston.org.uk
History
Dedication	St. George
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	Birmingham
Parish	Edgbaston
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Fr. Sam Gibson
Curate(s)	Fr. George Reeves
Laity
Organist/Director of music	Phil Ypres-Smith

52°28′05″N 01°55′21″W / 52.46806°N 1.92250°W / 52.46806; -1.92250

St George's Church, Edgbaston, is a parish church in the Church of England in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

History

It was built in 1836–38 as a chapel-of-ease to St Bartholomew's Church, Edgbaston.

The original building consisted of a nave and two aisles, with galleries. The architect was Joseph John Scoles.^[1]

In 1856 the church was enlarged with the addition of a chancel, to a design by the architect Charles Edge.

The building was transformed in 1884-5 by the addition of the existing spacious and lofty nave, chancel and south aisle by the leading Birmingham architect J. A. Chatwin. The old nave became the north aisle, and the old chancel the Lady Chapel.

On 21 January 1970, it was made a Grade II listed building.^[2]

Fittings

The interior has fine woodwork by Bridgeman of Lichfield to the design of J. A. Chatwin or P. B. Chatwin. This includes

Clergy and choir stalls and parclose screen (1885)
Organ case (1890)
Reredos (1903)
Lady Chapel screen (1906);

Stained glass

There is late Victorian stained glass: by Burlison and Grylls, Heaton, Butler and Bayne, Hardman & Co. of Birmingham and most particularly a Jesse tree in the Lady Chapel by Charles Eamer Kempe.

List of vicars

Isaac Spooner 1837–1848
Edward Lillingston 1848–1864
George Lea 1864–1883
Charles Mansfield Owen 1883–1903?
Arthur William Thomson Perowne 1904-1913
Edgar Basil Turbeville Farncombe
William James Hughes 1951–1953

George Browning MC

Arthur Lewis Burrell
Donald John Walter Bradley 1971-1984
Robert William Grimley 1984–1997
Simon Thorburn 1997–2009
Julian Francis 2011-2019
Samuel Gibson 2020-

Organ

The organ was built by Brindley & Foster in 1890^[3] and is now defunct. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

List of organists

Mr. Evans ???? - 1864 - 1865 - ???? (later organist of St Mary's Church, Selly Oak
Charles John Blood Meacham 1888 – 1930^[4]^[5] (formerly organist of St. Philips' Church, Birmingham)
Leonard Norman Gibbons (formerly organist of St. Mary's Church, Selly Oak and deputy organist at St. Philip's Cathedral) 1930-1948
David Bruce-Payne 1978 – 2003 (formerly organist of St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham)
Philip Ypres Smith 2003 – present

References

^ The Buildings of England, Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner
^ Historic England. "Anglican Church of St George (1211414)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
^ "St George's Church, Edgbaston. Dedication of the New Organ". Birmingham Daily Post. British Newspaper Archive. 14 July 1890. Retrieved 27 August 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1912) Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Bournemouth: Logan
^ Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1921) Dictionary of Organs and Organists; 2nd ed. London: G. A. Mate

External links

Official website
Media related to St George's Church, Edgbaston at Wikimedia Commons

[1] The Buildings of England, Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner

[2] Historic England. "Anglican Church of St George (1211414)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 June 2022.

[3] "St George's Church, Edgbaston. Dedication of the New Organ". Birmingham Daily Post. British Newspaper Archive. 14 July 1890. Retrieved 27 August 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[4] Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1912) Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Bournemouth: Logan

[5] Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1921) Dictionary of Organs and Organists; 2nd ed. London: G. A. Mate

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