BELLS & BELLRINGING
1831) The first bell was installed in the tower soon after the church was consecrated. It was cast at Oxford by W. & J. Taylor. Its diameter was 39 inches and its strike note was G++. Its approximate weight would be 10cwt.
1847) This first bell was replaced by a ring of eight bells in an oak frame from the same foundry and was sold to the new parish of St. James’s, Wednesbury.
1892) A restoration was carried out by the Whitechapel Foundry because the tenor was cracked and the treble also damaged.
1936) The whole installation was removed and the bells recast at J. Taylor & Co.’s foundry at Loughborough and rehung in a cast iron frame with all the bells on one level. The weight of the present tenor is 11cwt. 2qr. 5lb. The ring is considered by many people to be one of the best light rings of eight bells in the area.
Practice night is on Tuesday from 7.30 - 9.00 p.m. Visitors to practice night are always welcome.
Service ringing is every Sunday morning from 9.30 - 10.00 a.m. and 2nd, 4th and 5th Sunday evening from 6.00 - 6.30 p.m.
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ACTIVITIES
Sunday School
This is held on Saturday mornings in church from 10.00 a.m. - 11.00 a.m.
Parish Surgery
For information about baptisms and weddings, a parish surgery is held twice monthly, usually on the first and third Tuesday,
from 7.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m. in the church.
Choir
Choir practice is on Thursday evening at 7.30 p.m. in the church.
The organist and choirmaster is Sam Bridgen.
Mothers’ Union
The Mothers’ Union usually meets on the second Thursday of the month at 2.00 p.m. for a service in the Lady Chapel, preceded by lunch in the Vestry.
Brownies
The Brownie pack meets on Tuesday at 5.30 p.m. in the Mary Dermott Hall in Gough Road.
Guides
The 1st Coseley Guides meet on Tuesday evening at 7.15 p.m.
in the Mary Dermott Hall.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
Until Christ Church was consecrated on 27th August 1830 there had been no Anglican church in Coseley. All Saints’ Church, in the ancient manor of Sedgley, was the parish church. There were, however many nonconformist places of worship, the oldest being The Old Meeting House. The architect of Christ Church was Thomas Lee Jnr. of Barnstaple who was responsible for fine buildings such as Arlington Court in Devon. In 1833 a Sunday School was opened, to be followed by a day school in February 1834. Many improvements to the church have been carried out over the years, including the installation of gas lighting around 1860 to replace candles. The person responsible for most improvements was the wealthy Reverend William Spencer, whose family owned a large steelworks in Newburn, Northumberland. He was vicar from 1883-1912 and during that time spent a considerable amount of his own money on the church. It is thanks to him that the church has a much admired chancel screen, given in memory of his parents, and a very beautiful Lady Chapel.
When St. Chad’s at West Coseley was built in 1882-83 an opportunity was created to found three mission churches dependent upon Christ Church. These were St. Aidan’s at Daisy Bank, St. Oswald’s at Ladymoor and St. Cuthbert’s at Wallbrook. Of these only St. Cuthbert’s is still flourishing, with a small but immensely loyal congregation.
Among the many memorials in the church is one to a valiant son of Coseley, Private Thomas Barratt, of the South Staffordshire Regiment, who was awarded the Victoria Cross in the 1914-18 war. A photograph of the memorial and more about Thomas Barratt can be found on Ian Beach's excellent site 'The Ancient Manor of Sedgley' at http://members.iinet.net.au/~inphase/sedgley/
There is a pamphlet available in the church for anyone wishing to learn more about its history.
There is also an exhibition in the church, with a display on the 19th century vicars of Christ Church and other historical memorabilia.
ST. CUTHBERT'S MISSION
Sadly, since writing the above, St. Cuthbert's has had to close due to a dwindling congregation. A farewell Eucharist was held on 4th July 2004 and was well attended. St. Cuthbert's has served its loyal congregation for 108 years and several generations of many families have worshipped there. Many will remember when it was known as the Church Army, under the leadership of Captain Budden and will remember his wife teaching at Christ Church Infants' School. The congregation of Christ Church is looking forward to welcoming the people of St. Cuthbert's.
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MINISTRY TEAM
Rev Heather H. Humphrey (Vicar)
The Vicarage
Church Road
Coseley
Tel: 01902 353551
(September 2006) Rev Steve Axtell and his wife, Pippa, have left Christ Church for Steve to take up an appointment in Rotterdam. We wish them every blessing at this new phase and challenge in their lives.
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