A BRIEF PARISH HISTORY  (Highlights)

 

1860-     Anglican Sunday School begins at Dampier family home on Adelaide Street

1866-     Sunday afternoon services begin for adults
1870-     Congregation purchases another church's building, naming it St. George's
               
1871-     Benjamin Cronyn dies (1st Bishop of Huron,1857-1871)
1873-     The Memorial Church replaces St. George's,
              consecrated by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth (2nd Bishop of Huron, 1871-1884)
1877-     Transepts and gallery added to the church
1879-     Daughter parish of St. Matthew's established on
              Dundas Street East (now part of East London Anglican
              Ministries)
  
1887-     Daughter parish of All Saints begun on Hamilton
              Road
1917-     The Rev. Canon G. Quintin Warner, parish's
                longest serving rector, begins his ministry (to 1945)
  
1922-     Colours of 70th Battalion CEF deposited at the
              church
  
1925-     Warner Hall opened
  
1929-     Casavant organ installed (memorial to the soldiers of WWI)
              
1932-     King's and Regimental Colours of the Royal
              Canadian Regiment (RCR) deposited at the church
  
1933-     Memorial stained glass windows installed for church's 60th anniversary
               
1938-     New bell installed in church tower in memory of
              Major Hume Blake Cronyn, grandson of Bishop Cronyn
1947-     Book of Remembrance unveiled, recording the
              service and sacrifice of the veterans of the parish and those who died
              
1948-     Hexagon lanterns installed - New dormer windows installed
               
1949-     Present East Window installed, dedicated in
              memory of Richard Hume Cronyn, son of Major Cronyn,
              and Peter Hume Cronyn, Richard's son
              - Colonel Francis B. Ware's book "History of
              Cronyn Memorial Church, 1873-1949" published
1955-     Parish officially adopts name Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church
               
1957-     Brownlee Memorial Chapel built to commemorate diocesan centennial
               
1966 -     Sanctuary renovated, altar made free standing in the chancel.

1968-     Cronyn Child Care Centre established
  
1970's    Cronyn becomes a leader in liturgical reform

1973-     Parish centennial celebrations
  
1976-     Verschoyle Phillip Cronyn (brother of RH Cronyn, above), publishes his autobiography "Other Days"
               
1982-     RCR's leave London, ending the parish's long history as a garrison church
               
1986-     Warner Place senior's residence completed
  
1998-     125th anniversary celebrations
  
2003-     Actor Hume Cronyn's last visit to our parish before his death
2005-     Parish co-hosts Hume Cronyn Memorial Film Festival,
             celebrating City of London's 150th anniversary                                                       

2005-    New Bell ringing mechanism installed and used for first time on Christmas Eve

2006-     Parish names archives in honour of William W. Judd, who retires after over 30 years of service as
             our founding archivist

2007-     Major liturgical renovation of the chancel and nave creates a free standing nave altar, restores the chancel to it's original form
             and makes the worship space fully accessible.

            The parish establishes in co-operation with Huron University College The Huron Cronyn Lecture on Faith and Reason.
             First Lecture given by John Dominic Crossan

2008-    The parish establishes Cronyn Centre Space - a program for the performing arts and launches Sunday Apres Midi at it's
            inaugural concert season.

            Giles Fraser delivers the second Huron Cronyn Lecture.

            The First Academic Evensong to mark the beginning of the academic year.

2009-   Monthly Choral Evensong begins in co-operation with the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

            Marriage Preparation course is established in co-operation with the Deanery of Brough

            Michael Ingham delivers the third Huron Cronyn Lecture

2010-   CentreSpace becomes an independant program with its primary purpose of raising funds for the ministry

             Jenny Plane Te Paa delivers the fourth Huron Cronyn Lecture