Chronology of Incumbents of Holy Trinity, Broadstairs

As a native of Broadstairs, born and baptized at St. Peter's, I first attended worship at St. Andrew's and then St. Peter's and finally Holy Trinity. During this period I have recorded in written form their history from foundation dates, i.e. 1910, 1070, and 1830.

In the case of Holy Trinity, I can claim authorship of the first work to contain anything approaching a history of the Church. This was in 1971, with the said account being updated in a more detailed form in the January 1986 issue of the local history journal 'Bygone Kent'. Yet the scope of those histories was not large enough to include a most vital ingredient - a chronology of incumbents from foundation. Thus, it is hoped that the following will help eradicate what must surely be a glaring omission from the history of any parish church.

According to research, the following list may now be deemed a true chronology of incumbents from the date of consecration on April 15th, 1830. At this time, the building bore the title "Bradstow Chapel of Ease" and was erected to take up the overflow of the congregation of St. Peter's. Later, Charles Dickens, one of the Chapel's more famous attendants, in his usual run of lively chaff, described it as 'A hideous temple of flint, like a petrified haystack.' Even so, worship in Broadstairs had come a long way from the days when (weather permitting) the Sunday spiritual needs of the Bradstonians were catered for by open-air services held on the lofty jutting piece of cliff known as 'Preachers Knoll'. It would seem that in 1856, the Church increased in status by becoming a new parish and finally, in 1865, a rectory endowed at £62 annually. At first, curates were supplied by the Mother Church of St. Peter's. From 1830-1835, the first Minister was the Rev. Charles Greenall Davies, MA. The patronage of the living was the property of the Rector of St. Peter's in Thanet. If the living was vacant, it reverted to the crown.

During the period in question, that is to say the years following the incumbency of Charles Greenall Davies, 1830-1835, there were a large number of curates attached to St. Peter's - it would, therefore, be almost impossible to define which of them was attached to the Chapel. Often the position would be filled by a clergyman who was between posts and doing temporary duty until he found a permanent one. Certainly, after the Rev. C. G. Davies, the registers do not show a particular curate attached to the Chapel on a permanent basis. After 1835, when the Rev. John Hodgson, MA. came to St. Peter's, no separate register was kept as Hodgson considered himself the minister of the Chapel and that both Chapel and Church were of the one parish, thus did not need a separate register. Therefore, it was Hodgson from 1835-1850 and his successor Rev. Christian Frederick Newell, MA. 1850-1856 who supplied curates. It should be pointed out that Newell was the first true Rector of Holy Trinity as it was during his period of service the district became a new parish. Thus, including the period of Davies and that of John Hodgson, when the Chapel was run by whoever was available from the pool, a list of incumbents must look much as follows:

Rev. Charles Greenall Davies, MA 1830-1835.

Rectors of Chapel at Ease (supplying curates) 1835-1850.

Rev. John Hodgson, MA. Vicar of St. Peter's. 1835-1850.

Rev. Christian Frederick Newell, MA. 1850-1866 (Made new parish 1856).

Rev. James Haslewood Carr, MA. 1866-1881.

Rev. Richard Andrew Fausett, BA. 1881-1896.

Rev. Francis Thomas Mills, MA. 1896-1909.

Rev. Lewis Lanning Edwards, MA. 1909-1934.

Canon Charles Henry Bailey, MA. MC. 1935-1952.

Rev. Basil Herbert Gibbs, MA. 1952-1965.

Rev. David Allan Pope, 1965-1973.

Rev. Eric James Powe, BA. BD. 1973-

The research for this information was taken from works of local history, Parish records, and Canterbury Cathedral Archives. The intention of this collation is to place a list of Rectors to date in a position of prominence - perhaps in the porch as is often seen in most parish churches. This will prove of great interest and value to visitors, researchers, and parishioners - and of course, fill the gap in the history of the church that has long been absent.

Finally, may I conclude this article by acknowledging the kind assistance of the research Archivist of Canterbury Archives, Miss A. M. Oakley, and fellow Broadstairs historian David Oliver.

Bill Lapthome.