Background
When Cardiff started expanding to the west in the 1930's the Vicar of Llandaff, Canon D Arkill-Jones, began exploring the possibilities of opening a mission church in Fairwater
Sunday School was started in the Norbury Institute under the Rev. Lloyd Davies. Later Mr Cartwright (after whom Cartwright Lane is named) gave a plot of land for a church. Alderman Frewer added to this land and paid for the conveyancing. The Earl of Plymouth laid the foundation stone on 3rd October 1936 and it was dedicated by Bishop Timothy Rees.
The completed Church was dedicated on 30th January 1937; Mr Harry Jones & Mr George Rolfs became the first Church wardens in Easter of that year and Rev H G Hurlow became curate of Llandaff with special oversight for Fairwater. Rev Hurlow retained this position until 1948 when Rev W D Davies became curate-in-charge.
Rev & Mrs Davies lived in Llandaff Vicarage until the Parsonage was ready in 1951. 1951 also saw the installation of the choir pew fronts and the opening of the Church hall by the Most Reverend J Morgan, Archbishop of Wales.
At the suggestion of the Bishop (Right Reverend G H Simon) plans were drawn up to extend the Church and services were held in the Church hall while work was undertaken. The extended Church was consecrated on 28th October 1961.
The new clergy and choir stalls and the cover for the font were dedicated on 28th October 1964 and are the work of R Thompson,the Mouse man as he was known, woodcarver, and bear his trademark : the mouse. Can you find our mouse?
Sunday School was started in the Norbury Institute under the Rev. Lloyd Davies. Later Mr Cartwright (after whom Cartwright Lane is named) gave a plot of land for a church. Alderman Frewer added to this land and paid for the conveyancing. The Earl of Plymouth laid the foundation stone on 3rd October 1936 and it was dedicated by Bishop Timothy Rees.
The completed Church was dedicated on 30th January 1937; Mr Harry Jones & Mr George Rolfs became the first Church wardens in Easter of that year and Rev H G Hurlow became curate of Llandaff with special oversight for Fairwater. Rev Hurlow retained this position until 1948 when Rev W D Davies became curate-in-charge.
Rev & Mrs Davies lived in Llandaff Vicarage until the Parsonage was ready in 1951. 1951 also saw the installation of the choir pew fronts and the opening of the Church hall by the Most Reverend J Morgan, Archbishop of Wales.
At the suggestion of the Bishop (Right Reverend G H Simon) plans were drawn up to extend the Church and services were held in the Church hall while work was undertaken. The extended Church was consecrated on 28th October 1961.
The new clergy and choir stalls and the cover for the font were dedicated on 28th October 1964 and are the work of R Thompson,the Mouse man as he was known, woodcarver, and bear his trademark : the mouse. Can you find our mouse?
A More Personal History
In 1934 the Wakely family moved to Everswell Road Fairwater, as there wasn’t a church we went to St. David’s Ely and Sunday School was held in the Old Institute, Norbury Road under Rev.Lloyd Davies. When Fairwater started to expand the Vicar of Llandaff, Canon D. Akrill-Jones began exploring the possibilities of opening a Mission Church in Fairwater.
Mr. Cartwright, after whom Cartwright Lane is named, gave a plot of land and Alderman Frewer added to this land and paid for the conveyancing. The Earl of Plymouth laid the stone on October 3rd 1936 and Bishop Timothy Rees dedicated it. On January 30th 1937 the church was dedicated and the Reverend H.C. Hunlow became curate of Llandaff with special oversight of Fairwater, a position he held until 1948. The Reverend W. D Davies was appointed as curate in charge and in 1951 Rev and Mrs. Davies moved into the vicarage. In the same year the Archbishop of Wales, John Morgan opened St. Peter’s Hall (a temporary building!) and the choir pew fronts were installed in the church. The church was then licensed for baptisms, marriages and funerals. Before the church hall was built we could draw large wooden doors across the altar and use the church as a hall. We held dances; whist drives, beetle drives and both my sisters had their wedding receptions here. There was a door behind the organ that led to a kitchen which became the boiler room and is the new flower room. The robing room was where the baptistery is now and the choir and clergy would process down the aisle to the altar.
In 1958 the first alterations took place, the church was extended and was reconsecrated by the Archbishop. The pulpit was given by Mr. R.J. Brind and family and the font by Mr.and Mrs. W.H. Morris Jones, and new clergy and choir stalls were dedicated on October 28th.1964.
On the 30th January1967 Reverend W.D.Davies was inducted as the first Vicar of the parish of Fairwater. He was succeeded by Reverend M.M.Davies in1969 whom Father Nigel Cahill succeeded on his retirement in 1996. You will all be familiar with the recent improvement, which I am sure we all enjoy.
Melba Giles
Mr. Cartwright, after whom Cartwright Lane is named, gave a plot of land and Alderman Frewer added to this land and paid for the conveyancing. The Earl of Plymouth laid the stone on October 3rd 1936 and Bishop Timothy Rees dedicated it. On January 30th 1937 the church was dedicated and the Reverend H.C. Hunlow became curate of Llandaff with special oversight of Fairwater, a position he held until 1948. The Reverend W. D Davies was appointed as curate in charge and in 1951 Rev and Mrs. Davies moved into the vicarage. In the same year the Archbishop of Wales, John Morgan opened St. Peter’s Hall (a temporary building!) and the choir pew fronts were installed in the church. The church was then licensed for baptisms, marriages and funerals. Before the church hall was built we could draw large wooden doors across the altar and use the church as a hall. We held dances; whist drives, beetle drives and both my sisters had their wedding receptions here. There was a door behind the organ that led to a kitchen which became the boiler room and is the new flower room. The robing room was where the baptistery is now and the choir and clergy would process down the aisle to the altar.
In 1958 the first alterations took place, the church was extended and was reconsecrated by the Archbishop. The pulpit was given by Mr. R.J. Brind and family and the font by Mr.and Mrs. W.H. Morris Jones, and new clergy and choir stalls were dedicated on October 28th.1964.
On the 30th January1967 Reverend W.D.Davies was inducted as the first Vicar of the parish of Fairwater. He was succeeded by Reverend M.M.Davies in1969 whom Father Nigel Cahill succeeded on his retirement in 1996. You will all be familiar with the recent improvement, which I am sure we all enjoy.
Melba Giles
For a history of Fairwater (incorporating Pentrebane), see the Cardiffians webpages.
