Christ Church – a brief history

Rosalyn Young

In January 1935, 8 people, bringing their own chairs, met for worship in the upper room over the garage behind Staines Motors on the Kingston Road. Staines, at this time, was growing, with a lot of new developments at this end of the Kingston Road, including the houses along and off Worple Road.

By September 1935, the Diocese of London agreed to establish a mission district in the area, and the combined church and hall was built and dedicated. The Revd. E J Urquhart was the priest.

Numbers grew quickly and many clubs and societies were begun.

In 1938, the Revd. W J Penney arrived and the church community and its activities continued to grow. The war years took their toll of the community. The church hall was an ARP warden post.

It was always planned to build a separate church, but the war and then the post war credit squeeze kept the project on hold.

1951 saw the creation of the Parish of Christ Church and Revd. W J Penny became the first vicar of the newly created parish. Later in 1951, the Revd. S B Nikon Cooper arrived and it was he who oversaw the building of the current church, which was consecrated by the Bishop of London on 27th October 1962.

The Revd. L O Lindo was appointed as vicar in 1966 and he remained at Christ Church until his retirement in February 2004.

The Diocese then decided to create a new parish of Staines joining Christ Church with St Mary's and St Peter's. The Revd R J Cosh became priest in charge and the Revd. D Maher held the dual post of Associate Vicar at Christ Church and Chaplain to the Bishop of Kensington.

The new parish was formally created in January 2005, the Revd R J Cosh becoming vicar.

In July 2007 the Revd. Rachma Bush was welcomed as the second Associate Vicar.