St Paul's Church, Whitley Bay

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St Paul's Church, Whitley Bay

St Paul's Church in Whitley Bay Town Centre
Dedication Saint Paul
Denomination Church of England
Administration
Diocese Newcastle
Province Province of York
Clergy
Vicar Father Gavin Gilchrist
Curate Father Derek Carberry
Other
Organist/Director of Music Dr Terry Mason
Organist June Gibbon
Organist Nick Graham
Flower Guild Joyce Marsh
Music Group Ann Laing & Celia Temple
Server's Guild Arthur Thomas

St Paul's Church is the parish church of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, United Kingdom. The church was founded in 1864. Strictly speaking, the church's official title is 'St Paul's Church, Cullercoats', however because it is in the town of Whitley Bay it is more commonly known as the latter.

Contents

[edit] Management

Father Gavin Gilchrist of Kingston upon Hull is the resident priest, Father Derek Carberry of Dunfermline is the curate. Ann Laing and Martin Bass are the Churchwardens. There is also a church council, a newsletter and parish magazine. A Summer fair is held annually as is the St Nicholas fair and festival. The Sunday Club meets every Sunday morning. It is run by Ms Ceri Finn and Ms Sarah Teoh.

[edit] Music at St Paul's

The music at St Paul's is quite phenomenal, judging that the 15-strong choir is unpaid and almost all of the musicians play for pleasure. The master of music is Dr Terry Mason. Terry is also the organist at the church. The senior deputy organist is June Gibbon. The junior deputy organist is Nick Graham. The choir conductor is Celia Temple who also plays guitar in the church music group along with Ann Laing who plays keyboard instruments, and occasionally several students; Sarah Collin (flute), Andrew Graham (violin) and Joy Laughlin (flute).

A former organist, John Percival Forster, was killed in the Battle of the Somme on July 1 1916. He was aged 28 at the time. He was organist at St Paul's for 6 years between 1912 and 1916 and there is a commerative plaque to the right of the altar.

[edit] St Nicholas Festival

The church is well known in the region as the starting point of the annual St Nicholas Festival in December. It was started by the then Vicar, Reverend Norman Aidan Banks.

[edit] Vicars of St Paul's

Canon R.F Wheeler 1861 - 1885

Reverend E. Smith 1885 - 1916

Reverend F.L Cattell 1916 - 1924

Reverend F.J Burt 1924 - 1928

Reverend F.M Dowland 1928 - 1933

Reverend J.E Jenkins 1933 - 1941

Reverend F.R Hedley 1941 - 1955

Reverend R.H.C Henwood 1955 - 1963

Reverend J.H Chicken 1963 - 1972

Reverend R.O Stroud 1972 - 1977

Reverend P.V Rendell 1977 - 1989

Reverend N.A Banks 1990 - 2002

Reverend G. Gilchrist 2002 - present