St. Columba's Church
Built in 1882 on a small plot of land bounded by Western Road, Warrior Square, Warrior Gardens and Terrace Road the church was originally just called the "St Leonards Presbyterian Church" or "Warrior Square Presbyterian Church" the dedication to St Columba doesn't appear until around the early 1920's. The building had a large lecture hall underneath the church, this being utilised during WW2 as an Air Raid Shelter, and was hemmed in on two sides by residential buildings and a Stables. The stables, called Alexandra Mews were accessed by a narrow passageway running down the side of the church. The church's first minister was the Rev J.J Johnstone[1].
In 1883, the church opened a Sunday School[2]. By 1890, the organist and choir-master of the church, Herbert H. Putland was advertising Piano and Singing lessons from what was presumably his home address at 8 York Buildings[3], and a debating society - the Presbyterian Church Literary and Debating Society appeared in 1894[4].
Sadly the building had a relatively short existence, just 60 years after it was built it was destroyed by a High Explosive bomb in October 1942[1].
Ministers
Images
References & Notes
- ↑ a b Leigh Kennedy
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 8 September 1883 Pg. 0002
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 5 April 1890 Pg. 0002
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 27 October 1894 Pg. 0005
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 16 June 1894 Pg. 0002
