| 1919 or 1920 |
A commitment was made by St. Cuthbert's
PCC to provide a building for Blackwell worshippers. A cottage was
rented at 'Briar Cottages' at southern end of Blackwell and called
The Mission Room or Church Room. A Sunday School already existed
in the day school at Bland's Corner. No services were held. |
| January 1926 |
The PCC allocated £100 and the St.
Cuthbert's Blackwell warden offered £25 out of his own pocket to
repair the Church Room at Blackwell. In view of the increasing
population spread there, the committee suggested providing a
Church for Blackwell. |
| February 1926 |
The Warden for Blackwell suggested
securing about an acre of land for a Mission Room and ultimately a
Church. A deputation went to Sir Henry Havelock-Allan to ask about
purchasing a site on Blackwell Estate for Church purposes. |
| April 1926 |
Meanwhile it was resolved that the
Nonconformists should be asked their terms for allowing the use of
"their existing room which is not in use".
[Nonconformists = Blackwell United Methodist Church on Bridge
Road]. |
| October to December 1926 |
Agreement with BUMC was delayed because
of council road-widening plans for Bridge Road, but finally
concluded because the room at Briar Cottages was required by the
owner for one of his workers. |
| September 1927 |
£150 allocated from St. Cuthbert's
Sale of Work towards the cost of a Blackwell church site. Services
in Mission Room at BUMC: morning service once a month, evening
service once a month. |
| January 1928 |
Blackwell Sunday evening service
abandoned because of poor attendance. Morning service continued
until 1935, but poorly attended. |
| March 1933 |
Application "to Sir Henry
Havelock-Allan for the purchase, at the price of £50 per acre, of
1.5 acres for the site of a Church, Parish Hall and Vicarage House
for Blackwell." |
| July 1934 |
Document for purchase of the land was
signed and conveyed to the Diocesan Board of Finance. |
| February 1935 |
The BUMC room was still in use.
Blackwell Mission Extension Fund first mentioned. Although money
had been allocated from the annual sale of work for buying the
land, now £50 was allocated for 'a building'. |
| 1936 |
The site was fenced and hedged and
estimates invited for a Church building. Approval and a grant were
sought from the Diocese. |
| 30 June 1937 |
Foundation stones (still visible) laid
by Lord Barnard, Sir Henry Havelock-Allan, Lady Starmer and Mrs
James White. |
| 27 October 1937 |
Dedication of completed building just
five months after tender to build was accepted. For the first few
years of existence Blackwell was dependent financially on St
Cuthbert's. |
| 1942 |
First Annual General Meeting at
Blackwell. Need expressed for a new Church building and a Parish
Room. A Mothers' Union branch formed. In 1943 it had 68 members. |
| 1943 |
65 Carmel Road South bequeathed for the
use of the priest in Charge. |
| November 1943 |
The Church was called "All
Saints'". |
| 1946 |
The Church Hall was erected at a cost
of £1600 and was in full use by the following year. |
| 1948 |
The Vicar explained that the
possibility of the division of St Cuthbert's Parish, in order to
create a Conventional District for All Saints', was "very
remote in view of the fact that the population thereof is only
about 3200". (This was before the St Columba area became part
of the parish.) |
| 1953 |
At a special Congregation meeting the
general opinion was that "an extension to the present (All
Saints') Church Building was of first priority", a
Proposition, including the idea of a screened dual purpose
extension, was put and carried unanimously. |
| 18 September 1956 |
The extension was opened. Thus the
Church remained until September 1997. |
| 1956-1960 |
The Hall floor was laid, walls
panelled, heaters installed, an exit door and a brick store added.
The Church field was sown, the grounds at the front of the Church
relaid and a lawn created. |
