History 1970 – 1979

1970-1972

There are few official records of this period. It is reported in the book “In a Fair Ground – A Chaplaincy in Provence” by the Rev Donald Macnaughton, that a retired priest, Father Douglas Lockhart took services in St. John’s for several years around this time. Father Lockhart lived the life of a hermit in Les Arcs, sharing his house with his dog, which he brought to services. Patrick Dudgeon recalls “The dog sat quietly throughout the services in front of the altar rail. It became very old, smelly and incontinent, and there would be little puddles at the end of the service. No one liked to say anything, but a brave soul wrote a note to the Bishop to complain. The Bishop wrote a kind but firm note to Father Lockhart telling him that the dog must be left at home.”

1973

Parish Minute book, 1973 <Editor’s note – this marks the recommencement of detailed reporting on church affairs.>

A meeting was held on Sunday 22^nd July, after morning service, to discuss the future of St. John’s church, St. Raphaël.

Canon Tibbetts explained that he had been appointed by the Bishop of Gibraltar and Fulham to look into the affairs of the church in St. Raphaël, and that it could not continue unless it was a viable project. The first step would be to appoint a treasurer and secretary. The Canon said he had found in the church safe two sums of money:

1. FF950 which was labelled “For the church heating”
2. FF250 which presumably was the proceeds of church collections.

and that he would hand these sums over to the Treasurer who would then open a bank account.

A general discussion then took place and in reply to a question from Cdr. Buckle as to whether there was any income or capital actually belonging to St. John’s church, the Canon stated that there was a small trust for the general upkeep of the church which produced approximately £50 a year, which had been handed over to Father Lockhart (whilst he was conducting services) towards his expenses, and a sum of about £4,000 in the hands of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, being the proceeds of sale of a piece of land to the railway. This latter was quite free and could be spent by the church for any purpose. The U.S.P.G. was intending to hand over all its interests to the Diocese of Gibraltar and Fulham as soon as this was a practical proposition.

After further discussion Mr. Maplethorp and Cdr. Buckle agreed to act as Joint Treasurers and Mrs Phillips as Secretary. It was decided to have a small committee in lieu of a Church Council, and the following agreed to be members:

Mr Donald Gurrey

Mrs Sapin-Jaloustre

Mrs Buckle

At the next meeting, on Monday 10^th September 1973, the Canon announced that he had invited Mme Jacques Courjon, Mme Migeot and Admiral Morris to join the committee. He also said that he had come to the conclusion that the chaplaincy would be viable for the summer three months and that for the rest of the year a service once a month would be sufficient. He reported that the church of All Saints, Valescure is the property of the Diocese and is leased by agreement to the Roman Catholic Authorities who use it for their mass on Sundays, but the Diocese of Gibraltar has the right at any time to hold services there if so desired. The church is heated, which would cost FF9 a Sunday. There were two alternatives, either to heat St. John’s church or to hold winter services in All Saints. It was resolved to hold winter services in All Saints.

It was also proposed at this meeting that the church needed to publicise its services, through advertisements in the press and posters for campsites and hotels. Canon Tibbetts suggested that it might be worthwhile putting an advertisement in the “Church Times” at the beginning of the summer.

It was unanimously agreed that a letter of thanks and appreciation be sent to Father Lockhart who had faithfully come from Les Arcs during the years of his retirement to take the service in St. Raphaël. Later in the year, Father Lockhart sadly died (15^th October in London).

The Canon reported that he had bought two dozen copies of the series III Communion Service for use in St. John’s church. Music was also an issue, and there was a discussion about using tape cassettes of hymns “to make the church independent of an organist”!

After this meeting, the Canon departed, and the regime of monthly services at All Saints, Valescure, continued through to the following summer. Mr Donald Gurrey took over the chairmanship of the committee and played a key role in identifying and communicating with potential chaplains for the summer periods.

1974

The main topics of discussion were the arrangements for chaplains, the music, and the form of service. The harmonium at All Saints had been tuned and was in good order, however there was a shortage of organists. Use of cassettes and recordings was discussed as a fallback. The Archdeacon announced that a new chaplain (Rev. P.E. Goldsmid) had been appointed to Marseilles, and he would be interested in St. Raphaël. It was agreed that St. John’s should use the 1662 service. On 15^th October, a memorial service for Father Lockhart was held.

The Bishop of Gibraltar confirmed that St. John’s should be in charge of the Rev. P.E. Goldsmid, the new chaplain appointed to Marseilles. Rev Goldsmid would be taking up his appointment in the autumn, and intended to be in St. Raphaël one Sunday per month. The Bishop had also arranged that Canon D.G. Davies should come for the summer season. The Diocese would pay his fare and out-of-pocket expenses, the U.S.P.G. would pay £180 towards his accommodation and board, and St. John’s would have to fund the rest. A financial statement was prepared which showed that to fund these costs, an additional sum would be required from the U.S.P.G., with the comment “We find by experience that our summer congregation only contribute very small amounts”. Patrick Dudgeon recalls “At the end of the summer, Canon Davies let it be known that he had accepted an important position which he was unable to divulge. Rumours abounded, a Canon at St. Paul’s, the Dean of Rochester? It eventually turned out to be chaplain of San Remo. He once referred to the then Bishop of Dover, the Rt. Rev. Tony Tremlett, as “that poseur”, unaware that the Bishop had also referred to him as a “poseur””.

On the fabric, the heating in St. John’s was unsatisfactory and an estimate of 14,069.32 francs (about £1,225) had been received for improving the system, but no action could be taken pending an answer from U.S.P.G on the situation with respect to funds. It was resolved to put a formal request to the U.S.P.G. for the release of £1,250 so that the improved heating could be installed. Later discussion revealed that it was in fact the diocesan responsibility to agree funds, and this was done later in the year.

The library is mentioned for the first time, also the possibility of printing pictures of the church, from a drawing by Cdr Buckle, for sale to raise funds.

1975

Mr Paul Topham, a Lay Reader, had offered to come for 7 Sundays of the summer season and it was hoped that either the chaplain (Rev Goldsmid) or Canon Wilson, formerly Chaplain at Marseilles and now retired and living in Toulon, would be available to celebrate Holy Communion. A budget of FF5,000 was proposed, to cover the expenses for the entire summer period (June-September), and to include £25 per week from the U.S.P.G. In the event the summer season was described as “very successful” with large congregations and collections. Three Irish chaplains had taken part in eight services, and Mr Topham had taken or assisted in services on seven Sundays. On the occasion of a visit to St. Raphaël of H.M.S Eastbourne about 30 officers and ratings had come to church.

For the winter season, arrangements were made for hold a parish communion twice a month with the Rev. John Tederstrom, an American priest based in Nice, alternating with Canon Wilson, in addition to the monthly service taken by the chaplain.

The president of the council, Mr Gurrey, said he was “not very optimistic about the future finances of the church.” There was an ongoing dispute about the holding of assets (from the sale of land to the S.N.C.F.) being held in London by the U.S.P.G. This was now reported to be in connection with the widening of the bridge, a sum of FF60,000.

An issue came to a head when St. John’s was asked to make a contribution to the chaplaincy in Marseilles towards the rent of the chaplaincy flat. The arrangements were that the Mission to Seamen paid the chaplain’s stipend, but the accommodation, heating, electricity etc, were paid out of church funds.

1976

Summer arrangements were that Rev R Jennison would take the service for three Sundays. The Rev Eric Jones would be here until mid August, and Mr Paul Topham would be available to take Matins. Congregations were high but collections were down, due, it was thought, to the weaker £.

Mr Yeomans, a summer visitor, donated a Hammond organ to the church, which was accepted with appreciation, and Mr & Mrs Kenneth Lindy donated two of his religious pictures to the church.

A note was sent to the Archdeacon to propose that after the departure of Rev Goldsmid it would be desirable to put St. Raphaël in the care of a closer chaplaincy, it being 100 miles between Marseilles and St. Raphaël.

At the end of the year Donald Gurrey, who had done so much work for the church of St. John’s in St. Raphaël, sadly died on Christmas Eve.

1977

It was planned that weekly services should start on Whit Sunday, with Rev Ron Jennison, Archdeacon Shearer and Mr Paul Topham covering June to August. Rev Goldsmid left at the end of April, and Rev Brian Taylor took over for a one-year appointment.

A proposal was made to the Bishop that St. John’s should have its own full time chaplain, and the Rev Karl Lutge, chaplain in Lugano visited St. Raphaël in August. He would not need a salary and the only expense for St. John’s would be the cost of his accommodation.

Concern was expressed about the state of the roof of the church, and it was agreed to contact the U.S.P.G. to see if they would help with the cost of repainting.

1978

The formalities to have Rev Karl Lutge licensed as the resident chaplain of St. John’s were completed, and the church of St. John and St. Philip, the Hague generously contributed FF400 a month towards the costs of his accommodation. One of the first proposals made by the new chaplain was that wine should be offered after the service, to allow people to get to know each other, a custom which has continued to the present day.

A new ecumenical church had been opened at Port Grimaud and consideration was given to having summer services there. During the winter, the chaplain was asked to be in charge of Marseilles. However, weekly service would continue at St. John’s at least until the end of October.

The roof was giving increasing concern and it was agreed to appoint a surveyor. His report said that the roof was basically sound with no leaks, although some tiles were broken, which would be difficult to replace as they were old ones.

1979

The chaplaincy of Rev Karl Lutge came to an end on 6^th May, and another interregnum began. Patrick Dudgeon recalls “The Rev Karl Lutge had managed to upset everybody. He told one churchwarden, in public, that his wig had been put on crooked, another churchwarden was asked not to sing so loudly. He told a lesson reader that he sounded like an actor in a third rate repertory company playing a duke.”

The chaplaincy had not been a totally successful period; the church council thanked Rev Lutge with the words “everyone was sad that the year had been a disappointment.” In reply, the chaplain said that the existing congregation should give much more support to the life of the church before attempts were made to bring in new people from areas outside St. Raphaël. A new chaplain, Rev Jennison, was appointed and his induction took place in Marseilles on 16^th December.

A credence table was offered to the church by her family in memory of Miss Pamela Darley, a member of the congregation who died in 1978, and this was gratefully accepted. Mrs Yeomans also offered £50 to buy a memorial of her husband, and it was decided that silver cruets would be appropriate.

Temporary repairs to the roof were carried out after flooding of the vestry. Treatment for termites was also carried out at a cost of FF3,000.