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, 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].
The church was destroyed by a bomb on the 17th of October 1942 during World War 2. The basement (lecture hall) of the church was designated as an Air Raid Shelter capable of accommodating 174 people, however, due to war-time restrictions on reporting it is unknown if anyone was killed or injured as a result of the attack. The site was later absorbed into Coombs Motors site as parking for their workshops.
Ministers[edit]
Images[edit]
- Images
St Columba's Church c1920
St-Columbas-Presbyterian-Church-Warrior-Square-17th-October-1942
Ruin of St Columbas Oct 1943
St Columba's Church Bomb damage c1945
Cleared site of St Columba's Church
References & Notes
- ↑ 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
