St James' Church, Ryde

History

The church was built in 1827 on Lind Street, as only the second Church of England building in Ryde.[1] It was commissioned by W. Hughes, with his brother Revd. Augustus Hewitt serving as the inaugural minister. Both brothers left in 1830, with Hughes being elected to Parliament as M.P. for Oxford. Revd. Richard Waldo Sibthorp, a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, purchased the chapel and ministered to its congregation until 1841. From then, it was passed on several times, before in 1903 it was transferred to a group of five trustees, which holds it to this day.

Organ

The organ was built in 1911 by James Ivemey of Southampton. It was later replaced by an organ originally in a Methodist church on St. Peter's Street in Winchester. One of the few recorded organists was a certain 'Miss Watts' around 1921.[2] A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

Present Day

St James' Church continues to be highly active with services at 10:30am and 6:30pm each Sunday, as well as a range of youth groups and mid-week groups.

It is within the Conservative Evangelical tradition of the Church of England and has passed resolutions to reject the ordination of women.[3]

References
  1. The Buildings of England, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Nikolaus Pevsner
  2. Dictionary of Organs and Organists, Second Edition. 1921.
  3. "Christmas 2016 Newsletter" (pdf). bishopofmaidstone.org. Bishop of Maidstone. December 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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