3 Into the City
Shortly after I had mentioned to the Bishop that I would like a city parish, he wrote to say that St Mark's in Woolston, Southampton was going vacant and would I be interested? After looking round the parish and meeting the church warden, I said I would like to go there and the Bishop offered me the living. I was inducted by the then Bishop of Southampton and became the vicar.
Woolston lies on the east bank of the river Itchen. It was only taken into the city in 1922. It was still reached from the old city by a floating bridge, which took about a dozen cars. The only other way was via the Northam Bridge where Meridian TV has its studios. That meant a long journey and as it was the only way across, large traffic jams built up during the rush hours. Nowadays there is a bridge at Woolston (the Itchen Bridge). At a public meeting to authorise its building, I had persuaded our congregation to go. In fact the great majority there were from St Mark's so it should really be St Mark's bridge.
As I've said, the church was called St Mark's. Inside it was brick built, but stones on the outside. It was built in 1863 by a local architect who later built the church at Lyndhurst. On the banks of the river is the shipyard of Vosper Thorneycroft, the well known ship builders. Many of the early workers came from the Clyde and a Presbyterian Church was built to meet their form of worship. (It is not there now as it later combined with the Congregational Church when they united to form the United Reform Church). The main part of the parish had a number of large houses, owned by ships' Captains. The parish church was attended by the "upper classes" and an institute was built near the shipyard where services were held for the workers who would feel "uncomfortable" in the parish church. Today, the institute is used for social events, such as the over-60's, badminton, youth clubs, church meetings, the M.U. and Young Wives.
The vicar who had just left went to Australia. He was extremely popular and shortly the organist, a churchwarden and some teachers all followed him "down-under". Not the easiest way to start a new parish for me. As he had also been in Bermuda, many of the ideas came from there. For example, all the members of the Sunday school wore a badge such as the one used in Blue Peter. They were of different colours to show your attendance record! No trouble in keeping up the members. St Mark's had progressed in the way the services were taken. They used a nave altar where the priest faces the congregation rather than stand with his back to the people. This was part of the changes then coming into use. The thought there was that God is present among His people, rather than someone remote and apart. Coming along also was the change in the services. Series 2, as it was called, was a simpler version of the old prayer book service. Later on it was followed by Series 3 (the first to use "you" rather than "thou"). As you can imagine, not all these changes were welcomed by everybody.
We were still continuing to discuss the reunion with the Methodists. We had many arguments about the word "priest" as used in the Prayer Book and also about using wine (Methodists are usually total abstainers). I was very keen to make full use of the hymn book - the old English Hymnal. We sang over 400 different hymns and many "unknown" ones became favourites. The hymn writer, Isaac Watts, had been a pastor at a church in Southampton. It stood in Above Bar, now the site of an M&S store, although there is a plaque on the wall about the church. 1974 was the 300th anniversary of his death and we sang all his hymns frequently that year.
The shipyard was a busy part of the parish. Frigates and mine hunters were their main output. The launches were always exciting events. The service of blessing the ships was accompanied by the band of the Royal Marines as the ships dragged their chains and entered the river. One of my first launches was by the Princess Royal and my status went up when I was shown with her in the "Echo". It was a privilege to meet many MP's at the launches which followed. I had also been approached to be chaplain to the RNR ship "Wessex". Even having served in the RAF during the war didn‘t deter them. Besides visiting the ship once a week, we used to have a fortnight on active service. Mostly, I seemed to be with the Fleet Air Arm and spent time at Victory, Lossiemouth (where I had my first flight in a jet fighter), Faslane (where nuclear submarines are based), Portland and Plymouth. Mostly I liked to fly in helicopters and once was told to find a spot in Ross & Cromarty (Highland). Despite the years since I was an active navigator, we found our destination. Taking services on the base were the main reason for going. Each chapel had different ways of worship and some I found very helpful and introduced them into my own services when I returned.
The parish was very active in many ways. A larger Over-60's club met at the Institute. There were two Youth Clubs - one for young teenagers and one for older ones. You may recall that the 1980 Prayer Book calls the celebrant at the Eucharist "The President". So for a while when I arrived it was "here comes the President" and "Hail to the Chief"! There was much competition to build the crib and to make the church noticed. Extra lighting outside at Christmas, for example. During the war the then vicar had begun a boys' school for the evacuees who had drifted back to the city. Many later qualified as teachers and in other professions and became the mainstay of the congregation. A large number were keen on sports and often a crowd of us went to watch Hampshire at cricket. During an early limited over cup match, we got very sunburnt and had to turn up at the PCC meeting feeling slightly embarrassed as well as glowing red.
We had a modern vicarage near Southampton Water. When the old queens sailed on their last journeys we all rushed down to see them go. A sad sight. But equally we all turned up to rejoice when the QEII arrived. There were ships like the France and the United States and the Union Castle line. Alas! A departed age. Whilst we were there, we started to go to the Chichester Festival Theatre, something which we have done ever since. I played golf on Mondays with a local vicar. The golf wasn't much but we put the church in good shape. For holidays we still had to rely on taking other services and exchanging vicarages. The Gower Coast, Suffolk and Kent stand out as memorable times. The children were growing up fast and before we left they had both been married. After ten years the Bishop suggested a move. So it was soon farewell to Woolston with many happy memories.
written by Fr Ron Bowles
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