Friends of Woodthorpe Grange Park 2023
Meeting of the Parochial Church Council 29 May, 1941
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Fire Watchers: The Chairman said his appeal for fire watchers produced no more volunteers and after consultation with the Church Wardens he had decided to join as one unit in the Trevose Gardens fire watchers party and share the cost of a paid warden at 5/- (25p) The chairman mentioned the unfortunate tragedy on Good Friday night. The paid warden John Hudson was found dead in the heating chamber by the verger the next morning. The inquest declared that death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning, as a result of the fumes from the apparatus. At the ensuing inquest into the death of John Hudson, which the report was laid before the members of the PCC showed that the church was completely covered by insurance.
With the death of John Hudson in mind, the question of another fire watcher was raised to which the Vicar explained that Trevose Gardens had been unable to get another paid watcher as labour was scarce. The Vicar himself was responsible. There was not much risk of a raid during the summer nights and in any case only the Fire Services could deal with any outbreak on the roof.
War Damage Insurance: The Chairman reported that he had received from the Central Board of Finance certain instructions about the government’s war damage in respect of churches. The Archdeacon at his visitation advised incumbents to act without delay and not wait for the Council (PPC) meetings. He had consulted the two church wardens, both explained in financial terms the church was insured for £1,000.
One of the PCC members reported that the building of churches was not insurable. If a church is destroyed by enemy action, it will be rebuilt by the Government if the Central Church Commission consider it necessary. The insurance of the furniture was voluntary and we had insured for £1,000.
Another PCC member raised the question of the basis of valuation, and suggested that we were not sufficiently covered.
A certain amount of discussion followed on various matters relating to the government and its War Damage Insurance Scheme largely between two PCC members. One member proposed that the Vicar and Wardens be instructed to look into the question of cost and see if £1,000 really was sufficient cover.
Another PCC member, thought that £1,000 was ample – another discussion followed.
The Vicar explained that we had little furniture in the church apart from chairs and organ, which were not part of the fabric, e.g., the Chancel Wall and the High Altar. The Vicar doubted very much if the [Side] Chapel Altar and hangings, which were very expensive, would be covered if the church was badly bombed, but we must again be satisfied with something simple as we had done in times past, and build up from the beginning again. We could not, for example, get an organ like the present for £700 at post war values, but he thought that if the organ were damaged the insurance money would be a nucleus on which to build an organ fund. After all we did not have the organ when the church was built, and in the event of damage we must put up once more with a substitute.