St Georges Church, Cullercoats

A short paragraph on the back page of the Shields Daily News, 15th September 1873, noted that the Rev R. F. Wheeler, of Whitley, had obtained the site for a new church, to cope with the rapidly increasing population of Cullercoats. The intention was that Mr Wheeler should retain St Paul's Church, and that a new parish should be created. It seems that nothing much was heard locally, thereafter. Certainly there were a number of people who expressed surprise at the lack of information, when a public meeting was called at the Priory Schools in February, 1878, to discuss the boundaries of the new parish.

The Rev Mr Featherstone and his parishioners seemed to disapprove the proposal to extend St George's Parish into the Percy Park Estate. A resolution was passed "That the Vicar be requested for the present to withhold his consent to the proposed scheme for the division of Holy Saviour's Parish on the ground that the proposed separation would be inconvenient to a large proportion of the parishioners; and that the Vicar also be requested to urge upon the proper authorities that Kenner's Dene be the southern boundary".

St George's Parish was formed from the areas of Holy Saviour's and St Paul's on 23rd April 1880, and the first incumbent was the Rev Jonathan Seaver. The church was to be erected at the expense of the Duke of Northumberland, who appointed one of the country's most prominent architects, J. L. Pearson. The Bishop of Newcastle consecrated the large 13th century style church on 16th December 1884, and it was dedicated to St George in memory of George, 5th Duke of Northumberland.

ROGATION SERVICE

In over 40 years the Rev Henry John Blount Fry saw Cullercoats grow from little more than a small fishing village, to a modern suburb. During that time he built up an affection for the fishing community, and the Rogationtide blessing (Rogationtide, being the fifth Sunday after Easter, was the traditional time for blessing the fishing fleet), must have given him special pleasure. The photograph, of an unknown date, probably at some time in the 1930s, was taken at Cullercoats Harbour.

The Parish of St George's, Cullercoats, was created out of the older Parish of Tynemouth, having its origins in the Priory church. The Gothic-style building, for which the Rev Fry is said to have had an especial care, was opened in 1884.

In 1903 he was at St Matthew's Church, Northampton, when the Rev. D. E. Johnstone resigned from the incumbency of the Parish of St George's Church, at Cullercoats. The parish was in the gift of the Duke of Northumberland, whose family had built the church in 1884. In November 1903 he appointed the Rev Mr Fry to the post. The Bishop of Newcastle, also new to his office, inducted him on the evening of 20th January 1904, when he preached on the theme 4 & 5 XII Romans.

Cullercoats was the Rev Mr Fry's first parish, and he appears to have been devoted to his church and parishioners, and cared greatly for the magnificent Gothic style building.

In 1929 he was made an honorary Canon. After the Second World War he retired to live at Jesmond, but still returned to Cullercoats from time to time. His last visit was in November of 1951, when in his eighties and rather frail, he attended a Thanksgiving service. Mr Fry died at Gosforth Nursing Home on the 15th February 1952. His only relative was his niece, Miss Joan Fry, once a famous tennis player.