The NCCF were approached by members of the old BNTVA West Yorkshire Branch regarding their memorial and standard. We recently met with them at Leeds Minster to discuss the best way forward.
Leeds Minster © Shahid Khan – Shutterstock
Brain Gay and his wife meet with the NCCF at Leeds Minster to discuss the rededication of the memorial.
The Nuclear Veterans memorial is in the grounds of the Minster and was given to the care of the Minster by the Branch. We have proposed a thorough cleaning of the memorial and an application of special sealer that will inhibit future deterioration and mildew growth. There are also some minor changes to the foliage around the memorial.
There will be a ceremony at the memorial on Sunday 7th October 2018 at 16:00 hours where the memorial will be rededicated by the Rector, Canon Sam Corley. The ceremony will be followed by a complimentary light afternoon tea within the Minster.
At 17:30 hours during the Evensong service the standard of the West Yorkshire Branch will be formally laid up in the minster.
Notable dignitaries attending include:
- Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, attended by Mr Edmund Anderson DL.
- The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Graham Latty
The event is funded by the NCCF and is free but we would appreciate if anyone is wishing to attend they should advise the number in their party so that we can arrange the catering.
You can book your free places by calling the NCCF on: 0115 8883442
Or writing to us at:
NCCF Remembrance
PO Box 8244
Castle Donington
DE74 2BY
Book on-line using eventbrite
https://bhlink.at/LeedsNCCF
Brief History of Leeds Minster
Christians have worshipped in the area for well-over a thousand years. The earliest were probably a small group who settled beside a major crossing point on the River Aire in the 7th or 8th century.
By the 10th century they were wealthy enough to be able to erect at least five stone crosses, beautifully carved in styles known as Anglian and Anglo-Scandinavian, and referring to the Anglo-Saxon and then Viking communities living there. In 1086 William the Conqueror commissioned a vast survey of all his lands in England which states that Leeds had a church with a priest, a manor and meadowland. This church was altered, added to and rebuilt over the medieval period as the village grew into a busy market town.
The town expanded westwards and two new churches were built, St John’s opened in 1634, and Holy Trinity in 1727.
In common with many other Yorkshire churches, the Parish Church of St Peter served a vast parish, covering some 34 square miles and including a number of outlying villages and their land, such as Headingley and Farnley. Some of these had their own chapels, but St Peter’s remained the mother church.
By the 19th century, the church was large but dirty, cluttered and somewhat unsafe. The town had developed into a major industrial city, busy, smoky, smelly and very unhealthy. When a new Vicar of Leeds, Dr W F Hook, arrived in 1838 he soon realised that the building could not be adapted to his needs. He wanted to bring all the people, not just the wealthy few, into the church, and to offer worship to God in suitable surroundings. In his mind churches should be places of perfection where fine music enhanced dignified worship, surrounded by colour and good design. He told the architect, Robert Chantrell, to build a ‘grand’ building that would ‘hold as many people as possible’.
This church, with over 1600 seats, was consecrated on September 2nd 1841, and continues to serve the great city of which it is the historic spiritual centre.
Leeds Parish Church – now Leeds Minster – was built at a time of great change within the Church of England, and with very specific ideas in mind. Physically it has been little changed since then, and is now Grade 1 listed. In 1990 it became part of a team ministry within the city centre, a team which is trying to expand its ministry to the city in new and different ways, whilst maintaining the best traditions of the past.
