continued. However, during the 1980s, after the steeple caught fire, a strong resurgence of community support to protect the aging building was born. Monies were beginning to be raised, and restorative measures were attempted to allow utilization of the Old Church year-round. Electrical panel upgrades and electrical lamps were installed, including plans for a heating system. At that time, the Old St. Thomas Church Restoration and Maintenance Trust was established to ensure the funds being raised were protected and utilized for the site. The Anglican Diocese, through the Board at Trinity Church, retained ownership of the property and, in order to nurture the community support and ensure restoration integrity of preservation techniques, hired Peter Stokes, a prominent historical architect from Niagara-on- the-Lake, to assess the building and formulate a restoration plan.
The Old St. Thomas Church Restoration and Maintenance Trust by Gail Ballard, President of the Board The Old St. Thomas Church Restoration and Maintenance Trust was established as a not-for-profit charitable corporation in January of 1984 whose purpose under the Letters Patent is the care and maintenance of the Old St. Thomas Church and Churchyard. The site is owned by the Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Huron and is now deemed a Chapel at Ease. The two acres where it rests were donated by one of St. Thomas’ earliest settlers, Captain Daniel Rapelje, with the first graves of his sons dating back to 1819. The construction of the Church began sometime around 1822, opening in 1824, and the first celebration of Holy Communion in 1825. The building is an excellent example of vernacular gothic revival with a metal-clad steeple surrounded by wooden crenellations on the tower and roof gables. The structure is load-bearing brick partially covered in stucco with a post-beam roof, tower, and spire. The lancet arched windows run the length of the structure in a decorative Gothic style. Inside are box pews with doors, white walls, choir and transept galleries. The tower additions, transepts and vestry were completed between 1825 and the 1850s. The Royal Coat of Arms was hung in 1842 with the permission of the young Queen Victoria before she was Empress of India. The Old Church remained open until 1877, when Trinity Church, now the St. Thomas Islamic Centre on Wellington St., was completed. The first restoration was undertaken in 1894 with a group led by Charles Oakes Ermatinger to preserve the structure.
Summer Vibes ST. THOMAS In the 1920s, for the Church’s 100th Anniversary, there was another restoration push due to the floor in the Church caving in at the conclusion of the service. By the 1930s, the Masonic Window was installed, creating a beautiful focal point in the Church. In 1948, the Lychgate was added to enhance the entrance, as seen in many traditional English Churchyards. By the Centennial year 1967 and into the 1970s, minor repairs
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OLD ST. THOMAS CHURCH 200th ANNIVERSARY GUIDE
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