Sad to hear the church (and presumably the attached vicarage) has now been demolished. I lived here for the first few years of my life when my Father Reverend Richard M. Weller was vicar of St James. I still have very clear memories of ‘helping’ my Dad do odd jobs around the church.
Hi Matthew I was a server along with my brothers. Our family held your father in high regard and remember how sad we were when he moved on. Regards Steve
I haven’t been back to Hardwick since 2007 when I took the picture of the Church in a poor state of repair, has it been demolished? If so, has the land been redeveloped?
I was a server too along with my brothers, Gordon and Michael during the sixties before all 3 of us left to join the Army. I remember John Williams and went to his wedding in 1967 at St Andrews along with Mr and Mrs Laverick, I remember Mr Rowbotham as the Church Warden before my Father Ray and how sad as family we were when he became ill. I remember his son (I think Alan?) taking me to my first football match Boro v Hull in 1968 I think.
My brother Michael married Laura Calvert in 1974 at St James (her mum was Freda)
Did I imagine this? Did we dedicate bricks with our name for a shilling when they were extending the vicarage in the mid sixties?
I remember your dad very well Alan, my brother Denis took over from him as Server and Crucifer, our sister Diane was the first female server at the church. Your mother Renee was my mothers Guide Captain many years ago and my mother was thrilled to find her as a member of St. James.
I remember the first time I saw Keith Woodhouse he arrived at our house in Ragworth on a Lambretta scooter. A Curate travelling around the Parish on this form of transport caused quite a lot of interest at the time and I believe the Gazette did a picture story on Him. My Mam later became his house keeper when he lived in the attached Bungalow. I posted the photograph I took in 2007 with real sadness, the Church which had taken so much hard work to establish and build in Hardwick, and was the focal point of so many on the Estate, for whatever reason should be allowed to get into this state.
John Rigg, Are you the John Rigg of Riggs Garage on Durhan Road opposite Junction Road? If so you and I went to the Motor Show at Earls Court about 1949-50. Petrol was still rationed and I ran a 1947 Austin 8 at that time. You also had a sister that I took to the Pantomime at Dewsbury in 1950. When we stopped at Leeds for tea I had no idea I would be spending most of my future life in that City.
i agree with you John Evans – are you the John Evans i used to knock around with? like to catch up back to the church. Why are they leaving it to rot in the first place?
It was a nice church i cant believe it now after everyday i go past the building on the bus its been left to rot. what a waste, i just hope that the building is fixed up and used again and not demolished.
David Thank you for those kind remarks about my father,and yes we did live on the corner of Whessoe and Hardwick Road.The address originally was 46 Hardwick Rd but because the front door faced Whessoe Rd it was changed to 1a Whessoe Rd. Alan Laverick is my brother in law and he did live in Wolsingham Close as you thought.I think much of the housing in the area around Wolsingham Close has recently been demolished
Your comments are fascinating Alan. I was a server at St James and you gave me some info I pondered on at another photograph, of the exterior of St James i.e. who was the vicar that looked like Bert Royal, the wrestler ! – the said Rev Williams. Another question, did your father live round to the right as you come out of Whessoe Road, where I lived?. If so I remember him as a very kind and helpful man. I was a very good friend of Alan Laverick who lived in the next close to Whessoe Rd, Wolsingham, I think it was. Is he related to you? If so please pass on my regards. I live in Gosport, Hampshire. I
This interior picture of St James Church Hardwick was used in the Hardwick Handbook of 1969, distributed to residents on the estate. The vicar at this time was The Rev Richard M Weller and the churchwardens Harry Laverick and Ray Raw. Some facts about the building taken from the handbook, it was built in two stages and the Bishop of Durham dedicated the completed church at Easter 1966. It replaced the old St James Church Portrack, which was opposite the hospital. The fibreglass figure on the exterior wall ?Christ in Compassion? was designed by Hardwick sculptor Sidney Slade and erected in1967. The 67 foot high cross was cast in one 16 ton piece. In the early 60s the first vicar for Hardwick was the Rev John Williams and he lived in the attached bungalow. My father William (Billy) was a churchwarden until illness forced him to stand down in 1964, he was proud to be connected with the new church as he was married in the old St James Church in 1942 I was married in the church in 1968 to Jean Laverick the daughter of the churchwarden and our daughter Alison although born in Kingston was baptised there in 1973 as both our families lived in the parish. Its such a shame to see it now in such a run down state.
David Price was the headmaster of Hardwick Junior School and also the piano player in St. James Church. He was a fantastic headmaster.
Absolutely agree I was one of his pupils and also a church server.
Sad to hear the church (and presumably the attached vicarage) has now been demolished. I lived here for the first few years of my life when my Father Reverend Richard M. Weller was vicar of St James. I still have very clear memories of ‘helping’ my Dad do odd jobs around the church.
Hi Matthew I was a server along with my brothers. Our family held your father in high regard and remember how sad we were when he moved on. Regards Steve
The church was demolished this week. The cross will be gone very soon, at the moment that is all that is left standing.
I haven’t been back to Hardwick since 2007 when I took the picture of the Church in a poor state of repair, has it been demolished? If so, has the land been redeveloped?
I was a server too along with my brothers, Gordon and Michael during the sixties before all 3 of us left to join the Army. I remember John Williams and went to his wedding in 1967 at St Andrews along with Mr and Mrs Laverick, I remember Mr Rowbotham as the Church Warden before my Father Ray and how sad as family we were when he became ill. I remember his son (I think Alan?) taking me to my first football match Boro v Hull in 1968 I think.
My brother Michael married Laura Calvert in 1974 at St James (her mum was Freda)
Did I imagine this? Did we dedicate bricks with our name for a shilling when they were extending the vicarage in the mid sixties?
I remember your dad very well Alan, my brother Denis took over from him as Server and Crucifer, our sister Diane was the first female server at the church. Your mother Renee was my mothers Guide Captain many years ago and my mother was thrilled to find her as a member of St. James.
I remember the first time I saw Keith Woodhouse he arrived at our house in Ragworth on a Lambretta scooter. A Curate travelling around the Parish on this form of transport caused quite a lot of interest at the time and I believe the Gazette did a picture story on Him. My Mam later became his house keeper when he lived in the attached Bungalow. I posted the photograph I took in 2007 with real sadness, the Church which had taken so much hard work to establish and build in Hardwick, and was the focal point of so many on the Estate, for whatever reason should be allowed to get into this state.
Sorry J Howard im not the John Rigg you knew. John Rigg seems a popular name there are 3 in our family alone!
John Rigg, Are you the John Rigg of Riggs Garage on Durhan Road opposite Junction Road? If so you and I went to the Motor Show at Earls Court about 1949-50. Petrol was still rationed and I ran a 1947 Austin 8 at that time. You also had a sister that I took to the Pantomime at Dewsbury in 1950. When we stopped at Leeds for tea I had no idea I would be spending most of my future life in that City.
i agree with you John Evans – are you the John Evans i used to knock around with? like to catch up back to the church. Why are they leaving it to rot in the first place?
It was a nice church i cant believe it now after everyday i go past the building on the bus its been left to rot. what a waste, i just hope that the building is fixed up and used again and not demolished.
Hi Graham look at earlier comments on this picture to see more infomation about our families and friends.
David Thank you for those kind remarks about my father,and yes we did live on the corner of Whessoe and Hardwick Road.The address originally was 46 Hardwick Rd but because the front door faced Whessoe Rd it was changed to 1a Whessoe Rd. Alan Laverick is my brother in law and he did live in Wolsingham Close as you thought.I think much of the housing in the area around Wolsingham Close has recently been demolished
Your comments are fascinating Alan. I was a server at St James and you gave me some info I pondered on at another photograph, of the exterior of St James i.e. who was the vicar that looked like Bert Royal, the wrestler ! – the said Rev Williams. Another question, did your father live round to the right as you come out of Whessoe Road, where I lived?. If so I remember him as a very kind and helpful man. I was a very good friend of Alan Laverick who lived in the next close to Whessoe Rd, Wolsingham, I think it was. Is he related to you? If so please pass on my regards. I live in Gosport, Hampshire. I
This interior picture of St James Church Hardwick was used in the Hardwick Handbook of 1969, distributed to residents on the estate. The vicar at this time was The Rev Richard M Weller and the churchwardens Harry Laverick and Ray Raw. Some facts about the building taken from the handbook, it was built in two stages and the Bishop of Durham dedicated the completed church at Easter 1966. It replaced the old St James Church Portrack, which was opposite the hospital. The fibreglass figure on the exterior wall ?Christ in Compassion? was designed by Hardwick sculptor Sidney Slade and erected in1967. The 67 foot high cross was cast in one 16 ton piece. In the early 60s the first vicar for Hardwick was the Rev John Williams and he lived in the attached bungalow. My father William (Billy) was a churchwarden until illness forced him to stand down in 1964, he was proud to be connected with the new church as he was married in the old St James Church in 1942 I was married in the church in 1968 to Jean Laverick the daughter of the churchwarden and our daughter Alison although born in Kingston was baptised there in 1973 as both our families lived in the parish. Its such a shame to see it now in such a run down state.