Willoughby Habershon (1935-1944)

Willoughby Habershon (1935-1944)

In October 1935 the Reverend Arthur Willoughby Habershon (1896-1984) arrived with his wife Mary to become the fourth Vicar of Christ Church.

The first Parish History (written by William Authers, Churchwarden 1937-1940) describes Habershon as ‘….a strict disciplinarian. He worked to plan; was rigid in principle, a teacher of orderly mind, impulsive, liable to be misunderstood, impetuous, yet deeply sorry for causing any pain. In his view, a duty done was not in need of praise: it should be its own satisfaction’. But he also added ‘His quiet dignity commanded our respect and we were conscious of him as one who had “seen a great light”’.

Mr Habershon to the congregation, he was called Willoughby by those close to him.

Arthur's son, Kenneth Habershon, ran a CYFA camp at Limpsfield for many years. This had a big impact on our current vicar, Stephen Kuhrt, who first went on the camp in 1984.

	Alvan Birkett	Building CCNM 1935-44	Claude Bartle