Life at Christ Church: 1935 to 1944
John Pendlebury
A particular tragedy in February 1941 was the death of John Pendlebury, the second Curate-in-Charge of St John’s.
Hearing a bombing falling towards his house, Pendlebury who also served as an Air Raid Warden pushed his wife and young daughter under a table meaning that they survived whilst he was killed. The map below map marks where bombs fell on New Malden during the Second World War, including the one that hit 169 Malden Road where Pendlebury lived.
Church Pastoral Aid Society
In 1941 the patronage of Christ Church passed from the Duke of Cambridge to the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS). The patron of a church possesses the right to nominate its prospective incumbents. The patronage being secured by an evangelical society was seen as crucial to ensuring the maintenance of this tradition at Christ Church.
David Burton and Reg Ellis
One of the features of this period at Christ Church was the beginning of two incredibly long tenures as Churchwarden. David Burton (pictured below) became Churchwarden in 1940, continuing in the role until 1970.
Reginald Ellis (pictured below with his wife Annie) became Churchwarden in 1942 and continued in the role until 1969.
David and Reg are the longest serving Churchwardens in the history of Christ Church.
Atkinson Bachhoffner stands in third place with 26 years between 1908 and 1934 and in fourth place is John Henson with 16 years between 1985 and 2001.
Coronation Celebrations
The photo below shows Christ Church school gathering outside the Vicarage to celebrate the coronation of King George VI in 1937.
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Life at CCNM 1921-35 | Building CCNM 1935-44 | Life at CCNM 1944-58 |  |