HISTORY
CHURCHES
CHURCHES
ANGLICAN / CHURCH OF ENGLAND
by Gail Hussey-Weir
Created October 2022
by Gail Hussey-Weir
Created October 2022
Timeline of Anglican Churches on Bell Island
In the 1794-95 Census for Bell Island, of the population of 87, there were 54 Protestants and 33 Roman Catholics. By 1836, the population was 359, with 257 Roman Catholics and 102 Protestant Episcopalians.
On August 20, 1843, the first Anglican church, St. Mary's, was consecrated on Bell Island in Lance Cove. Rev. Thomas Boone was its first minister.
In 1872, St. Mary's Anglican Church in Lance Cove, built in 1843, was replaced by a larger structure.
In 1884, the population of Bell Isle had grown to 651, and there was now a second Anglican church, Little St. Mary's, on land donated by the Searle family on Beach Hill; it was used during the week as a school.
In July 1906, when I.C. Morris, a contributor to The Daily News, visited Bell Island, he found that the Anglican Church (St. Boniface), a very large edifice, was nearing completion.
By August 1909, there was a new Anglican Mission Room at The Mines.
The foundation was laid for St. Cyprian's Anglican Church on Main Street in 1926. The church opened in 1928 and was consecrated on November 29, 1931.*
In the 1935 Census, Bell Island's population was 6,160. Religious denominations were: RC=3,171; Church of England (Anglican)=2,092; United Church=521; Salvation Army=345; Presbyterians=21; Others=10 [would have included Jewish].
On April 23, 1938, the first electric organ in Newfoundland was installed in St. Cyprian's Anglican Church. In May, the first edition of a parish magazine, The Vision, was published. It was the only one being produced in Newfoundland at that time.
In 1939, the Anglican Beach School [located in the area of present-day St. Boniface Cemetery on Cemetery Lane] was completely renovated, and the tower of St. Cyprian's Church was rebuilt. The old rectory at the Front was rebuilt as a residence for the principal of the Beach School. The old St. Boniface Church, located near the Beach School, was being used as a Mortuary Chapel since the building of St. Cyprian's at the Mines [on Main Street opposite the C.L.B. Armoury].
In 1948, a new St. Mary's Church (the third) was built in Lance Cove to replace the one built in 1872.
In October 1961, the old St. Boniface Church was torn down. From 1928, when St. Cyprian's Church opened on Main Street, until 1954, St. Boniface had been used as a Mortuary Chapel and on other special occasions only. It apparently had not been in use for seven years when it was torn down.
On July 28, 2012, the two remaining Anglican churches on Bell Island, St. Cyprian's on Main Street and St. Mary's in Lance Cove, were deconsecrated, and the sod was turned for the replacement church, Church of St. Cyprian & St. Mary, which was built on the site of the former St. Cyprian's. It opened in 2014 and was consecrated on October 3, 2021.*
*Note: Anglican churches are not consecrated until their mortgage has been paid off, thus the gap between when one opened for services and when it was officially consecrated.
Below is page 41 of the October 4, 1961 Wabana Star with a history of St. Boniface Anglican Church.
On August 20, 1843, the first Anglican church, St. Mary's, was consecrated on Bell Island in Lance Cove. Rev. Thomas Boone was its first minister.
In 1872, St. Mary's Anglican Church in Lance Cove, built in 1843, was replaced by a larger structure.
In 1884, the population of Bell Isle had grown to 651, and there was now a second Anglican church, Little St. Mary's, on land donated by the Searle family on Beach Hill; it was used during the week as a school.
In July 1906, when I.C. Morris, a contributor to The Daily News, visited Bell Island, he found that the Anglican Church (St. Boniface), a very large edifice, was nearing completion.
By August 1909, there was a new Anglican Mission Room at The Mines.
The foundation was laid for St. Cyprian's Anglican Church on Main Street in 1926. The church opened in 1928 and was consecrated on November 29, 1931.*
In the 1935 Census, Bell Island's population was 6,160. Religious denominations were: RC=3,171; Church of England (Anglican)=2,092; United Church=521; Salvation Army=345; Presbyterians=21; Others=10 [would have included Jewish].
On April 23, 1938, the first electric organ in Newfoundland was installed in St. Cyprian's Anglican Church. In May, the first edition of a parish magazine, The Vision, was published. It was the only one being produced in Newfoundland at that time.
In 1939, the Anglican Beach School [located in the area of present-day St. Boniface Cemetery on Cemetery Lane] was completely renovated, and the tower of St. Cyprian's Church was rebuilt. The old rectory at the Front was rebuilt as a residence for the principal of the Beach School. The old St. Boniface Church, located near the Beach School, was being used as a Mortuary Chapel since the building of St. Cyprian's at the Mines [on Main Street opposite the C.L.B. Armoury].
In 1948, a new St. Mary's Church (the third) was built in Lance Cove to replace the one built in 1872.
In October 1961, the old St. Boniface Church was torn down. From 1928, when St. Cyprian's Church opened on Main Street, until 1954, St. Boniface had been used as a Mortuary Chapel and on other special occasions only. It apparently had not been in use for seven years when it was torn down.
On July 28, 2012, the two remaining Anglican churches on Bell Island, St. Cyprian's on Main Street and St. Mary's in Lance Cove, were deconsecrated, and the sod was turned for the replacement church, Church of St. Cyprian & St. Mary, which was built on the site of the former St. Cyprian's. It opened in 2014 and was consecrated on October 3, 2021.*
*Note: Anglican churches are not consecrated until their mortgage has been paid off, thus the gap between when one opened for services and when it was officially consecrated.
Below is page 41 of the October 4, 1961 Wabana Star with a history of St. Boniface Anglican Church.
