A Short History - St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff

A Short History of St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff

1912: St Nicholas established

The year was 1912, in the Village of Birch Cliff. Birch Cliff, located in the south west corner of Scarborough, was largely a farming community. Cottages occupied the area south of Kingston Road and lined the top of the Scarborough Bluffs.

The Reverend Charles Luce, [photo] from Gloucester England, who had been administering the parishes of Agincourt and Scarborough Junction noted Birch Cliff needed a community gathering point. On June 12, 1912 he called a meeting with the community at the home of Mr. George F. Davis, who lived at the bottom of Warden Avenue overlooking Lake Ontario. At that meeting, Mr. Davis offered the use of his stable at the back of his property to act as a meeting place. Access to the "church" was from Harvey Ave. (now known as Haig Avenue). This was a Mission Church and considered a daughter church of St.John's Norway (at Woodbine & Kingston Road). This new mission church would be called St. Nicholas, after the St. Nicholas Parish in England, the parish over which Rev. Luce's father presided.

Once the renovations were completed, on August 9, 1912, the site was officially dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Toronto, Bishop Sweeney. Soon after, a Sunday School, Women's Guild (which became the Women's Auxiliary), and a Men's Club were set up by the local membership, which numbered 60 at that time. The Village of Birch Cliff saw rapid growth in the year 1912. Whole families were emigrating from the United Kingdom to establish a new life.

1913: expansion cost - $1500

The tiny church soon felt the pressures of the community and on December 6, 1913 called a meeting of the membership to expand the church building. The expansion would be 24 x 40 ft., and the existing church would be the chancel. Construction did not start until June, 1914. The cost of the expansion would be $1500.00. The newly expanded church also received generous gifts from its parishioners: oak pews, carved stone baptismal font and lectern Bible. The church opened officially on October 5, 1914, once again the church [photo] was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Toronto.

1916: Fire burns down the building

Tragedy soon struck the Birch Cliff community. On Sunday January 16, 1916, as parishioners were setting off to prepare for the Sunday services, they found the church in a blaze of fire. All that was saved was the baptismal font, and a piano, by Mr. Ed. Redman and members of the 6th Toronto Scout troop.

On February 11, 1916 a meeting was held to discuss the church's future. It was decided a new location was required in order to serve the community better by being more accessible and visible. After a number of considerations, the present site of the existing church was chosen. It was decided the new church would not be wood, but brick. The members wanted a permanent structure.The services of Mr. Harold Carter, an acknowledged Gothic architect, who was also local, were attained to design the new church. Through his work, Mr. Carter became an active member of the church and the Birch Cliff community. (The 3 stained glass windows behind the present church's altar are a gift by the Carter family to commmerate the work of Mr. Harold Carter).

In the mean time, the church held its services at Oakridge School on Danforth Avenue, as tenders were opened and dealt with on May 15, 1916.

It was decided by Luce that it would be a benefit for the church members and the community to hold public worship on the new church site. On July 22, 1916 at 4:00 p.m., the first service was held with the laying of the cornerstone [photo]. The service was officiated by the Lord Bishop of Toronto, the Right Reverand James F. Sweeney. Other dignitaries included the Right Reverend William Day Reeve, D.D., assistant to the bishop,His Royal Highness Field Marshal the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn being Governor-General of Canada, and His Honour Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Hendrie, being Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

While construction was ongoing, services took place on the lawn under a large marquee tent until after Thanksgiving of that year. The foundations and the basement had been completed, allowing services to move inside over the winter, as construction still pushed onward. St. Nicholas Church still remained to be the focal point of the community at its new location.

1917: Official dedication
On Tuesday, May 29, 1917, the new church was officially dedicated as " Church of St. Nicholas at Birch Cliff". Due to the spirit of the community, other parishes took notice. The present pulpit was received as a gift from the St.Nicholas Parish, Gloucester, England. The matching altar was also received from St. Paul's, Bloor Street.

In 1919 the St. Nicholas community was served noticed of Luce's resignation. He and his family were to return to England where he would take charge of his home church St. Nicholas, Gloucester.

1922: Parish becomes self-sustaining
Luce's successor was the Reverend William J.Taylor [photo], who had been the curate at St. Paul's Bloor Street in Toronto. St. Nicholas was his first parish. In 1922, the Bishop decreed that St. Nicholas was self-sustaining and would become a separate parish, and its incumbent would be referred to as Rector.

Taylor noted that the Birch Cliff community did not have a library. Soon after his arrival, a library was established at St. Nicholas Church. Sunday was a busy time in the library, as local students, who also attended the church exchanged their books. The present library at the corner of Warden and Kingston Road, named the Taylor Memorial Library in remembrance of its "founder" [link »], was opened by the Scarborough Public Library Board in the former Taylor family home (built 1921). The Library was named in memory of Taylor's first wife, Florence Nightingale Taylor. The original branch was demolished in 1984 to make way for larger premises.

1923
In 1923, St. Nicholas Church was experiencing growing pains as its membership had escalated to 380. It was decided to extend the basement hall which would act as a foundation for the new section of the full church building, as originally planned and would eventually be completed in 1953.

1924
On May 26, 1924 Viscount Byng of Vimy, Governor General of Canada visited the church.

Reverend Taylor resigned his position, in 1927, to take up incumbancy at St. George's, Owen Sound.

1927
The Reverend T.W. Barnett [photo] soon became the St. Nicholas incumbent, after having served the three Mission Churches of Roches Point, Sharon and Holland Landing.The Barnett family soon became very active in Birch Cliff. In 1923, the Toronto 2nd Girl Guide Company was established [photo]. The Guides became very active serving the community and noted that many girls found the Church to be the "meeting" place for activities. In 1928 the Brownies were established and again became very popular. Eventually, due to the numbers a second Brownie Pack was set up.

Another Fire

Once again tragedy would strike the community. An arsonist's fire, which was started with the choir's robes, nearly gutted the east side of the Parish Hall, damaged the organ and scorched the Church. Fortunately, the damage was covered by insurance and the fire did not put the Church in financial distress.

With the popularity of the Girl Guides, the Boy Scouts were once again established at St. Nicholas. The Anglican Young People's Association (A.Y.P.A.) was also established to promote " their own welfare, spiritualy and otherwise and labour for the good of others" - founder the Rev. Canon Alfred Brown, 1903.

Barnett tendered his resignation in 1931 to become incumbent at St. Clements, Riverdale. Retired clergy Archdeacon Davidson and Rev. Richard Ashcroft took up the incumbency while a new clergy was sought.

1931
The Reverend N. Clarke Wallace [photo] soon became the new incumbent late in 1931 during the Depression. The Sunday School enrollment swelled to over 500, [photo] making the Church a busy place on Sunday!

In 1938, a new Anglican Hymn book was published.

Wallace resigned in 1940 to become the chaplain for the Canadian Armed Forces.

1940
The Reverend K.D. Whatmough [photo] succeeded Wallace and established the Church Year Group. The Church Year Group was largely a fundraising group to help raise funds to pay off the mortgage and complete the church building construction as originally planned. Forty feet of the land to the north of the church were purchased as a war memorial.

During his stay at St. Nicholas, a monthly newsleter was introduced to keep the parish and community informed of the church's activities.

1948
In 1948, the new incumbent of St. Nicholas was the Reverend Lewis S. Garnsworthy [photo], who left a position at St. John's Norway, the mother church of St. Nicholas. A building campaign was launched to raise $80,000. The final phase of construction was started in 1951 and on May 19, 1953, the Church was once again dedicated by the Rt. Right Revererend Fredrick Wilkinson. During the construction, church services were held across the road from the church, at the Birch Cliff Theatre.

Garnsworthy took a one year leave of absence to take up post graduate studies at St. Augustine's College in Canterbury. In his absence, the Reverend Edward G. Robinson ("Robbie") [photo] took up the incumbency at St. Nicholas until Garnsworty's return in August 1954. Robinson stayed on as an Honorary Assistant until his retirement in 1970.

In 1956, Garnsworthy moved to Church of the Transfiguration, and eventually became the ninth Bishop of Toronto, in 1972.

During the Garnsworthy incumbency, the physical Church of St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff, had finally been completed as originally designed by Harold Carter. Even though many years had passed, the community of St. Nicholas Church and the Village of Birch Cliff prospered, serving each other.

1956
The Reverend James E. Birchall [photo] was appointed and formed the Junior Auxillary. Stained glass memorial windows began to be placed.

1966
The Reverend E.R. Woolley [photo] introduced the processional cross and altar candlesticks.

Gilbert and Sullivan opperetta productions were popular events using parish talent and that from the wider communiity.

1974
The Reverend I.D. Nichols [photo] was appointed as changes were felt in the parish as the Anglican Church re-examined the relationship between baptism, confirmation and eucharist. Social and ethical issues led to an awakening of Christian responsibility.

1978
The Reverend Canon Edgar Bull [photo] became the incumbent.

In 1980 the college of Bishops was formed as part of the diocesan restructuring. The Book of Alternative Services began to be used.

The parish was invited to take part in the third round of a programme of revitalization of parishes within th ediocese known as SATS (Systems Approach To Stewardship).

1983
Under the guidance of The Reverend J.A. Roney [photo], two stained glass panels were placed in the east vestibule in 1992. A unique feature of the memorials is that the head of Micah is portrayed as the donor's father and the head of Susanna portrays the mother.

Lent noon hour meditiation series was launched.

Close to Easter 1993, it was found that disaster had struck - the organ loft was destroyed when water had leaked from an overhead roof. However, the two-manual T. Eaton pipe organ was replaced by a three manual Artisan Classic electronic organ.

1994
In 1995 the Reverend Canon Prue Chambers [photo] oversaw the transformation of the former organ loft into the Memorial Room. In 1996, nine stained glass windows were dedicated by the Right Reverend Michael Bedford-Jones in the Memorial Room and funds were raised for the installation of an elevator.

On June 22, 1997 the 85th anniversary of the founding of the congregation was celebrated by a special service.

The Clergy

The Reverend C.E. Luce 1912 - 1920
The Reverend W.J. Taylor 1920 - 1927
The Reverend N. Clarke Wallace 1927 - 1931
The Reverend T.W. Barnett 1931 - 1940
The Reverend K.D. Whatmough 1940 - 1948
The Reverend Lewis C. Garnsworthy 1948 - 1956
The Reverend Canon J.E. Birchall 1956 - 1966
The Reverend E.R. Woolley 1966 - 1974
The Reverend I.D. Nichols 1974 - 1978
The Reverend Canon Edgar Bull 1978 - 1983
The Reverend J.A. Roney 1983 - 1994
The Reverend Canon Prue Chambers 1994 - 2004
The Reverend Kevin Robertson 2005

Priests-in-charge

The Reverend E.G. Robinson
The Reverend William Wheeler
The Reverend Roy Shepherd
The Reverend Michael Deck
The Reverend Canon Edmund Der

Assisting Priests

The Reverend Will Kenny
The Reverend Canon Douglas Candy

Honorary Asssistants

The Reverend Ian Nichols
The Reverend Joan Waters-Garner

See contact information for the current clergy here »