St Andrew, Royal Parade

Plymouth St Andrew Christ Child
Figure of Christ Child at St Andrew in Plymouth

St Andrew’s church suffered two successive nights of bombing in March 1941 and lost all internal furniture and fittings, except the valuable plate (Twyford, 2005). It is likely that Violet Pinwill created many more woodcarvings for St Andrew’s than is represented below.

Credence Table, Sanctuary Desk and Sanctuary Chair – Photograph (PWDRO 116/9) A. Southcombe Parker architect; 1938

During 1938 Miss Charlton gave the credence table in memory of Miss Bennett, and Miss Burridge presented a new chair and desk for the sanctuary in memory of her parents (J. Spence, church historian, pers. comm.).

Cornice for North Screen – Photograph (PWDRO 116/9) A. Southcombe Parker architect; probably ca 1938

The photograph in PWDRO 116/9 shows only four running ornaments and not the complete cornice. It was probably made at about the same time as the items above (J. Spence, church historian, pers. comm.).

Figure of the Christ Child – Chaytor (1990); after 1933

This figure of the Christ child is mentioned by Chaytor and is identical to the one depicted in PWDRO 244/2 for St Ives, Cornwall, apart from the colouring of the robe. Unfortunately, the figure is described in the guide (Plymouth St Andrew, undated) as that of a girl, because of its association with Busy Bees, a local independent girls’ school. The school may well have donated the statue, as part of the creation of a children’s corner in 1933 (J. Spence, church historian, pers. comm.), since their symbol of a bee is carved on the base. At the unveiling of the children’s corner by the Bishop of Exeter in November 1933, it consisted of an oak screen with eleven panels for memorial pictures (Western Morning News, 1933). There were several promises of pictures and other gifts, which may have included the figure of the Christ child.

Sources

Chaytor, E. (1990) Ermington Days. Melinga Publishing, North Cheam.

Plymouth St Andrew (undated) A Walk Around the Church of St Andrew Plymouth.

PWDRO 116/9 Photographs. Plymouth St Andrew. Cornice, Table, Chair and Lectern.

Twyford, H. P. (2005) It Came To Our Door. Plymouth in World War II – A Journalist’s Eye Witness Account. Revised and illustrated by C. Robinson. Pen & Ink Publishing, Plymouth.

Western Morning News (1933) Children’s Corner Unveiled. In St. Andrew’s Church. 2 November p. 8.