A short history
Early History of Brentwood Chapel
The Chapel, which is now a Parish Church serving the needs of the community of Brentwood Bay, stands as a beautiful and inspiring memorial to those whose contributions, efforts and goodwill built it.
The Chapel 1926 (click image to enlarge)
Brentwood College began its life on September 12, 1923 when His Honour Lieutenant Governor Walter Nicol and the Right Rev. D. Charles Schofield officiated at the opening and dedication ceremonies. Mr. Norman Yarrow (a member of the Board of Governors) said in his address, that at Brentwood College “great men of tomorrow are going to be given their start in life, and we look forward to their achievements in later years when, as a result of the training they will have obtained at Brentwood, they will be well fitted to turn their hand to the tasks of life.”
After the laying of the foundation stone, progress on the building was very rapid. In a short time, the tower, in which was situated the organ loft and the vestry, was erected and then the side walls of the Chapel were erected. Under the supervision of Mr. W. Long the boys, while building the tower, accomplished some very heavy work when they set in position large cross pieces, each of weighing some four hundred pounds, at a distance of fifty feet from the ground. It did not take long to put up the sides, but then came the easier but more tedious job of erecting the buttresses. The plan of the Sanctuary end of the Chapel was altered several times, with the result that a door was provided for at that end of the building. In 1926 the outside of the building was completed, except for stucco, and twenty-one windows of clouded amber glass, set in lead, were installed.
On May 26, 1929, although the Chapel was still unfinished, the first service was held. Great thankfulness was felt by the whole school for the work that had already been accomplished under the able and patient instruction of Mr. Long, the manual training instructor. He showed untiring energy and ability in handling groups of boys, some of whom had never before used such implements as a hammer or saw!
On the second Sunday before the end of the Lent term a Confirmation Service was held in the Chapel. At this service the boys were Confirmed by the Rt. Rev. B. Doull, Bishop of Kootenay. Amazing strides in the work of finishing the Chapel were made in the two weeks prior to this service. The Altar was made in order to complete the Chapel as soon as possible. After the building of the Chapel was complete, and regular daily and Sunday services were being held, the boys, their relations and other friends of the school did not lose interest, but rather continued to add to the furniture and to enhance its beauty.
The first regular school chaplain, The Rev. J.H.H. Watts, was appointed in 1939. Before this time services were taken by visiting clergy. Other Chaplains were Rev. J.A. Roberts, Rev. Warren Turner, Rev. Alan Gardiner, and Rev. Norman A. Lowe.
On the night of August 16, 1947 a disastrous fire completely destroyed the College and seriously threatened the Chapel. As the fire consumed more and more of the College building the wind carried the flames towards the Chapel. Because of the severity of the fire the Chapel walls become too hot to touch. Sparks were falling on the roof and the bush adjacent began to catch fire.
The Chaplain and a party of volunteers began to remove some of the valuable contents of the Chapel, including the organ, to a safe place. Just as the laboratory at the nearest end of the school caught fire, thereby generating the most intense heat, the wind changed direction and a gentle breeze blew the flames steadily away from the building. The bush fire was quickly brought under control and the Chapel was saved. A flag literally rescued from the flames now hangs at the West end of the Chapel.
When Brentwood College amalgamated with the University School on November 15, 1948 the Chapel remained unused for seven months. The Governors and Trustees then transferred the ownership to the care of the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia. It did not seem right to leave such a beautiful building, which had such an atmosphere of worship about it, unused. Therefore, after some preliminary discussions, on June 20, 1949 the Bishop of British Columbia appointed the Rev. Norman A. Lowe, who had been the last chaplain of the College, as the first Vicar of Brentwood Memorial Chapel, with instructions to commence services for the community of Brentwood Bay as soon at possible.
On July 3, 1949, the first public service was held. Mrs. M. Unkefer, who had bought most of the school property some time after the fire, donated the lot adjoining the Chapel, hoping that at some future time a Parish Hall would be built there.
Author- Anonymous
