Fr Andrews' Anniversary

Priest celebrates 65 years in the church
CELEBRATION ... Father John Andrews, who was first ordained as an Anglican priest 65 years ago
Published Date: 19 June 2008
By Susan Stephenson

A SCARBOROUGH priest is celebrating 65 years since he was first ordained.

Father John Andrews, 89, still gives regular services at St Saviour’s Church in Gladstone Road, St Martin-on-the-Hill in Albion Road and at the private chapel in Dulverton Hall, Esplanade, a home for retired members of the clergy.

On reaching his 65th anniversary, he said: “I can’t believe it – it seems impossible to me. When I started it was during the war and all I wanted was to be a parish priest.”

Father John was born in Chesham, Bucks, and studied at Keble College, Oxford, and Chichester Theological College.He was ordained as an Anglican priest at Southwark Cathedral on June 20, 1943, by Bishop Bertram Simpson.Father John worked as an assistant curate in Bermondsey and Waterloo, London, before getting married in 1945.He spent 52 years working in the Diocese of Lichfield and was made a Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral in 1981.The priest retired in 1986 and came to Scarborough in 2001 to live at Dulverton Hall, which is run by the Church of England Pensions Board.

Father John has received many cards congratulating him on reaching his special anniversary – some from people he knew 50 years ago.

He said: “I have seen enumerable changes over the years. I still enjoy it as much as always, but I will start to wind down now.”

The priest, who has a son and two grandsons, enjoys reading and taking walks along the Esplanade, which he calls “the best part of Scarborough”.

He has just recently given up driving and enjoys going on regular outings with St Saviour’s Church.

Father John Andrews will deliver a special service in the presence of the Bishop of Whitby, which will be held at 7pm tonight at St Saviour’s Church in Gladstone Road.