Alvan Birkett (1921-1935)
The third Vicar of Christ Church, the Reverend Alvan Birkett (1878-1966) arrived with his wife Mabel in 1921.
In the first Parish History, William Authers says of Alvan Birkett ‘…there was a spirit of friendliness about him… There was one concern always with him – that of the “man outside”… He was a Christian before he was a churchman, and his soul hungered for his fellow man. Denomination did not much matter to him, only as a means of contact. Thus it came about that he was everywhere welcomed because of the warmth of his friendliness’
A major task of Alvan Birkett's ministry was helping those in the parish to recover from the terrible ordeal of the First World War. Part of this was done through establishing a much freer attitude to fun and social activities within church life described as having a very joyful atmosphere. The establishment of Remembrance was also an important part of this and the photos below show Alvan Birkett presiding at the unveiling of the War Memorial in New Malden High Street on 8th November 1924.
Prominent roles were played by councillors, the armed services, MPs, other clergy and uniformed organisations. The choir of Christ Church was also present to lead the hymns that were sung.
The photos below (which belonged to a keen member of Christ Church, Nancy Symes) show Alvan Birkett playing tennis and skittles at a Vicarage Garden Party in June 1926.
The small boy in the photo is almost certainly John Birkett, the only child born to Alvan and his wife Mabel in 1922.
The resignation of Alvan Birkett
In 1935, after fourteen years of ministry at Christ Church, Alvan Birkett left Christ Church to be Vicar of Holy Trinity, Redhill in Surrey in 1935. After just three years in 1938, he became Rector of Eccles in Greater Manchester. Tragedy struck the family in April 1944 when their son John, by that stage a Flying Officer in the RAF, died at the age of 22. The Halifax bomber in which John was flying crashed into a hillside at Muckle Knowe in Roxburghshire whilst on a night navigation exercise killing all eight members of its crew.
In 1945 the Birketts moved to St Leonard’s, Chesham Bois in Buckinghamshire. Alvan Birkett was as popular there as he had been in his other parishes, staying for nineteen years before retiring at the age of 86 in 1964.
When Alvan Birkett died two years later at Wells in Somerset in 1966 his ashes were brought to Kingston Cemetery and interred there at the same time as those of John. Mabel died in 1979 and her ashes were buried beneath the same grave stone.
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William Challacombe | Building CCNM 1921-35 | Willoughby Habershon |  |
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