Churchwardens of Christ Church and St John's
There have been 62 Churchwardens during the history of Christ Church including those during the time of the ‘Temporary Church of St James’: 56 men and 6 women.
| F.H. Hammerton | 1859-1860 | (1 year) |
| Henry Thomas Dobson | 1859-1860 | (1 year) |
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Involved in meeting at Railway Tavern in February 1856 to discuss the ‘New Malden Church’. In May 1857 moved the motion in rebuke of the opposition and ‘abominable imputations’ of Henry Drummond MP. See photo in ‘The Start of Christ Church, New Malden’ |
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| Samuel Watson | 1860-1862 | (2 years) |
| John Ackerman | 1860-1861 | (1 year) |
| J. Allen | 1861-1862, 1865-1866 | (1 & 1 year) |
| J. Smith | 1862-1863 | (1 year) |
| E. Edmunds | 1862-1863, 1869-1871 | (1 & 2 years) |
| H. Parker | 1863-1865 | (2 years) |
| W. Cullenford | 1863-1867, 1868-1869, 1871-1872 | (4, 1 & 1 years) |
| E. Childs | 1866-1867 | (1 year) |
| Frederick Somner Merryweather | 1867-1871 | (4 years) |
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Came into conflict with the Vicar over the use of Lime Grove School in 1870 and part of faction that broke away to establish Holy Trinity in the high street as part of the ‘Free Church of England’. Died in 1900 and remembered through the heraldic stained glass window originally in the North Wall but moved in 1980-81 to the left part of the box in West Wall (South End) |
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| John Carsgoyne Sim | 1871-1872 | (1 year) |
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Died in 1875 and remembered with his wife Margaretta who died in 1871 by the Chancel built in the first extension of Christ Church in 1878 |
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| James Page | 1872-1873 | (1 year) |
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1816-1892 Remembered with his wife, Mary Ann Baker, 1829-1910, through the stained glass window in the South Wall (the fifth one) depicting Simeon and Anna For photos of him and his wife see section on Christ Church between 1866 and 1892 |
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| V. Wing | 1872-1875 | (3 years) |
| G. W. Carrington | 1873-1875 | (2 years) |
| R.S. Warrington | 1875-1876 | (1 years) |
| J. Cooper | 1875-79, 1889-1891, 1896-1900 | (4, 2 & 4 years) |
| Charles Davis | 1876-1883 | (7 years) |
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An accomplished musician whose band performed during the celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Remembered through Brass Plate on South Wall (West End) |
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| J. Austine | 1879-1883 | (4 years) |
| B.F. MacGeagh | 1883-1884 | (1 year) |
| E. Farley | 1883-1885 | (2 years) |
| W. Patrick | 1884-1887 | (3 years) |
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‘…indefatigable labours … persistence in duty, and inspired endurance, found their secret in devotion to the Lord’ |
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| Alfred Streeter | 1885-1887, 1892-1896 | (2 & 4 years) |
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Remembered through the window depicting Faith, Charity and Hope … originally in the North Wall (East End) but moved in 1980 to the box in West Wall. His son Arthur, who died at the age of 22, is remembered through the window depicting Jesus as the Good Shepherd and Light of the World in the South Wall |
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| Dr Edwin Child | 1887-1896 | (9 years) |
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The first GP in New Malden and the first of four doctors to be Churchwarden of Christ Church. Worked tirelessly for poorer people who were ill. The only Churchwarden of Christ Church that we know died in office – in December 1896 |
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| C.W. Goodfellow | 1887-1888 | (1 year) |
| Mr Salt | 1888-1889 | (1 year) |
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Donated the cassocks and surplices used for many years by the choir at Christ Church |
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| T. Wilkinson | 1891-1892 | (1 year) |
| Dr George Cowen | 1897-1903 | (6 years) |
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Died in 1925 and remembered through the Oak Reredos above the Communion Table in the Chancel (and the Brass Eagle Lectern disposed of in 2006-7) |
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| A. Watkin | 1900-1912 | (12 years) |
| A. Busby | 1903-1908 | (5 years) |
| Atkinson Bachhoffner | 1908-1934 | (26 years) |
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‘… his always-beneficient countenance, and natural kindliness. Tactful and understanding, he was seldom called into question for his seating of the congregation. He was a generous and unassuming soul’ William Authers, First Parish History |
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| F. Page | 1912-1919 | (7 years) |
| John W. Bliss | 1919-1926 | (7 years) |
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‘… it fell to his lot to deal with a heavy Special Expenditure, including the Memorial Screen and brass Lectern… While he was not free from anxiety he did not show it: in fact, his jovial nature served to hide any concern he may have felt. His was a faithful Stewardship’ |
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| Dr Hugh Rose Cran | 1926-1934 | (8 years) |
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‘…there was much to occupy his attention in the stream of parochial life, in which he was soon immersed…the building of the Parochial Hall, the intricacies of the proposed alteration of the parish boundaries… We know these problems were successfully overcome’ |
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| William Henry Benham | 1934-1937 | (4 years) |
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Also a Lay Reader at Christ Church for forty years |
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| Percy C. Josling | 1934-1937 | (3 years) |
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‘…the records of the Church show P.C. Josling as Warden, Vice Chairman of Church Council, Schools Manager, Diocesan and Ruri-Decanal Representative and Missionary Secretary, in all of which he has shown faithful and devoted service’ |
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| A.W. Nias | 1937-1940 | (3 years) |
| William T. Authers | 1937-1942 | (5 years) |
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Author of the tremendously informative 'The Parish Church of New Malden and Coombe (Christ Church)' |
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| David H. Burton | 1940-1970 | (30 years) |
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‘An outstanding chairman of the finance committee who presented budget challenges to the congregation in such a way that many reviewed their giving regularly and deficits were a rarity. A committed member of the Council for the Leprosy Mission’ and a faithful leader of King's Own for many years' See photo in Life at Christ Church: 1935 to 1944 |
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| Reginald V. Ellis | 1942-1969 | (27 years) |
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‘The other half of an ideal Churchwarden partnership over almost three decades. Always beaming and friendly. Known for his care for Church properties which included practical involvement in many problems such as sorting the drains!’ See photo in Life at Christ Church: 1935 to 1944 |
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| Ron Voller | 1969-1974 | (5 years) |
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‘Reliable and dependable. Used his contacts to make sure that there was always nice fruit at Women’s Own parties!’ |
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| Alex Shannon | 1970-1973 | (3 years) |
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‘Great on all financial matters and a thorough and careful man’ |
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| Ian Young | 1973-1984 | (11 years) |
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‘A fantastic Churchwarden – solid, supportive, quiet and reliable. Baled us out on so many occasions’ |
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| Jack Cox | 1974-1980 | (6 years) |
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‘A very pleasant and reliable man who had a great partnership with his wife Peggy after meeting at the age of 3! |
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| George Lihou | 1980-1983 | (3 years) |
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‘Very highly regarded … and a very effective Headmaster of Christ Church School’ |
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| Bob Burt | 1983-1987 | (4 years) |
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‘Pleasant with a good sense of fun … always wore a flashing Santa hat to church on Christmas Day!’ |
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| Peter Eastwood | 1984-1985 | (1 year) |
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‘A great chap with a whole variety of all round skills. A shame that moving away from New Malden meant that he could only serve for one year as Churchwarden’ |
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| John Henson | 1985-2001 | (16 years) |
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‘He was a faithful Churchwarden, serving the church particularly through his knowledge of diocesan affairs. He was instrumental in bringing the Fairer Shares giving process to the Diocese and to our church. Full of quips but you should never ask him to sing!’ See photo in Life at Christ Church: 1991 to 2006 |
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| Graham Mitchell | 1987-1990 | (3 years) |
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‘An excellent man with people, he had a determination to do what he saw as right. He served the church in all sorts of ways – leading Explorers for a number of years, for example. He was very approachable, very reliable and very likeable’ |
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| Derek Hobday | 1990-1996 | (6 years) |
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‘It’s hard to know where to stop praising the Godliness and commitment of this man. He was a lovely person, who gave time and energy to Christ Church and to its members. He was a great person to know and to have as a friend’ |
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| Hugh Griffiths | 1996-2004 | (8 years) |
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‘Full of earnest faith and the steady desire to support Christ Church and those within it. He has welcomed and encouraged so many members of the church down the years’ |
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| Chris Gretton | 2001-2003 | (2 years) |
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‘Keen on process and a warm and encouraging home group leader’ |
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| Trevor Webster | 2003-2008 | (5 years) |
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‘Dedicated to doing everything that he could to facilitate Christ Church being and becoming as effective a church as possible. Wonderfully wise and supportive and worked tirelessly on the reordering of church interior in 2006-7’ See photo in Life at Christ Church: 1991 to 2006 |
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| Carolyn Lucas | 2004-2008 | (4 years) |
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‘Our first female Churchwarden! Prayerful, hardworking and contributing in so many completely different ways to Christ Church’ See photo in Life at Christ Church: 1991 to 2006 |
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| Sarah Parker | 2008-2016 | (8 years) |
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‘A huge heart particularly for those on the margins, courageous in always being prepared to challenge the status quo… and the Vicar! But very loyal and tremendous fun’ |
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| David Loffman | 2008-2014, 2020-2022 | (6 & 2 years) |
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‘Wise, steady, brave and extremely supportive and loyal. Made such a difference to Christ Church through his constancy and encouragement’ |
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| Mark Hayman | 2014-2018 | (4 years) |
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‘Clear-minded, wise and determined to make the right things happen to ensure that Christ Church is as effective a church as possible’ |
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| Harriet Morgan | 2016-2019 | (3 years) |
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‘Kind, attentive and affirming to everyone she meets. She has brought such a wonderful enthusiasm to the role of Churchwarden’ |
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| Diana Elsdon | 2018-2020 | (2 years) |
| Jon Cook | 2019-2023 | (4 years) |
| Kate Shrimpton | 2022-present | |
| Gill Mosquera | 2023-present | |