The Fire - 1981
February : Partition wall and window idea now abandoned as being too devisive of the congregation. Derek Wren, Barry Kent, David Lewis and Vicar look at examples in Berinsfield, Windsor, Birmingham and elsewhere. Best one finally found at Queen's Hotel, Farnborough!
Pews seen as Alresford R. C. Church encouraged us towards unfixed pews, padded kneelers with embroidered kneelers later. Movement away from electronic organ because of large speakers needed, fear of design changes outdating a present model, and shorter lifespan. Security discussed, but in the end having alarms deemed not practical.
"Cry Room" facilities considered necessary, and arrangements made for this to be in hall window alcove and in tower. Richard Bradford, who is installing sound reinforcement system, to include these. We agree to spend about £800 on sound system. Steel framework arrived February 13th and erected by month's end. More time spent on reviewing heating and lighting contracts.
"Opening Ceremonies" sub-committee appointed of John Steynor, Babs Hews, David Lewis and the Vicar to make all arrangements for liturgy, invitations, refreshment and ticket allocation.
February 6th : Wooden figure of St. John, mediaeval figure placed over porch entrance in 1903 stolen – a sad loss.
March 17th : Architect, Ramsey King and Vicar visit Alton where walnut on offer for pews at low price. Also called at Longmoor Camp to see furnishings from Netley Hospital Chapel lent to us by the Army until we decide if we want them, and stored there.
March 27th : Order for specially built pipe organ placed with James Mitchell of Bideford on recommendation of sub-committee of Messrs. Steynor, Bradford and Chester at a cost of £11,500. This is subject to Faculty, but order necessary for pipes to be ordered in time.
March 31st : Tower plan now finalised – not as drastic as expected, but beam by beam assessment. Will need close supervision, but general principles agreed by Corrine Bennett, Simpson, Wren and J. M. Jones & Sons.
April 7th : Financial Crisis. PCC is told by John Wooldridge (Q.S.) that VAT Office is totally unbending and we now need to allow £40,000 on main contract instead of c. £5,000. Also tower will cost £70,000 instead of £50,000 allowed for because of high level of man hours needed. We therefore seem to be £70,000 short!
April 9th-12th : J. M. Jones guarantee VAT ceiling of £20,000 which restores some sanity to the situation. PCC extra meeting confirms tower go ahead (we had considered leaving it for time being), but partition to wait. Figures now leave us £18,000 short on "bare bones" estimate.
May 12th : Graham Phillips, Diocesan Secretary, offers us a loan of £3,000 at 5% and further loan of up to £25,000 at 13% repayable over 5 years. Covenants will nearly repay loan but not interest, and loan ensures the bills can be paid.
May 22nd : Taylors say they cannot install bells until after the Consecration on November 21st; organ installation date still doubtful; walnut pews now abandoned as no progress made. Others will be more costly and tight for time.
June 16th : A row breaks out over detail of ceiling and rumbles on for a month. All rather painful, but shows deep concern of everyone to get everything as right as we can, and when so many feel so keenly, upsets are bound to occur.
J. M. Jones offer fixed price of £45,000 for tower, but PCC accept Q.S. advice to "gamble" on real cost being lower, particularly as key corner post now in place and progress looks good.
Accepted Derek Wren's suggestion of stone floor for Chapel and "Cheltenham" chairs. Ramsey King generously offers to reproduce former Bishop's chair from oak beams, but not until later on. Contract for pews settled with Colin D. Lutman of Chichester at £6,000 as walnut pews hope fizzled out.
Main north door delivered by Guy Fullbrook – a splendid job of restoration as the inside charred off. Doing the same job for clergy vestry door and will make east door. He also did a lot on the tower top, and tower windows.
June 25th : The tower top is lifted on by crane, a helicopter having proved impractical. It went on with no trouble at all, a credit to it's makers.
June 27th : A successful Open Day was held on site. Some 520 people visited with much favourable comment and £585 was also raised, greatly helped by Majorie Wingrove's initiative in having a donation jar at the door. The day marks the departure of Chris Traill who has been Site Manager since the beginning and who has won golden opinions from everyone for skill, foresight and easy manner.
July 7th : Another period of optimistic mood! Progress on the tower is well above expectations, which means a healthy cost saving – it could be down to £30,000. We feel safe to order the Partition without which the building cannot operate properly.
We receive a protest about future noise of the bells, which we shall try to meet, but unsure of the best way.
July 17th : Peter Harknett's men have started on battens and shingles for tower roof and sides. Will be done by month's end. Weathercock ready to go up, restored by REME at Arborfield, Ramsey King, and others.
Panic to get clock face together, and this is done. The works will follow. We receive furnishing plans from Derek Wren and these look good. Particularly delighted with his plan to set movable font by the door on plinth of mediaeval tiles. All "modern" brasses cleaned and straightened by Berkshire Metal Co. for £151. One chandelier has been reconstructed from the remains by Doug Coltart and his students. Extraordinarily painstaking work of many hundreds of man hours. Friends of St. Peter's pays to have to gold plated as too fragile for brass cleaning. Chandelier and Cross will help to keep traditional feel to Chapel.
Extension of contract granted for one month for weather delay and heating sub-contractor's late coming. This will cost £2,400.
August 7th : Scaffolding now nearly all down, roof being completed, all looking very handsome. Dais furniture ordered from J. M. Jones & Sons.
September 8th : Vicar away for three weeks and during this time organ details have been received. It will be a bit bigger than expected. Archdeacon Finch works hard to get official permission to go ahead with it and does so. Colour of Chapel ceiling and dais carpet agreed; plastic chairs, tables and benches chosen.
September 10th : Visit of Graham Jones (his firm have done splendid work on stonework) makes it clear stonework of arch into tower cannot be left as it has perished. Architect will consult J. M. Jones as to whether repair will involve extension of contract. If so we must leave it until later as cost £2,500-£4,000 without extension payment on top.
Visit by Archdeacon, mainly to get Faculty application lined up for next week's DAC meeting to make everything legal. Dais is now nearly complete and all the window glass is in.
The record must stop here, though there will be undoubted ups and downs before all is finished. But we know it will be finished, and I would like to end with my most sincere thanks to all those named above, and to those many more who are not named, through whose unstinting efforts St. Peter's has been rebuilt and been extended, ready, we pray, to serve God and this community for many years to come.