St. Mary's Anglican Church (Vicker's Heights, Ont.) is part of the Anglican Parish of West Thunder Bay, previously known as the Oliver Mission and the West Thunder Bay Mission.
In 1942 the residents of Vicker's Heights petitioned Bishop Kingston for Anglican services in the area. The services soon began bi-weekly with Canon Hankinson (then rector of St. Thomas' in Thunder Bay). The Women's Auxiliary was also formed in this year.
On April 11, 1948 a small building on South Victor Street was dedicated as house of worship in the Anglican Parish of West Thunder Bay.
In 1945 arrangements were made to procure one of the quonset huts used by the Royal Canadian Air Force at a local airfield and the building was moved to property donated by William Doucette. After much refurbishment and renovation the building was sanctified as St. Mary's Anglican Church in 1948. Rev. J.S. Smedley, Rural Dean, officiated the early services at St. Mary's.
In 1950, a rectory was purchased for Rev. W. Peeling's use. This was largely the work of the Women's Auxiliary. This was later sold in 1957.
St. Mary's closed its doors in 1982.
Those who have served St. Mary's include: Canon W.A. Hankinson (1942-1946), Mr. Gilbert (1946-1950), Rev. R.B. Wright (1948-1949?), Mr. Ellard (1949-1950?), Mr. G. Brooke (1949-1950?), Rev. M. Goodman (1949-1950?), Rev. W. Peeling (1951-1954), Rev. W. Banting (1954-1958), Mr. R. Love (1958), Rev. Peter Park (1958-1959), Rev. E. Paterson (1959-1962), Rev. M. Conliffe (1962-1968), Rev. D. A. P. Smith (1968-?).
Source:
- "30 years of service", The Algoma Anglican 22, no. 9 (1978): 1. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_011_020.
- Violet Woods, "A History of the Parish of West Thunder Bay" (1971), Algoma University Archives, part of 2013-078/005(018).
- Howard Reid "100 hundred [sic] years ago priests walked to flock" (1990), Algoma University Archives, part of 2013-078/005(018).
