St. George’s Anglican Church (Depot Harbour, Ont.) is part of the single-point St. George’s Anglican Parish (Depot Harbour, Ont.).
Depot Harbour had substantial growth after the Canada Atlantic Railway and docks were built in 1897 and 1898. In September of 1898 Rev. Evans, then incumbent of Parry Sound, held services in the C. A. R. Hotel and later in “The Black Diamond”, a shack built by Mr. J. R. Booth. In 1901 the Anglican community asked the Bishop for a student or catechist, and in May Mr. McKittrick, then student, arrived in the mission; building a church was planned soon after in the summer. In December of 1901 Mr. McKittrick was replaced by Mr. A. W. Behrends.
In 1902 $700.00 had been raised and saved for the church’s construction. The C. A. R. donated two lots for the a church and parsonage and construction began in the summer. The Parry Sound Lumber Co. donated 2000 ft of rough lumber and Mr. J. R. Booth donated $40.00 of shingles. An organ was bought by the choir in November 1902.
In January 1903 the church was completed with its opening service held by Bishop Thorneloe on January 4, and a year later Mr. J. F. Pratt cancelled the debt. The church was consecrated on February 12, 1905 by the Bishop. Additions continued and in 1907 funds were raised for a bell, which arrived and was installed on December 21. Later, in the summer of 1911, money was raised for a furnace which was installed before the winter.
The following were donated to the church over the years: two brass vases from Mr. J. W. Smith, coloured glass windows from Mr. C. J. Smith, silver offertory plate from Alderman Rosenthal, two Rochester lamps, three bracket lamps and fourteen yards of cocoa matting from Mr. Mountain, Mr. Donaldson and other C.A. R. Officials, two large station lamps from Mr. Ogilvie, Mr. Ireland constructed the altar, 12 prayer books for the choir from England, hymn books, altar books, brass alms dish, brass vases, silver communion service, communion linen, altar cloths, hanging for lectern and prayer desk, floral cross, suplice and hassocks, brass altar desk from the members of the congregation, the red sandstone font was gifted by St. Margaret’s Church (Toronto, Ont.), altar frontal, chalice and paten from the Girls’ Auxiliary of St. Stephen’s Church (Toronto, Ont.), a new altar by Messes. P. J. Nolan and A. F. Butterworth, brass candlesticks from the W. A. of Byng Inlet, red velvet superfrontal from the sisterhood of St. John the Divine (Toronto, Ont.), and linen cloth from the Algoma Association.
Incumbents and rectors who have served St. George’s include: Mr. McKittrick (1901), Mr. A. W. Behrends (1901-1902), Mr. Peck (1903-1904), Rev. Rural dean Allman (of Emsdale) and Mr. Clarke (student) (1904), Mr. F. W Major (student) (1904), Rev. A. G. E. Westmacott (of Toronto, Locum Tenens) (1906-1912), Mr. Wells (student) (1912), Rev. Charles E. Emerson (1912-1914), Rev. Alfred Percy Bands (1914-?). Rev. L. Sinclair (1921?-1927), Rev. J. McCausland (1927), Rev. R. W. Sinny (sp?) (1927-1928) (Any gaps in incumbency were filled by ministers from Parry Sound.
Sources:
- “St. George’s Church: Depot Harbour”, (after 1915), St. George’s Anglican Church (Depot Harbour, Ont.) sous fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-199_001_001.
