St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church (Capreol, Ont.) is part of the single-point St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Parish (Capreol, Ont.).
The Mission of Capreol was founded in 1921. Prior to the founding, Rev. Percy Paris of the Church of Epiphany (Sudbury, Ont.) had administered to the community from 1920. The first service was held by Rev. Paris and Mr. Howard H. Clark (student) on July 10, 1921. Services were originally held in the theatre until that building, with much of the church's equipment, was destroyed by fire in 1923. Following the fire a church building was planned and built during same year.
Two lots near the public school in Caproel, Ont. were secured as a site for the church The building committee decided upon a church of 28 x 50 feet at a proposed cost of $3500. Much of this cost was raised quickly by the local community. One such donation was made by James “Scotty” Marshall in the amount of $800 in the memory of his wife.
The cornerstone was laid by the Rev. John Tate on September 18, 1923 and the building was opened for service by Mr. James Marshall and the Archbishop of Algoma on November 25, 1923. The building was paid off by the end of 1925 and was consecrated by the Archbishop on January 10, 1926. The same year a hall was built in the name of Archdeacon Gillmor. Shortly afterwards a bell arrived from the C.N.R. and was installed in the new turret in July 1927.
A basement was added in the 1950s, a new hall in 1967, and additional classrooms in 1972.
On March 25, 1973, Archbishop Wright dedicated seventeen of St. Alban's stained glass windows, designed and created by Russell Goodman in Ottawa. The seventeen windows are installed throughout the church telling the complete story of Christ and man. These windows have been dedicated by various members of the church.
Those who have served St. Alban the Martyr include: Mr. Howard Hewlett Clark (student) (1921), Rev. Percival A. Paris (1921), Rev. Henry Herbert Heard (1921-1926), Rev. Gowan Gillmor (1926), Rev. Edward James Govier Tucker (1926-1931), Rev. Marshall William Talbot (1931-1932), Rev. Edward Howard Burridge (1932-1934), Rev. Canon Christopher Simpson (1932-1934), Rev. Banjamin Halstead Wood (1934-1937), Rev. John George McCausland (1937-1940), Rev. Charles Frederick Large (1940-1944), Mr. Alvin Thomson (student) (1948), Rev. John Edward Millar Massie (1944-1947), Mr. Gerald Robertson (student) (1948), Rev. Arthur Lionel Chabot (1948), Rev. James Hinchliffe (1948), Rev. Lorne Reginald A. Sutherland (1948-1953), Mr. Gerald Johnson (1953), Rev. Robert Lumley (1953-1957), Rev. Gabriel White (1957-1963), Rev. Thomas James Davidson (1963-1968), Rev. Derwyn Spencer Shea (1968-1970), Rev. Colin Peter Clay (1970-?).
Sources:
- "Capreol and Milnet", The Algoma Missionary News 19, no. 4 (1923): 48. Part of 2009-081/001 (013)
- "Capreol", The Algoma Missionary News 19, no. 9 (1923): 148. Part of 2009-081/001 (013)
- "Consecration of St. Alban's, Capreol", The Algoma Missionary News 22, no. 2 (1925): 18.
- "Capreol celebrates Jubilee during diocesan Centenary", The Algoma Anglican 17, no. 11 (1973): 5. Algoma University Archives, 2013-086_001_009_011.
- Colin Clay, “St. Alban the Martyr, Capreol, Ontario: The First Fifty Years”, 1973, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives.
- Colin Clay, "The Stained-Glass Windows in St. Alban's Church, Capreol", 1973, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives, 2013-078/0019(018)
