BIG CROWD HEARS SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26516, 3 September 1951, Page 3

BIG CROWD HEARS SERVICE

It took a Christchurch. cathedral, two picture theatres, and two churches to accommodate the crowd that went to hear Canon Bryan Green, Rector of Birmingham, who spoke from the Cathedral last evening. Two queues began forming at the Cathedral before 7 o’clock, and threequarters of an hour later both had grown to at least 200 yards long. About that time it was announced over a loud speaker system that there was plenty of room in the Regent Theatre. Two minutes later it was announced it was full, but that there were plenty of seats left in the Liberty Theatre. At 8.10 (10 minutes after the service was due to start), one queue at the Cathedral had shrunk to 50 yards, while the other (under 30 years of age group) had disappeared. Both the churches were full. A check of attendance figures made at 8.30 pjm. showed that there were 1650 persons at the Regent Theatre, 900 at the Liberty Theatre, 300 at the Durham street Methodist Church. 200 at the Trinity' Congregational Church, and 2500 at the Cathedral—a total of 5550 persons. The service was relayed by loud-speaker and Canon Green made personal appearances at the Regent and Liberty theatres.