CANTERBURY COMMEMORATION IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 November 1950, Page 5

CANTERBURY COMMEMORATION IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Wide Public Interest Aroused In Service To Be Held Next Month

LONDON, Nov. 16 (Bee. 5 pm).—lnquiries from all over Britain from families whose forebears were associated with the early days of New Zealand have flowed to New Zealand House since publication in “The Times” of a letter from the High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom (Mr. Jordan) and the chairman of the Church of England Advisory Council of Empire Settlement (the Earl of Bessborough) drawing attention to a service in St. Paul’s Cathedral to be held on December 15 to commemorate the foundation of the Canterbury Province.

The formation of the Canterbury t Association, more than 100 years ago, ’ drew together two archbishops, seven • 1 bishops, eleven peers including the < great Earl of Shaftsbury, and 16 mem- h bers of Parliament. Ali their descend- 1 ants and successors have been invited ; to the service next month. < There is to be a large representa- 1 tion of the families of Godley and 1 Wakefield, as well as other peers and i statesmen connected with the depart- i ure of the first four ships. j The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee) ; and Mrs. Attlee will attend. The i preacher will be the Dean of Christ < Church, Oxford, Doctor John Lowe,'' and the Bishop of London, Dr. Wand, , will give the blessing. i. In tracing the descendants of the ‘ Canterbury pioneers, many new and i interesting facts have come to light. : Lady Cynthia Colville, a woman of I ]

the bed chamber to Queen Mary since 1923, is a descendant of Mr. Monkton ; Milnes, a member of the committee of the Canterbury Association; Colonel I Archer Cust, secretary-general of the Royal Empire Society, is a descendant of Sir Edward Cust, after whom iCust, in Canterbury, was named; and the author and distinguished soldier, Lieut.-General Sir George MacMunn, is a descendant of Archdeacon Mathias. It is hoped all three will be .able to attend the celebration. ; To commemorate centenary place names, the society will place a plaque on the house in Marylebone where .Mr. John Robert Godley spent the ’ last years of his life. i e The Saint Paul’s service will be at- ‘ tended by about 3000 people, includ- | ing hundreds of New Zealanders in ! London. Special N.Z.P.A. Corresi pondent.