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The church at Lower Broadheath

Christ Church Lower Broadheath
This year is the centenary of Lower Broadheath Church. In 1954 a former churchwarden, Mr Griffiths, went to a great deal of trouble to collect all that was known about the church, and record it for posterity.
This is a factual record of what he found; much of the information has come from the parish magazines of the period.

On 27th January 1903, a meeting was held in the village school, to consider building a new Church and to provide a burial ground for the village. The meeting was large and enthusiastic despite a wet night. Admiral Britten who presided, stated the present Church was not large enough, and as further accommodation for the school was required, suggested the old Church could be used as a schoolroom.
He then mentioned that members of Mr A E Lord's family had promised an acre of land suitable for the site of the new Church and burial ground. Lord Dudley promised to give red sandstone from his Holt quarry.
A committee was formed to choose an architect, and to appeal for funds, by June of that year £2000 had been collected. On July 21st the sub committee met to consider the tenders. The lowest tender Messrs. Collins and Godfrey of Tewkesbury was accepted this was £2853.
On November 5th 1903 saw the laying of the foundation stone of the new church. The procession consisted of the Broadheath and Hallow Choirs, local clergy, headed by the Hallow Banner, the rural Dean (Canon Carr), the Archdeacon of Worcester and the Bishop of Worcester.
Mrs C Wheeley-Lee to whom a silver trowel was presented by Mr Harold Godfrey on behalf of the builders laid the foundation stone.
Admiral Britten had previously placed in a cavity under the stone, a glass bottle containing a record of the circumstances on parchment, all the current coins, from a sovereign to a farthing, a copy of the parish magazine and copies of local and London newspapers.
Tea was provided after the ceremony, in the school, for the subscribers, friends and members of the choir.
In March 1904 building was progressing. £300 £400 was still required to begin work on the tower.
The church was consecrated on September 29th Michelmas Day, and the Lord Bishop of the Diocese legally consecrated the Church at 3.30 PM. On the following morning at 8.00, he celebrated Holy Communion, which completed the consecration in its highest sense.
Finally, the churchyard was laid out and made by the voluntary labour of the parishioners.

The following has been taken from a booklet, called the History of Lower Broadheath edited by Dorothy Ricketts and Eileen Chapman published in June 1995

The Church Hall, usually referred to as the memorial hall, has in it a stone fireplace, which is a memorial to the Honourable Mrs Britten and was placed in the hall in 1950.
Captain Forester-Britten presented the small flag in the hall. It is of historical interest in that it was the colour of No. 4 company of the first Battalion the Coldstream Guards, and it was the first flag to be flown in Cologne, Germany at the occupation 1918
.
A group of residents, led by the late Lt. Col. J. D. Ricketts, investigated the possibility of the Church Hall becoming a village Hall, which would then become eligible for improvement grants from the County Council. Members of the Britten Family, the PCC. And the Diocesan authorities co-operated in this matter.
At a well attended parish meeting it was decided to apply to the charity commissioners for permission to convert the Church Hall into a Village Hall and for it to be named "Broadheath Memorial Hall" to fulfil the original intention that the Hall should be in memory of Admiral Britten.
The Hall became a charitable trust in 1965 under the trusteeship of the parish council.