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ST GEORGE'S
ANGLICAN CHURCH
Sunday in Venice: Going to the English Church [of St
George in Campo San Vio]
Drawing by W. Logsdail published in The
Graphic, 6 July 1895
"THE ENGLISH CHURCH IN VENICE
"The time of year is now coming when large
numbers of Englishmen and their families are to
be found holiday-making in various parts of the
Continent. Wherever they go they expect to find
an English church. In a great many places they
do find one, but it is to be feared that only a
small proportion of the worshippers in these
churches trouble their heads about how these
churches were built and who paid for them.
"The want of an English church at Venice had
been long felt when, in 1888, a movement was
started by the late Sir Henry Layard and Lady
Layard towards securing a permanent church in
that city. An appeal for support produced about
1,000l., but this was found to be
insufficient for the object in view, owing to
certain difficulties with regard to the title of
the site selected, and also because a guarantee
was required before the building could be
accepted by the Bishop of London, who alone was
capable of holding it for the Church of England.
At this juncture Sir Henry and Lady Layard
generously found the money for the purchase of
the site and the carrying out of such structural
alterations in the building already standing as
were essential; and the 1,000l., that had
been subscribed became the necessary guaranteed
fund vested in the Bishop of London.
"A further sum of 2,000l. is needed for
the decoration of the building, and to make it
worthy of its purpose. The Dowager Duchess of
Northumberland has given an organ to the church,
and Mr. Neville has given 500l. It is to
be hoped that the work which Sir Henry Layard
began may be completed. The church at Venice is
a fitting memorial of Sir Henry Layard's
generosity, and it would be a grievous thing if
the funds to complete it were not forthcoming.
Sir Henry Layard bequeathed to the nation his
unique collection of pictures, and there could
be no better way for his countrymen to express
gratitude than by helping to achieve that object
on which he had set his heart, and to which he
contributed so generously himself.
"The appeal which has now been issued for the
furtherance of this object is supported by the
Rev. Arthur E. Carey, Mr. Henry Woods, R.A , and
Mr. Horatio F. Brown, the author of various,
delightful books of Italian life. Messrs. Glyn,
Mills, Currie and Co., 67, Lombard Street, and
Messrs. G. [S.?] and A. Blumenthal, San
Benedetto, Venice, have kindly consented to
receive subscriptions, which should be made
payable to the 'English Church at Venice Fund.'"
(The Graphic, 6 July 1895, p. 12,
paragraph breaks inserted)
Today, St George's Anglican Church in Venice has
a website:
www.stgeorgesvenice.com
.
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Palazzo Barbarigo with
Campo San Vio to the right
(Part
of Palazzo Da Mula Morosini is seen to the left)
Courtesy of the Library of Congress,
LC-DIG-ppmsc-06706
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