The Padre talks to Captain Pat Walker as Rear Admiral N Harris stands close by

Handing over the mic to the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, who accepted responsibility
of the statue from the CWOBA

then Capt Patrick Walker read The Farewell

The Service over, CWOBA parade from the Church, Standards high

then Admiral Harris, Capt Pat Walker & families

Deputy Lord Mayor accepting a painting of HMS Woodpecker on behalf of the people of Bootle

History of Church

On the morning of 21 December 1940 the church of Our Lady and S. Nicholas stood gutted by fire following a wartime raid; only the tower, adjoining vestries, and the offices survived the building of the new church began in March 1949: was consecrated on the Feast of St Luke (18 October 1952. The following is a brief history before 1940 and a guide to the chief futures of the present building.

The ancient parish church of Liverpool was St. Mary’s Walton on the Hill, 3 miles ( 5km) from here. In 1699 Liverpool, with a population of about 5000, was created an independent parish with two churches: Our Lady and S. Nicholas (often called the "old Church" or simply St. Nicholas) and a new parish church of S. Peter. In 1734 the first of many daughter churches was built; by 1865 there were 27 in the parish, which by then housed about  275,000 people. Since 1916 Our Lady and S. Nicholas has been the Parish Church of Liverpool. S. Peter’s, which stood in Church Street, was demolished in 1922

The story begins in the 13th century. Liverpool received its charter from King John in 1207. A small stone chapel known as the Chapel of S. Mary del Key probably stood close to the site of the present tower overlooking a quay on the River Mersey by 1357. In the years 1355-61 a new chapel, dedicated to St. Mary and St. Nicholas, was built on land ranted to the burgesses by the Duke of Lancaster. During a plague in the town in 1361, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry (whose diocese then included North-west England) licensed the burial ground, and the following year the chapel itself was consecrated. By the late 15th century a north aisle, the same size as the nave, had been added and three chantry altars had been established each with its own priest paid for by a wealthy patron for whose soul he was to pray. In 1515 a fourth chantry was founded. Chantries were abolished at the Reformation and the building was by stages adapted to Protestant forms of worship. Between 1673 and 1718 the building was further extended piecemeal and galleries were built to house the increasing population. in 1746 a spire was added to the rower.

In 1775 the parish took the extraordinary decision to rebuild the walls of the church but to retain the existing galleries which were jealously guarded by the congregation who paid pew rents. The new roof was supported by classical columns set on the medieval bases. The outer walls of the rebuilt church (four feet longer than the old one) occupied the same lines as the present building. Despite the many new churches in the city no opportunity was taken to replace the ‘Old Church’ with a wholly new building. There were repeated warnings that the spire was unsafe, and on 11 February 1810, as the bells were ringing and the people assembling for Sunday morning service the steeple crashed into the nave killing 25 people (21 of them aged under 15, mostly girls from the Moorfields Charity School) and injuring as many others. Between 1811 and 1815 the new tower and lantern, built to the north of the old one, was erected to the designs of Thomas Harrison of Chester; the remains of the old chapel of S. Mary de Key, long used as a boat house. and a tavern, were demolished. There were improvements to accommodate liturgical changes, notably in 1851-1852, and the office block (now the Parish Centre) was built in the 1920s; otherwise the building was unchanged between 1815 and 1940 — much loved but architecturally undistinguished except for the tower.

In the new church the architect, Edward C. Butler, effected some major changes. The altar is at the west end below the tower, not at the east where, in common with universal Christian tradition, the old altar had been. Secondly, there is a focus on the Sanctuary rather than on a prominent pulpit; the old galleries, designed to accommodate large congregations, have been dispensed with. These changes reflected not only smaller congregations but a long established Anglo-Catholic tradition with an emphasis on the Parish Eucharist. Thirdly, the present nave, at 46 feet (14m), is higher than its predecessor. And finally, the Narthex (entrance vestibule) with the organ and Refectory above further reduced the main seating space. Thus, although the floor area of the new church is the same as the old the use of the space inside is very different.

The Narthex
This is the ante room to the church, a place for greeting and notices. A board is available for visitors to pin requests for prayers: The font was presented in 1852, though baptisms now take place in the Sanctuary using a bowl font. Five display panels illustrate aspects of the history of the church and parish.

The Cattrall Scrcens
Glass screens (installed in 1984 in memory of Harvey Cattrall) separate the Narthex from the Nave. They were engraved to the designs of David Peace, whose work is also found in Westminster Abbey. Among the engraved symbols are the toys (including a teddy bear and A. A. Milne’s Piglet) and money bags representing St. Nicholas. A striking view of the hanging Rood (the Crucifixion) an be glimpsed through the plain glass chalice on the central doors.

The Rood
The figure of the crucified Christ with Our Lady and S. John hanging between the Nave and the Sanctuary is made from the old oak bell frame of the tower.

The Nave and Sanctuary
With a gently sloping floor the Nave is focussed on the High Altar under a Baldachino (canopy). Two ambos for reading and preaching replace the pulpit and lectern traditionally found in Anglican churches. All the fixed woodwork is of carved untreated oak with the vine ( am the vine, you are the branches” Jo i as a dominant motif. In the south aisle (to the left) is a stained glass window: Our Lady stands in glory as in Revelation (chapter 12) and S. Nicholas holds a ship. The inscription at the top is “For the Healing of the Nations”. At the back of the north aisle (on the right) is the war memorial for the Cunard Steamship Company placed in this church in 1989

The Organ
A c-stop 3-manual instrument by Rushworth and Dreaper of Liverpool. It is dedicated to the memory of Charles W. Bridson, organist 1902-1949.

Chapel of S. Peter
On the left (facing the altar) this chapel commemorates the old parish church of S. Peter; the 18th-century wooden table was once the Altar there. The Sacrament is reserved here and the chapel is used for Communion services on weekdays. Charred timbers from the old church form a cross on the wail. For further commentary, see the text on the pillar as you enter the chapel.

Maritime Chapel of St Mary del Key
This chapel on the right (facing the altar) was dedicated in 1993 as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. It perpetuates the memory of the medieval shrine. The bronze statue of Our Lady standing in the prow of a boat is by the Liverpool artist Arthur Dooley, and the furnishings by Robin McGhie. A Book of Remembrance contains the names of mariners lost at sea. For further guidance, see the text on the pillar as you enter the chapel.

Building Materials
The new church is of Stanton stone from Macclesfield, Cheshire; the roof coverings are Coniston slate from Westmorland and sheet copper; the Sanctuary floor is polished Ancaster stone from Lincolnshire.

The Tower
Harrison’s 175 foot ( 53m) lantern tower is the best feature of the church. Before the large buildings were built at the Pier Head 1907 -1916) it was a great landmark on the waterfront. The weather-vane is a gilded copper sailing ship 4' 4" (1.3 m) long. It was placed on the lantern in 1814 but may have been on the old spire of 1746.

The Bells
The old tower had 6 bells dating from 1636 and 1724. The new tower of £814 had za bells. These were recast and enlarged in 1952 by Taylor and Co. of Loughborough with additional metal from the demolished church of S. Martin in the Fields, Vauxhall Road. The treble, the smallest, weighs 7cwt (356 Kg) and the tenor, the largest, 42cwt (2134 Kg).

Christ upon an Ass
In Chapel Street, opposite the Atlantic Tower Hotel stands the statue of Christ entering Jerusalem. It is the work of Brian Burgess.

The Churchyard
Burials ceased in 1849. In 1891 the churchyard became a public garden in memory of James Harrison whose shipping company still has its offices facing the churchyard. Until 1767 when a dock was built where the Liver Building now stands, the river reached the churchyard wall at high tide. From 1758 to 1772 a battery of guns stood on an extension of the burial ground (now occupied by the road) to defend the river.