St. Anselms Church In Hatch End

A Memory of Hatch End.

At the time of this picture in 1960 the church could only be reached by travelling along an attractive, tree-lined, unsurfaced crescent called Westfield Park. Beyond the church on the left of the picture is the vestry where Sunday School and confirmation classes were held. I was confirmed at St Anselms around 1959 and would attend services here regularly along with many of my friends in the St Anselms Youth Club. The ministers around this time included Reverend Moxon and in the late 1960s the curate was Reverend Eric Gaunt. Mr Gaunt officiated at my marriage to Elizabeth in 1971.  I remember him well. The church itself is a Victorian brick and flint building with exquisite wooden furnishings within. A bell would toll during communion services so that you could hear and pray by yourself if you were not in church! You could hear the bell when standing on the platform at Hatch End railway station - a surreal experience!