Who is St. Oswald?
This is the only church in Canada dedicated to Oswald. Son of a murdered Northumbrian King, Oswald sought refuge on the Scottish island of Iona where St. Columba and his Irish monks had established an abbey. Here he converted to Christianity.
Returning home, he won back his Kingdom at the battle of Heavenfield. He sent to Iona for help. Aidan came to him, and together they spread the word of God, with the King acting as interpreter for the monk. Oswald gave Aidan the island of Lindisfarne for a monastery, and the new religion flourished, But Oswald’s rule was a short 8 years. In 642AD, aged 38, he was killed by a pagan king. With his last breath, he is said to have prayed for the souls of those who died with him.
He is remembered for his bravery and military skill, his piety and generosity. His feast is celebrated on August 5th.
The history of St. Oswald’s church in Surrey and the history of Port Kells are very much intertwined. The pioneer, Henry Kells, worked for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. He arrived in the area now known as Port Kells in 1886 and established a settlement on the banks of the Fraser River that included the area’s first post office and store. The Kells family purchased 40 acres of land in the area and laid out a townsite.
The first church erected in Port Kells was the “Anglican Church”, built in 1892, on land donated by Henry Kells. It was situated on two acres of land east of Latimer Road (192nd) and north of Wilson-Townline Road (96th Ave.). The church was torn down in 1905 due to its closeness to the new Canadian National Railway line and a much-needed gravel pit.
Henry Kells then donated eight 30 foot lots for the building of a church on the corner of Broadway (190th St.) and Wilson-Townline Road (96 Ave.). This newly constructed church was consecrated St. Oswald’s Anglican Church in 1914.
The first service at St. Oswald’s Church was held on May 7, 1911 with Reverend G. L. Leonard officiating. The congregation at this inaugural service numbered 5. The offertory was $1.10. Most of the families that attended St. Oswald’s Church in the early years were poultry farmers. They farmed on properties that averaged from 1 to 5 acres. With most of the parishioners being poultry farmers, today’s rooster weathervane seems most appropriate.
Friends and relatives of Reverend Leonard supplied the altar pieces, brass cross, candlesticks, vases, alms plates and lectern from England. The large, extremely heavy granite font is believed to have come from Scotland. The rood screen cross and altar are said to be made of cypress wood from the Mount of Olives. The cross is believed to have been carved by a German artist, Anton Lang. Several of these items are still admired by visitors to the church today.
This information has been taken from the writings of Kathleen Kells and Louise and Patrick Goode.
In the same year that St. Oswald Church was consecrated, the First World War, also known as the Great War, broke out. Many young men from the church and the community were sent overseas. At the end of the war, in 1918, a dance was held in the community to celebrate the return of these soldiers. Some twenty-two returning veterans were honoured, including Privates R. Perkins and H Perkins, Lieutenant C. Perkins, Private Pete Hardwick, Private F. Kells, Corporal F. Moody, and Privates Harry Hornby and Vic Bettis. Some of these men are buried in the church cemetery. Each year, on the Sunday before Remembrance Day, a wreath is placed in front of the altar. Poppies ,with the name of these men, are placed on the wreath.
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