This film is part of Free

English Congregational Church Foundation Stone Laying at Flint, September 28th, 1927.

Gentlemen associated with St John’s English Congregational Church, Flint, grasp the mallet to secure the foundations of their new church, replacing one built in 1880.

Non-Fiction 1927 4 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales

Overview

Men, women and children parade to Church Street, Flint, to be present at the laying of the foundation stones of their new church which is to replace a smaller one built on the same site in 1880. Gentlemen associated with the church grasp the ceremonial mallet to tap stones into place whilst they are held by builders who then add cement. The church was officially opened a year later, on 19/9/1928, with seating for 400 (the old church accommodated only 150).

The name ‘Griffith Davies’ can be seen on one foundation stone and ‘Gerard N Ford, Colwyn Bay’ on another. Mr Ford was a Justice of the Peace and ex-chair of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. The Flintshire Observer’s report of the event the following day states that foundation stones were laid not just by men - Councillor Robert Davies, Mr W G Davies, Mr Gerard N Ford, Henry L Johnson and John Taylor – but also by a woman, Miss E I Gaskin.