A Short History of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Southampton

The first anglican worship services in Southamptom were held in the early 1850's by the Rev. A.H.R. Mulholland but no permanent congregation was organized. Mullholland traveled a circuit from Owen Sound through Bruce and Grey counties, an area that comprises much of the present deanery of the Saugeens.

The parish was officially founded on 20 September 1859 when a meeting was held in the school house in Southampton. The Rev. John Philpot Curran had been appointed incumbent and had been authorized by the Bishop of Toronto to establish a Church of England parish in Southampton. The parish became part of the Diocese of Huron when it was formed in 1859. The first parish roll included the names of thirty-four families.

In 1860, the parish received a visit from the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Cronyn, the first Diocesan Bishop of Huron. Bishop Cronyn came to conduct a Confirmation Service, which was held either in the school house or the Presbyterian Church hall - the records are unclear and a church building had not yet been built. The Bishop confirmed thirty-two people on this visit and returned again for a Confirmation Service in 1862. There is a story , true or untrue, that Bishop Cronyn spent his free time in Southampton walking up and down High Street handing out religious tracts published by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel - a Church Evangelical Society.

The first church was erected on Victoria St., on property now occupied by the Lawn Bowling Club. The formal opening and first service took place on 24 February, 1861, the second Sunday in Lent. St. Paul's Church was consecrated on 17 October 1884, by the Bishop of Huron, the Rt. Rev. Morris Baldwin, and six candidates were presented for confirmation.

On 4 November 1886, the great fire of Southampton wiped out a large part of Southampton, including St. Paul's. On December 8 of that year a meeting was held to organize the building of a new church and the Rector's Warden reported that the building and contents were a total loss, except for the organ, font and the communion vessels. They decided to build a new church and unanimously voted make it of 'brick'. Sunday services were held in the Town Hall and occasionally in Port Elgin until the new church was built. The mission in Port Elgin had requested, in 1883/4 that a church be built there and it was completed in 1886. The two churches have been one parish since that time.

The present St. Paul's Church was constructed at the corner of High and Victoria Streets and was opened for public worship some time in 1887. The new church was debt free by 1891. On 7 October 1891, the Bishop of Huron, the Rt. Rev. Morris Baldwin, consecrated the new church. A bell tower was added in 1910 possibly with a parish hall. A subsequent addition to the parish hall was also completed around 1985.

After 143 years, St. Paul's is still here. St. Paul's has continued through fire, wars and the great depression and is still a faithful Christian witness in Southampton and together with St. John's in Saugeen Shores. St. Paul's is a place that remembers and honours the past but looks to the future with confidence that grows out of faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. St. Paul's continues as a place where the gospel is preached and where people are accepted, loved and honoured for who they are… the people of God.