Cape Breton Post on 18/01/09 St. Paul's Anglican Church, once detroyed by fire, approaching milestone anniversary LEROY PEACH The Cape Breton Post Sunday morning Jan. 25, 1920, was bitterly cold with a temperature of zero Fahrenheit. The rector of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Port Morien, the Reverend William Greatorex, hitched his horse to a sleigh for the trip to St. Luke's, Big Glace Bay. The weather was so cold that the tip of his nose was white. Evensong was at St. Paul's. Relaxing in his study before the evening service, the rector heard a bell tolling. He looked out and saw the church, built in 1874, in flames. A strong northeast wind drove embers over the village and into the sea. Parishioners decided to chop a hole in the side of the church near the altar to retrieve furnishings, including the organ and the pulpit. They removed the pulpit and one pew. The fire, which started in the basement from an overheated coal furnace, however, suddenly broke through the floor entrapping a man inside pushing the organ with its high scrolled back. He gave one mighty heave which tore the backing from the instrument and propelled it through the hole. He jumped to safety. Nothing else was saved. At a congregational meeting, Mr. Greatorex spoke of "the calamitous loss." He proposed a subscription list. A building committee consisted of wardens Fred Peach and P.J. Leslie, James Wadden, Clyde Shepard and the rector. In 30 minutes, $777 was raised. Mr. Greatorex reported that "the plum - we are not sure he did not mean to make a pun - was carried away by Mr. Thomas Peach (my uncle) in having made the first cash deposit." Father Brady, from St. Mary's Roman Catholic church, offered his hall for services and he instructed his congregation to give generously to the fundraisers. By Feb. 21, $1,967 was collected and added to insurance money of $2,000. Parishioners decided to design and re-build the church themselves. My father and my uncles, assisted by others, would start the re-building. They went about the county looking at other church designs. The boss was Tom Peach. He was joined by Murray, Fred, Charles, Henry and Abner Peach. P.J. Leslie, a merchant, transported to the building site by horse and wagon, lumber brought in from Sydney by train. The arches supporting the roof were designed by Charles Peach. They were duly cut, raised on men's shoulders and put in place. Charles also designed and built communion rail and the oak altar. The floor was cut and laid by my uncle, John Martell, the light keeper on Flint Island. Two days less a year, on Jan. 23, 1921, the new St. Paul's, built to the glory of God and demonstrating the faith of our fathers and mothers, opened for an evening service. The church was packed with clergy and parishioners. Archdeacon T.F. Draper preached. That evening the choir of St. Mary's, Glace Bay, came over in several sleighs to sing at the service. The Port Morien choir - all excellent singers - consisted of Fred, Murray, Charles and Abner Peach, Sarah (Peach) Cope, Gladys MacAskill, Lizzie Wadden and Mrs. Greatorex. Mr. Salton, the postmaster, was the organist. On Jan. 25, at 11.15 a.m., St. Paul's will celebrate its 135th anniversary with special music. The Reverend Vernon Reid will officiate. LeRoy Peach lives in Port Morien and may be reached at leroy_peach@yahoo.ca. His column appears every week in the Cape Breton Post