St George's Church, Kidderminster
# St George's Church, Kidderminster

St George's Church, Kidderminster is a Church of England parish church in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. The church is a Grade II* listed building.

## History

St George’s Church was a Commissioners' church designed by architect Francis Goodwin. Its grant of just over £17,000 (equivalent to £1,591,500 in 2021), was the third-largest given by the commission to any church outside London. It opened in 1824.

A fire which originated in the belfry destroyed the interior of the church on 20 November 1922 and it was restored by Giles Gilbert Scott.

### Incumbents

* William Villiers 1824 - 1842
* John Downall 1842 - 1847
* Thomas Baker Morrell 1847 - 1852
* Charles John McQueen Mottram 1852 - 1872
* Frederic Rawlins Evans 1872 - 1876
* Stephen Brown Bathe 1876 - 1887
* Theobald W. Church 1887 - 1915
* Albert Edward Riland Bedford 1915 - 1918
* Robert Hume Stephen 1918 - 1932
* Benjamin John Isaacs 1932 - 1940
* P.J. Martin 1940 - 1959
* Canon L.W. Chidzey 1959 - 1968
* H. Edward Montague-Youens from 1969 - 1972
* Peter D. Chippendale 1972 - 1976
* Andrew John Piggott until 1994
* Canon Nick Barker until 2007
* David Hildred from 2020

## Organ

The church obtained a pipe organ in 1828 by Elliot and Hill. In 1869 this was rebuilt by Hill but was destroyed in the fire of 1922. In 1929 a new organ was installed by G.H.C. Foskett. The organ currently comprises 3 manuals and pedals with 45 speaking stops. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

### Organists

* C.S. Herve 1836 - 1837
* Charles Baldwin from 1837
* W. White ca. 1841
* James Fitzgerald 1850 - 1895 (formerly assistant organist at Bristol Cathedral, from 1850 to 1868 also choirmaster at St Mary’s)
* Frank Thornton 1896 - 1900 (formerly organist at St Cuthbert’s Church, Birmingham)
* C. Milton Bill from1900 (formerly organist at Newport Parish Church, Isle of Wight)
* Richard Alfred Taylor
* Harold Evers ca. 1941 until 1976
* Tim Morris from 1976
