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St John's is
more than a building, of course. St John's
Church is the people who have worshipped and worship
here, its relationship with the communities and its
current activities.
St Johns
was the first Parish Church of the town of
Southend-on-Sea. It played - and still plays - an
important role in the life of the town.
Famous local dignitaries who worshipped here include
James Heygate, major landowner of early Southend and
pillar of the old Local Board; James Brightwell, the
town's third mayor and churchwarden for 35 years until
1925; Robert Jones Southend's greatest benefactor (the
Jones Memorial Recreation Ground, Prittlewell Priory and
Park and the Victory Sports Ground are amongst his
gifts) and Cecil Jones, Robert's son, Scoutmaster and
benefactor, of whom it is said that "having given most
of his amassed wealth away, he left little more than a
legacy of incredible caring and compassion for others"
The local school commemorates his name and life.
 The
Churchyard was used for burials between 1870 and
1898, after which burials were allowed only in reserved
spaces. At this time the Borough Council allocated
land for the cemetery at Sutton Road which is still used
for burials. Members of the Nelson family, probably
related to the famous Admiral, are buried here, as is
Thomas Dowsett, the town's first Major. St Johns
has a long-standing link with the RNLI and the first
coxswain of Southend lifeboat was buried here in 1910.
Writers such as Robert Buchanan, Harriet Jay and Warwick
Deeping are also buried or remembered in the churchyard.
Before
widespread State provision of education there
was a St John's School. It was on a site near the
present Castle Hotel, on Eastern Esplanade. It
opened in 1855 and finally closed in July 1915.
New and larger schools were opening in the town.
However, St John's support continued in the shape of a
Foundation, awarding grants to local children to pay for
their schooling. Following the Second World War
full state provision for education began and the
Foundation was wound up in 1951.
St John's
has several times being threatened with closure. A
Bishops Commission of 1978 recommended closure of
several Southend churches. Eventually St
Erkenwald's (on the junction of York Rd and Southchurch
Ave) was closed and that building was demolished in the
late 1990's. However, four churches: St Albans,
Westcliff, St Marks, Clifftown; All Saints, Queensway
and St John's united in the 1970's to form the parish of
Southend. There is little doubt that this unity
and the sharing of ministers, skills and finance has
kept all four church buildings open. Even then the early
1980's were difficult times for St John's and only
determined fundraising and support from friends and
congregation past and present saved the church.
Today St
John's is Open with regular services on a Sunday
and Thursday. Special civic services for war
veterans and for festivals are staged throughout the
year, as are concerts. The building is used as a
meeting place by local groups and support services and
continues to host the Brownies.
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