St. Philip's Church, Georgetown

Image 01 - Illustration of St. Philip's Church (1867)

Image 02 - St. Philip's Anglican Church (1890)

Image 03 - View of St. Philip's Anglican Church (1901)

Image 04 - Front view of the St. Philip's Anglican Church (1905)

Sources:

[image 01] - Unknown
[image 02] - Unknown
[image 03] - Unknown
[image 04] - Unknown

The Sacred Heart Church, Georgetown

By the 1830s, many Portuguese in British Guiana had settled on the East Bank of Demerara at Meadow Bank, Ruimveldt and Agricola. As such Meadow Bank was made the center of the Catholic Church with the establishment of the Catholic Mission of British Guiana. In 1857, Fr. Benedict Schembri S.J. of Maltese origin was working in Brazil and came to British Guiana to establish the Meadow Bank Church. Later, the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Main Street was opened on December 1861 by Fr. Schembri. The goal of this church was to provide a religious space where the Portuguese would be comfortable with their religious customs and in their natural language. Bishop J. Ethridge S.J. delivered the episcopal blessing on 22nd June 1862. The dimensions of the church was 100 feet by 30 feet, but over time expansion created new areas such as aisles, choir space, gallery, and two wooden towers. When the 1864 Water Street fire destroyed many Portuguese businesses, the church grounds were used to store salvaged goods. In 1866, the two presbyteries were converted into a schoolroom and in 1867 the bottom area of the presbytery was converted into a grammar school. Sacred Heart Primary School is one of the top schools in the country. The church and school were both destroyed by fire on 25th December 2004. On 18th February 2011 fund-raising began for re-building of the church. On 6th December 2015 the newly constructed Sacred Heart Church was opened in Guyana. The images show the Sacred Heart Church through time.

Image 01 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1913).

Image 02 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1915).

Image 03 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1924).

Image 04 - Inside the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1924).

Image 05 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1961).

Image 06 - Fire destroys the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (2004).

Image 07 - The re-built Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (2014).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - Unknown.
[Image 06] - Unknown.
[Image 07] - http://www.sacredheart.gy/

Bibliography

• The History of the Sacred Heart Church, A Voz Do Portugues 2013.

Saint George's Cathedral, Georgetown

St. George's Cathedral is located on Church Street, Georgetown and at a height of 143 feet, is one of the tallest wooden churches in the world. It is an Anglican Cathedral designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and formally opened on 24th August 1892, consecrated on 8th November 1894, with completion of the building occurring in 1899. The building is constructed from mainly Greenheart. The images show the St. George's Cathedral in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Saint George's Cathedral (1900s).

Image 02 - Saint George's Cathedral (1920).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.

Saint Andrew's Kirk, Georgetown

St. Andrews Kirk is located on Brickdam avenue and opposite the Parliament Buildings. It is widely considered to be the oldest building in Georgetown that was in continuous use for religious purposes. The building had roots in 1811 with the Dutch Reformed Church of Holland and for financial reasons was transferred to the Scottish Presbyterians and opened on 28th February 1818. Slaves were allowed to worship at this church. The image shows the St. Andrews Kirk church in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Saint Andrew's Kirk (1900s).

Image 02 - Saint Andrew's Kirk (1910).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown
[Image 02] - Unknown