Queen Anne's at Westminster Abbey

Queen Anne's celebrated a thanksgiving service for the school on Friday 23 October at Westminster Abbey. The Right Reverend Peter Hullah, Principal of Northampton Academy, gave the sermon.

Queen Anne's association with Westminster dates back to 1698 when The Grey Coat Hospital Foundation was established by eight merchants: Simon Boulte, Richard Ffyler, John Holmes, Robert Maddock, Samuel Michell, Charles Webbe, John Wilkins, and Thomas Wisdome, to help to educate children of Westminster. In 1706 it was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Anne.

In the late nineteenth century the governors of the Foundation decided to use part of the endowment to establish a girls' boarding school in the country, and on Ascension Day 1894 Queen Anne's School, Caversham, opened its doors to its first pupils. The Foundation Chalice, which is carried to the Abbey's High Altar during the service, is a Victorian silver chalice dating from 1844, and one of several precious gifts given to Grey Coat since the beginning of the Foundation.

Queen Anne's holds a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey every two years. Since their last service the Chamber Choir has performed at the Crown Court Ceremonial Opening Service in Reading Minster and taken part in a choral tour of Venice, singing at St Mark's, St Giorgio Maggiore, the Basilica Dei Frari, and St Luca in Verona.  In the spring term 2010 the choir will perform in Paris. 

 

Click here for the Order of Service Click here for the photo gallery

 

23/10/09