FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report
Three days after a devastating fire gutted Hudson’s historic St. James Anglican Church, community leaders and residents were coming to grips with the incident, gathering at the site and sharing their concerns while rallying around Sophie Rolland, the reverend of St. James, as she and Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison urged Hudsonites to remain positive, promising that the 182-year-old church will be rebuilt.
The sooner the investigation is completed and the insurance issues are out of the way, “the sooner we will be able to start plans to rebuild,” Hutchison told The 1019 Report yesterday, adding that the church wardens met on Monday night to discuss the future of the church.
Hutchison was on site Sunday as firefighters battled the blaze, and again on Monday afternoon to survey the damage.
“The wooden pews are covered by debris, so hopefully it can be quickly dealt with, because the longer it stays like that, the humidity will cause more damage,” she said.
While the cause of Sunday’s early morning blaze is still under investigation, it is believed to have started as a small electrical fire in the church’s kitchen, which had been undergoing renovations, according to Rolland, who sent out an email just before 9 a.m. on Sunday, saying the morning service would be cancelled due to the fire.
By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire had grown, and it wasn’t until about 6 p.m. on Sunday that it was completely extinguished. Damage to the building is extensive.
“There is a supreme sense of loss and sadness,” said Hudson resident Frank Royle, whose family has a long and close association with the church.
Hutchison praised the scores of firefighters from Hudson and neighbouring towns who battled the blaze throughout the day Sunday and managed to save the building. She said the fire has struck a deep blow to the community because so many generations of Hudsonites are connected to St. James.
“It’s much more than a place to worship, it’s a place to celebrate life, unions, departures,” she said. “It’s a very important hub and heart of so many activities for so many generations. This fire is a reminder of how much we value our heritage.”
For Hutchison, the fire strikes close to home, as James Pyke, who was the first minister at the church, was her great-grandfather.
St. Lazare Mayor Geneviève Lachance also expressed her support to the residents of Hudson, saying: “This church was more than just a religious historic monument, but also a valuable gathering place for numerous community organizations and events.”
“Many people have some kind of link to the church,” Royle said, admitting that it no longer hosted as many events recently compared with “the hive of activity” it used to be, explaining that back in 1962 there were 182 children enrolled in St. James’ Sunday School.
Royle’s father, Canon Cecile Royle, was the minister at St. James from 1946 to 1977, taking up the role shortly after he returned from serving in the military during the Second World War.
Royle said firefighters who arrived at the church shortly after the fire was first detected were able to remove all the photographs, paintings and the soldiers’ memorial on display on the walls of the church, protecting them from damage.