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Patron Saint Was a Global Citizen

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Patron Saint Was a Global Citizen A church for a saint and a king Got a story to tell? “The church was dedicated to St George as a delicate If you have a tale about East End compliment to the King [George II], and the new parish history, write to John Rennie or thereby became designated that of St George, Middlesex.” email him at [email protected] sydney maddocks www.eastlondonhistory.com History Patron saint was a global citizen BY JOHN RENNIE influence spread. England has George as its very small extent, consisting of a few grass- patron saint of course, but he is recognised fields on the north side – the inhabitants are IT’S a date that had fallen off the across Europe – with 365 dedicated church- employed, for the most part, in rope-mak- calendar until recent years. While es in Georgia, an order of chivalry in Russia, ing, and the manufacture of other articles the Irish proudly paint the town statues in the Czech Republic and Portugal for the rigging of ships. There is no other con- green and sink countless pints of just a few of the many dedications to the man. siderable manufacture in the place.” stout to celebrate St Patrick, the And the legend grew, with medieval The job of designing the parish church Welsh hoist leeks and daffodils elements of courtly love and heroism went to Nicholas Hawksmoor, who would aloft to remember St David, and the being grafted on to the early story. also build Christ Church in Spitalfields and Scots even get a Bank Holiday for So George is often portrayed in knight’s St Anne’s Limehouse. He had anticipated St Andrew, St George has been garb, slaying a dragon (possibly repre- a lifetime’s work out of the dual Acts of Par- pushed to one side, with flag and senting Satan), while a fair maiden looks liament and expressed his disappoint- saint unfairly associated with the on (possibly the Empress). ment when the grand plans for 50 didn’t far right and beery English football George is now holy, heroic and handsome come to fruition, though the maverick ar- fans on tour. – the perfect patron saint for a country that chitectural genius did build six churches. Things seem to be changing though. Per- fancies itself as both bold and imperial, while St George in the East rose in classic haps it’s to do with a reassertion of Eng- decent and Christian. Late medieval England Hawksmoor style, its interior dressed in Dutch lishness as the United Kingdom seems to adopted him with enthusiasm. And what be fragmenting into its national elements. better name for a new church in the fast Where once the Union Jack would have growing London of the early 18th century? flown, we now frequently see the Cross of St George in the East was one of 50 church- St George, with the Prime Minister even fly- es planned for the cities of London and West- ing it above his official residence during Euro minster (and the areas nearby) under two 2012 (much good it did us). acts of parliament, passed in 1710 and 1711. Pubs around the East End will be be- There were a number of spurs to the acts. decked with the red-on-white standard and London had seen many of its churches de- many pints will be downed in his memo- stroyed in the Great Fire a half-century ear- ry. Meanwhile, Tower Hamlets Council lier, and the order had gone out that the has organised a series of events to welcome capital should be rebuilt in stone not back our neglected martyr. wood, a sensible rule but costly and slow. It’s especially appropriate as the East End London planning, it seemed, ground just has a long association with the mysterious as slowly in the 17th century as the 21st. St George. Anglican churches are of course Secondly, the Government was keen to in- permitted to fly the distinctive red cross on St George slays the dragon crease the influence of the Anglican Church St George in the East a white background from their towers, and upon the people: Catholicism was ever a fear in St George in the East we have a church Diocletian ordered a crackdown on the grow- and the Church of England was of course es- oak, and Doric pillars soaring to the roof. (and former parish) dedicated to the fear- ing cult of Christianity among his soldiery. tablished, with the King as its head, and its Just one thing – the church isn’t entire- less dragon slayer. George was a Christian, but Diocletian, bishops sitting in the upper chamber of gov- ly named after our St George at all. Sydney Or do we? As we will see, the provenance anxious not to lose a good soldier and the ernment, the House of Lords. Maddocks, writing in the Co-Partnership of the parish’s name had as much to do with son of a personal favourite, desperately tried And third, London had a swiftly Herald in 1933, revealed the real story of the politics and power as it does beatific acts. to get him to change his mind, offering lav- growing population and more places of building’s naming, writing: “The church was But first, who was George? He certain- ish gifts of money, land and slaves if he worship were needed to accommodate the dedicated to St George as a delicate com- ly wasn’t an Englishman and we can be fair- would just recognise the Roman gods. But people. Areas that had once been unpop- pliment to the King [George II], and the new ly sure he didn’t slay a dragon. We do know George was immovable and prepared ulated marshland (such as those around parish thereby became designated that of with near certainty that he died in 303AD, himself for the sentence of death, giving Wapping, Ratcliffe and Stepney) were St George, Middlesex. martyred with the imaginative cruelty that his money and lands to the poor. becoming increasingly populated – even- “To distinguish it from other places of the was the hallmark of the Roman emperors. Death didn’t come quickly to early mar- tually they would join up to form the ur- same name in the Metropolis, it was soon George was probably born in Lydda, tyrs. The soldier was tortured, lacerated on ban sprawl that is today’s East End. called St George’s-in-the-East.” Palestine sometime between 275 and a wheel of swords (and resuscitated three Just such an area would become the new And so the myth took another twist, as 285AD. His parents were Greeks, and his fa- times so the punishment could continue) parish of St George in the East, lying with- the canny Londoners flattered their monarch, ther, Gerontios, was a highly ranked offi- and then beheaded before Nicomedia’s city in the ancient Hundred of Ossulston. (Hun- associating him with Church, chivalry, sac- cer in the Roman army. wall on 23 April, 303. dreds were land divisions introduced by the rifice and the long, heroic past of Old Eng- After the death of Gerontios, George George’s remarkable self sacrifice (and Saxons from the seventh century on, the land. St George, as English as roast beef (yet headed for the imperial capital of Nico- the effect it had on onlookers including the idea being that there were roughly 100 a Greek who served Rome) was being media, presenting himself to the Empress Alexandra and Athanasius, a pa- households in each division). adapted once again to flatter a German king. Emperor Diocletian and asking to be made gan priest, both of whom converted to Chris- The new parish was an appendix of unas- FURTHER READING: a soldier. With his impeccable pedigree, he tianity) were responsible for his widespread signed Middlesex, bounded by the exist- St George in the East at British History was accepted, and by his late twenties, recognition as a saint. ing parishes of St Mary, Whitechapel, St John, Online: http://www.british-history. George was a tribune in the imperial The Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Wapping, and by the hamlets of Ratcliffe, ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45416 guard of the Emperor. Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Mile End Old Town and Stepney. St George in the East parish from the Co- His seamless rise through the ranks Churches all venerate our man, and he is British History Online records that: “The partnership Herald: http://www.mernick. came to a sudden halt, though, when recognised and respected in Islam. The land, not occupied by buildings, is now of org.uk/thhol/stgeorge.html 22 – 28 APRIL 2013 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 13.
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