The Friends of Southwark Cathedral was established in 1947 to support the work of the Cathedral
Today, some 70 years later, it is an organisation which has continued and developed this mission.
Over the years, the Friends have given numerous ‘behind the scenes’ gifts to the Cathedral including the restoration of one of the pinnacles on the tower in the early 1990s and the funds to pay for fire protection work in the roof above the nave in 2001. More recently, money has been given to support the choirs on tours of Graz, Rome, Prague and Krakow.
The Friends have also paid for the Cathedral floodlighting to be redesigned, upgrading the sound system and this Cathedral website.
Charity Number: 1159545
Historic Gifts
c.1947 Re-hanging of bells, installation of the flagpole and Shakespeare window after World War II
Junior Friends - New English Bibles for the Choir, crib figures in terracotta and candlesticks for nave altar, stackable chairs
Replacing and mounting of bosses at West End of Cathedral
1964 Willis continuo organ £1,100
1965 Cope cupboard, circular bookstall, re-hanging of bells
1967 Kneelers
1968 Desk for provost, new flags/flagpole, support of Flower Festival, amplification
1969 Fabric fund, bibles for 11 new Honorary Canons, kneelers
1972 Gift of chairs, Friends literature table
1980 Gilding of altar screen
1985 Cathedral lighting £2,000
1986 Gallery for new Chapter House £21,000
1987 China and cutlery for Chapter House £2,600, gold vestments, wheelchair lift, security system
1990 Organ appeal £25,000
1991 5 portable radios with connections £3,000
1992 Restoration of processional cross £2,000 , Flower Festival/Crisis £500, music system £5,000, Cathedral leaflet £2,500
1993 Choir cassocks £3,000, large oven for Cathedral kitchen £4,000
1994 Choir visit to USA £2,000
1996 Choir visit to USA £3,000
1997 New kitchen for Montague Chambers £15,000
1998 Repair of North Choir pinnacle £13,000
1999 Silver thurible £750, choir library £3,000 (plus £500 for three years for stock)
2000 Trinity vestments £8,200
1999 Library £4,500
2004 Doors linking Lancelot’s Link and Cathedral £9,500, fire protection of the roof space £55,000
2009 Harvard Chapel re-lighting £9,427
2011 Contribution towards Girls’ Choir tour to Belfast £2,000, candlestick holders £540
2014 Contribution to the Girls’ Choir tour to Paris £2,000, updating the tablets listing Bishops, Deans and Sub-Deans £3,000
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