*The Church in Madras*
_But things were different before the All Saint’s Church was built. Frank Penny, in his book `The Church of Madras’ (1904), says that the Company did not feel an obligation to provide churches to its soldiers and civilians in its early years. It appointed a few Chaplains and services were held in its large factory halls. If a church was required then Company employees could build it themselves. Material and engineering advice could be provided but that was it. During the 17th century, appointments were made by the Company but around the 18th century, nominees were approved of by the Archbishop of Canterbury or a Bishop appointed by him. About 174 appointments were made to the Madras establishment upto 1861. They were chosen carefully by the EIC Directors and almost all were graduates of British and Irish universities. Madras by now, also had its first Bishop, Bishop Daniel Corrie, who was consecrated in 1835.
Public opinion eventually influenced the the Company to alter this stance on church building. Fifteen churches were built in the Madras Presidency. Six others were built privately and two were built collaboratively by the Company and its `servants’. Around 1835-1851, forty seven churches and Chapels were erected, twenty seven of which were built with territorial revenues and twenty without. The collaborative projects were an acknowledgement that places of Christian worship were now necessary in every station, whether civil or military._
_In 1853, Bangalore had only only two Chaplains; Rev. R.Posnett and Rev. W.W Lutyens. They had spiritual charge of the entire Cantonment and six `out-stations’ that were located at Seringapatam, Nandi `Droog’, Ryacottah, Chittaldroog, Hunsur and French Rocks near Mysore. Both Chaplains were required to be away for twenty-four Sundays of the year in rotation, with one being left in Bangalore to administer to the C&M Station. As you can see, they were pretty busy._
*Planting the seeds of a church*
_The London born, nature loving Rev. ST Pettigrew, a Trinity College, Cambridge graduate and anonymous author of `Episodes in the Life of an Indian Chaplain’ was ordained as a priest in 1848. He obtained his appointment to Madras in 1855. During his years in Bangalore (1864-67 and then again in 1871) he was Chaplain at St. Mark’s, Incumbent at All Saint’s and also founded the Cantonment Orphanage, Cathedral High School and both the Bishop Cotton’s Schools.
But building the All Saint’s Church had its fair share of trials.Rev. ST Pettigrew records that it was originally intended for a small colony of European pensioners because his church, St.Mark’s, was splitting at the seams. A small sum of Rs.100 had been collected and a plot allotted at the corner of the parade grounds near Hosur Road. To his delight, his initial plan for the church was rejected by the Church Building Society in Madras (for being too small) in favour of one drawn up by the famous Robert Fellowes Chisholm, Consulting Architect, Madras Government. The satisfied Chaplain left for the Nilgiri’s. He returned two years later to find the project at a complete standstill.The plan was revived and following much deliberation and discussion, it was decided to build the church with private collections. The estimated cost was Rs.10,000. The foundation stone was laid on 27th November, 1869 and foundations lines were drawn up by an experienced parishioner who volunteered for the job._
_But the building project continued to face immense difficulties, both financial and otherwise. It was only when the scaffolding went up that the community sensed his determination. The altar, vestments, pulpit, font, communion plate and altar cross were donated and a rose window was presented by the Principle of Cooper’s Hill College. Incidentally, Cooper’s Hill, Surrey, was where the Royal College of Engineering was established in 1872 to train civil engineers for the Indian Public Works Department._
_Funds came in and the building exterior was completed for Rs.2, 000 less than the original estimate. But Bishop Edward Henry Mansfield Waller was in England on sick leave. So a visiting Bishop Milman stepped in to consecrate the church on 17th October, 1870. Services finally commenced with Rev. Dr. George Uglow Pope who was also appointed Warden of Bishop Cotton’s School and College._
_Bangalore began to emerge slowly, one locality at a time. The European and Anglo-Indian community then built bungalows around the church and Richmond Town, it is rumoured, came up here around 1883. In 1903, the Richmond Institute in Richmond Town (once a military pensioners reading room and armoury for the Bangalore Rifle Volunteers in the late 19th century) was offered by the British Resident, Sir Donald Robertson to the All Saint’s Incumbent, Rev. Canon Foley to be used as the All Saint’s Church Institute, a recreation space for parishioners. Old time residents recall spending many hours of merriment at what is now the Frank Anthony Junior School._

The Architectural projects of Rev. Samuel Thomas Pettigrew, the Cathedral High school, the Cotton's, The All Saints Church (along with its gardens I believe) were so impressive that though a chaplain he was recommended and deputed by the British government to the Maharaja of Travancore for whom he curated the museum, built the gardens and the mini-zoo which housed lions, tigers, a rhino, peacocks, etc.

What we have is truly a heritage site, especially the method of construction using undressed stones, which was invented by Rev Pettigrew, (and later used by the British government as well, - as can be seen in the entrance to the cemetery on Hosur road), which is why the All Saints Church though it had a budget of Rs.10,000 was able to be completed with just Rs.8000

All stone buildings (I believe) prior to this invention used the costly dressed stone method.

The garden all around is an integral part of the church building, which was the forerunner for the stately gardens of the Maharaja.

Standish Lee husband of Elizabeth Lee, whose memorial stands in the all saints church, designed Malleswaram and Basavanagudi extensions; and I recall from a news article giving credit to the good planning, that while Bengaluru reels when it rains both the layouts have no flooding.

Meera Iyer

INACTH

She is an alumini of Bishop Cotton girls School. She was thrilled to see the plaques inside the church especially the one which was done in memory of Late Mrs Margaret Isabella W/o Standish Lee who designed the sanitary system of Malleswaram and Basavangudi Extension.