Time to return Queen Anne’s silver
A true gesture of good will would be to bring communion vessels back to Annapolis Royal: Columnist
Last week a memory floated up about Queen Anne – you know, the queen for whom Annapolis Royal is named?
I remember what I learned about this little-known queen when I was lucky enough to portray her throughout 2010 when there were celebrations for the 300th anniversary of the naming of the town. That year started off at St. Luke’s Anglican Church with a levee held in the church hall with Susan Moxley, the Anglican Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island at the time.
And then a friend recently posted a lovely photo of St. Luke’s Anglican Church and accompanied it with a bit of a history of the church. I don’t think he will mind if I quote a couple of sentences:
“Over the years, the generosity of successive monarchs resulted in other gifts received and cherished by the church.
Including a set of Queen Anne silver communion vessels, that in 1759 were removed from the church by Governor Charles Lawrence and presented to St. Paul’s Church, Halifax. Governor Lawrence is remembered as the architect of the deportation of the Acadians from the Colony of Nova Scotia.
Despite being a controversial figure, a monument was erected in his honour – in St. Paul’s, Halifax. Past efforts to have the Queen Anne silver communion vessels repatriated to Annapolis Royal were unsuccessful.”
We have very long memories here in Annapolis Royal.
After the above post, another friend, Alan Melanson said that about five years ago he took the Anglican bishop for Quebec and Atlantic Canada to task about returning that silver communion service to St. Luke’s Church. Melanson challenged the bishop to a public debate justifying why it should remain in Halifax. Melanson hasn’t heard anything – crickets, as they say.
There was another small delegation that went to see the rector at
St. Paul’s Anglican Church in 2010. This little group asked that if the Queen Anne silver communion vessels couldn’t be returned to St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Annapolis Royal, perhaps the vessels could be on loan for the year or a portion of the year. I seem to recall the reply was something rather condescending about the fear of security. I expect the rector didn’t think St. Paul’s would get the vessels back.
I would like to have one more stab at this business.
There seems to be a change of heart/policy at national museums around the world about some of the items they have in their collections. First Nations here have successfully negotiated the return of some of their important artifacts. There is even a program now on CBC called Stuff the British Stole.
This is a new day – it has been 13 years after all. A true gesture of good will would be to return this meaningful set of silver to the place where it rightfully belongs – here in Queen Anne’s town.