St John’s Church was opened and consecrated on 9 May 1832 by Bishop Blomfield. At this time Whetstone had a population of around 500-600 people living in around eighty houses grouped around Whetstone crossroads and extending towards Friern Barnet Lane. The church was built by Joseph Baxendale, a remarkable man and local businessman, on his own land at his own expense. In the petition presented to the Bishop of London for permission to build the church it was stressed that a new church would cater for the expanding population in the area, the nearest church at that time being St Mary at Finchley.

The architect of St John’s Church was named Blomfield, which has led to the suggestion that he may in fact have been the Bishop. If so this is an unusual example of a Bishop being an architect in his own diocese.

The district became a parish as a result of an Order in Council dated 29 June 1836. It was originally intended to pay the Minister out of pew rents but by 1836 it was obvious that the rents were inadequate and patronage passed to the Bishop of London who agreed to pay the stipend. The church continued to benefit from the support of the Baxendale family.

The church circa-1917

In 1832 the church building consisted of what is now the Nave, with music provided by a barrel organ. A new organ and gallery were added in September 1873.

By 1878 the church had fallen into disrepair and the Bell Tower in particular needed repair. An appeal was launched which was so successful the Bell Tower was repaired along with the church being re-floored, re-seated and re-roofed. A chancel and an organ chamber were also built. New windows were added and new porches and doors and the gallery was removed. The work was completed by October 1879. The East Window, manufactured in the studio of William Morris, was given by the Baxendale grandchildren in memory of Joseph and his wife, Mary. The large West Window was given by William Passmore in memory of his wife, Esther.

The sacristy was added in 1898 and the chancel re-ordered in 1948. The church, for its period, is fairly simple, with a few monuments, including the Baxendale vault outside the West End.

The centenary of the church was celebrated in 1932 with a series of services and special events.

The interior of the church at the time of the Centenary Dedication Festival 1932

Vicars of St John’s

The first Vicar of St John’s was Henry Ventris (1832-1869). He and his wife, Ann, had eight children. Their only daughter, Anne Charlotte, who died aged three, is the only person buried in the nave of the church. Her grave was placed beneath the Minister’s pew, although the exact site was lost when the church was re-floored.

Following Henry Ventris came Alfred Cay in 1869 who had the first vicarage built. This was situated on the south side of the Friern Watch estate and was said to be too far from the church.

Revd Thomas Arundell was vicar from 1879 until 1800.

On 15 January 1881 Revd Charles Goody was inducted as vicar. The Goodys had seven children and were responsible for building a new vicarage in 1892. He helped with the expansion of St John’s School and helped take responsibility for maintaining it. He was thought to be an energetic and compassionate vicar.

The Revd C J Goody, Vicar 1881-1912

The Revd Edward Keymer was appointed to succeed Goody, followed in 1920 by Revd Alfred Newns who came to the parish from Antigua. He was replaced in 1928 by Edgar Sheppard. Father Sheppard introduced chanting and incense to the church, establishing a more Catholic consciousness, some of which is still retained in St John’s.

Father Sheppard was succeeded by Fr Elmslie in 1946 who served until 1949. He was replaced by Fr Beck, who stayed until 1956. Fr G A C Dunbar served from 1956 until his retirement in 1981 when he was replaced by Fr S J Terry.

Patrick Henderson was appointed in 1990 and served until 1996 when he was succeeded by Kevin Mitchell from 1996 to 2010, and then Revd Cindy Kent until 2019. The current Priest-in-Charge is Revd Kim Quak-Winslow.

Music in the Church

The earliest music was provided by a barrel organ which was kept at the West End of the church. A pipe organ was installed in 1873 and in 1909 a new, two manual pipe organ was provided, built by Bishop and Sons. This organ was renovated in 1965. Over the years there has been a strong musical tradition in the church.

The first organist whom there is reference to is Mr Vere. Herbert Swain was appointed in 1897 and he established a strong and well-trained choir, founding the Whetstone Choral Society in 1901. Other organists have included Mr Waller (1936), Mr Llewellyn Jones (1949), Miss Cleveland (1951), Mr Clark (1956), Mr George (1971) and Mr Notley (1983).

The Church Today and Tomorrow

Throughout the history of St John’s Church it has been a place of Christian faith, prayer, worship and community for the people of Whetstone. The church building and all those who have served in it are part of the living tradition of the Christian faith and continue to serve and support people. Many of the traditions of prayer and worship develop over time, but they are centred in the love of God for all that inspires and sustains us at St John’s to this day. At St John’s we believe that God calls us to share our unconditional love with others, without exception. We are a welcoming and inclusive community and believe that God accepts us equally, irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, class, age, belief or ability.