Tributes paid to Norfolk Christian stalwarts
2011: Tributes have been paid to three figures from the Norfolk Christian community, Rev Canon Peter Green, Rev Charles Hall and Katherine Aldridge.
Vicar who help unite churches
Rev Canon Peter Green, former Ecumenical Officer for the Norwich Diocese for four years in the 1980s, has died aged 78.
Rev Green led a pioneering ecumenical project during his 18 years as vicar of Loddon and Sisland when he brought the Methodist and Anglican congregations together and forged close links with the Roman Catholic faith under the Church in Loddon banner.
He studied for the Methodist ministry in Leeds and then joined the Church of England and trained at Lichfield Theological College.
In 1962 he became assistant curate at St Cuthbert’s, Sprowston and in 1965 priest-in-charge of St Francis Church on the Heartsease estate in Norwich.
In 1986 he was made honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral by Bishop Peter Nott for his outstanding work in the diocese.
Rev Green recently celebrated 54 years of marriage to wife Pamela and leaves son Julian and daughter Mary, who is married to North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb. A requiem mass will be held at St Benet’s RC Church, Beccles, on Friday February 4 at 2pm.
Charles had a love of sailing
Rev Charles Hall, who has died aged 70, launched the
Cormorant project half-term sailing holidays on the Broads for youngsters aged between 11 and 16 while working as a priest in inner-city
Nottingham.
When he was promoted to rector of the Thetford team ministry in 1997, the sailing scheme expanded to cover the Norwich diocese and further afield.
Rev Hall had been instrumental in opening the new Cloverfield Church during his time at Thetford and the ministry of the former naval lieutenant included the churches at Kilverstone, Croxton, East Wretham and Cloverfield. He was rural dean of Thetford and Rockland for four years until 2003.
The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, wrote: “Bishops cherish priests like Charles. He was secure in his faith and in himself and his family life. He was the sort of priest people appreciate as a companion when in trouble and a friend with whom to share times of joy. He had a passion to serve young people, especially when they were under sail on the broads.”
Rev Hall leaves a widow, Susie, and daughters Charlotte, Sally, and Caroline. A funeral service will be held at Norwich Cathedral on Thursday, January 27, at 11.45
Read more about Rev Hall on EDP24
Strong faith of community stalwart
The family of community stalwart Katherine Aldridge, who died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver as she walked to a Christmas Eve church service, paid tribute to her following an inquest into her death.
Katherine, 67, who lived with her husband Michael, 68, on Mill Lane, Pulham St Mary, was struck by a car on Christmas Eve 2009 and died the following day.
Mr Aldridge, who attended at inquest in Norwich on January 18, said: “She was my soulmate. We were married for nearly 42 years and we did everything together. We were about to start our retirement life.”
Daughter Louise Ramsay, 40, from Great Blakenham, Suffolk, added: “She was an extremely special person, not only to her family but her whole community. The emphasis of her being was to be part of her community. The church was the most important thing to her out of all of her organisations she was part of. She had a very strong faith.”
Please leave your memories or tributes to Peter, Charles and Katherine below.