The Church Of The British Navigators

THE largest parish in the world—the parish of all British sailors —was “The Parish of Stepney, County of London”.

The Customs House for all ships, which left and arrived at the Port of London, was in that parish, and in the eyes of the law, as in the minds of its sailormen, every British ship was located there. This arrangement certainly goes back to the days of Pepys, in the reign of Charles II —maybe still earlier.

It was the custom to record all mar riages and burials which occurred on board vessels on the high seas, in the Diocese of London, and the Bishop there of was in charge of all islands of the Empire which were without any other Diocesan oversight.

When Captain Cook was asked by Tahitians the name of his Marae—for, of course, being_ a very great chief, he needs must have one of his own—he gave the name of this naval parish church at home, and so saved himself. The hey day of that great parish has long been over. It is now but a memory of the past.

The accompanying picture of Stepney Parish Church was taken from an en

graving made in 1815.

W.W.B.