In 1934, the people of Surrey contributed to a special fund set up by the then High Sheriff, Sir John Jarvis, to help alleviate deprivation in Jarrow in South Tyneside.
Known as the Surrey Fund, it raised nearly £40,000, which was used to create parks and sports grounds, decorate homes, and provide clothing and gifts to the people of Jarrow.
As a token of gratitude, Jarrow Council removed a stone from the monastery of the Venerable Bede and presented it to the people of Surrey.
At Guildford Cathedral, it was inscribed with Jarrow’s coat of arms and the date 1934 and installed into the walls within the Cathedral on the exterior of the Chapel of the Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment.
This special loan of the Practice stone has been arranged to coincide with the visit there of the Jarvis family on the 16th of April, reflecting the enduring link between Surrey and Jarrow, forged through philanthropy, history, and faith.
The Practice Jarrow Stone is a preparatory piece used by the Stonemasons Trollope and Colls for the actual Jarrow Stone; a significant artifact associated with the historic monastery at Bede’s church of St Paul’s.
The practice stone was identified in Ursula’s Porch at Guildford Cathedral by our Deans Virger, Archive Team and Cathedral guides, following research undertaken for local Jarrow historian Tom Tweddell.
Tom, whose biography of Sir John Jarvis—the Surrey philanthropist who supported Jarrow during the economic hardships of the 1930s—has deepened interest in this historic connection.
This loan follows discussions led by the newly appointed Dean of Guildford (Previously Archdeacon of Sunderland), the Very Revd Bob Cooper, and St Paul’s Church, Jarrow.
Dean, Bob Cooper, says,
“The link between Guildford Cathedral and the people of Jarrow is a significant one, and one which is being deepened with the loan of the practice stone. My own links to Jarrow, having lived in Boldon Colliery for seven years, are strong and I am delighted that this partnership with St Paul’s Jarrow means that my connections are not diminished by moving to Surrey, rather they are enhanced. The contribution Sir John Jarvis made to the life and people of Jarrow was significant, and the continuing link between Guildford Cathedral and Jarrow will only be strengthened by the practice stone loan”.
Councillor Judith Taylor, Lead Member for Culture, Leisure and the Visitor Economy at South Tyneside Council says,
“We are thrilled to see the Practice Jarrow Stone being loaned to St Paul’s Church. The former Jarrow Council’s donation of a stone from the monastery of the Venerable Bede to the people of Surrey demonstrated our area’s gratitude for Surrey’s support at a time of great economic hardship in the 1930’s. The loaning of this historical artefact marks the continuation of Sir John Jarvis’s legacy, while celebrating and reinforcing our special cultural connection with Surrey.”
Tom Tweddell reflects, “My interest in these issues arose out of my curiosity about the effort Sir John made to support Jarrow. It was chance that brought the town to his attention. We now look back nearly 90 years to find this jewel of charity and humanity. Examples of comparable jewels are few and far between. Sir John’s legacy is therefore an important reminder to us all about simple Christian values. I hope that people in Guildford and Jarrow see these two stones in their respective churches and ask not just what they are, but what they represent”.
