Canon George Walker

The inspiration for rescuing the church came from Canon George Walker whose booklet   “Cottle Church  -  an incident in the life of pre-emancipation Nevis” encouraged Clive Mitchell, the founder of the Nevis Historical & Conservation Trust, to seek funds to preserve the ruins.

George Walker was born in Southampton, England.  Educated at King Edward VI School, St Boniface College, Warminster and the University of Durham, he was ordained deacon in 1938 and served as a curate in St Anne's Parish, Brislington near Bristol during the bombing blitzes of the Second World War.  In 1942 he crossed the Atlantic to join the Diocese of Antigua, his convoy being twice attacked by German submarines.

From 1942 to 1951 he served as chaplain and housemaster of the Antigua Grammar School and then briefly as rector of St Peter with All Saints, Antigua.  He was appointed rector of St George's in St Kitts in 1952.  He became Archdeacon of St Kitts in 1964 and remained there after his retirement in 1978.  He died in April 2002.

His booklet on the Cottle Church is published by the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society of Charlestown, Nevis.  Among his other publications are “Strings and Pipe” the story of the building of the organ of St George's, St Kitts, in 1872 and “An edited edition of the Cayon Diary” the common place book of an 18th century planter of St Kitts.  He was also the author of “The Life of Daniel Gateward Davis  -  First Bishop of Antigua”.

The project to conserve the Cottle Church has dedicated a pavilion at the church site to Canon George Walker where information about the church is displayed.