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Compliments of Guyana Review
Formerly a branch of St. Philip's Church, St. Saviour's Church was raised to the status of a Parish Church of the Anglican Diocese on 1st January 1939 when it was given its own priest, the Reverend E. C. Lampriere. The word "Chinese" was also omitted from the church's name and became simply St. Saviour's Church but it still continued to be the focal point of the Chinese community. St. Saviour's Church is situated at Broad and Saffon Streets, on land formerly owned by a Frenchman named Pierre Louis de Saffon. He was born in France in 1724 and had fled to Guyana to escape arrest since he had killed his brother in a duel over a woman and duelling was banned in France at the time. Saffon died in 1784 and was buried on his La Penitence estate in what is now the churchyard of St. Saviour's Church with The Saffon Monument marking his grave. In his will he left his money to a fund for the upkeep of poor orphans up to the age of 16 years.
Saffon Monument
The cornerstone of the "Old" St. Saviour's Church was laid on 14th August
1874 to provide a place of worship for the Chinese community of Georgetown
where services could be conducted in the Chinese language by a Chinese Cathecist.
A chancel was added in 1911. In June 1921, on St. John's Day, a dispensation
was granted to the Freemasons of Silent Temple Lodge (Chinese) to hold its
first Divine Service at St. Saviour's Church. The present St. Saviour's Church
was dedicated by the archbishop of the West Indies, Dr. John Alan Knight on
Sunday 14th October, 1951.
(Photograph of another photograph)