Welcome!
Original Concept
The decision to establish a religious mission in Liverpool, in order to meet the pastoral needs of Scandinavian seamen and the growing number of emigrants on their way to North America and other overseas destinations, was the result of a recommendation by the Swedish Norwegian Church Council in London, where a mission had already been established by the Evangelical Patriotic Foundation (Evangeliska Fosterlands-Stiftelsen) in 1862.
The first priest, Per August Tegner, arrived in Liverpool on 22 August 1870 and the first service was held six days later at South Bethel.
Establishment of the Church building
The case for a separate church was compelling, because of the numbers of transient Scandinavian people in the Liverpool area. By the late 1870’s and early 1880’s, the annual number of Scandinavian emigrants passing through Liverpool reached 50,000, and the priest was obliged to undertake innumerable visits to ships and local boarding houses.
The commission to design and build the church was given to a young architect, William Douglas Caroe, who went on to be a major representative of the closing phase of the Gothic revival in Britain.
William Douglas Caroe
The commission to design and build the church was given to a young architect, William Douglas Caroe, who went on to be a major representative of the closing phase of the Gothic revival in Britain.
The creation of a unique building
William Douglas Caroe was born in 1857, educated at Ruabon and Trinity College Cambridge, and articled to John Loughborough Pearson. He became known as “a consummate master of building according to medieval precedent”. Caroe undoubtedly obtained the commission through his father, who was then the Danish Consul in Liverpool, but nepotism, at least in this case, had the reward with the creation of a unique building, which contained many Scandinavian features, including stepped gables and a concave sided lead covered spire over the entrance. Construction costs amounted to 50.000 Swedish crowns, a mere £15,000 today. The building was started in 1883 and completed in 1884.
The Church Today
Liverpool International Nordic Community (LiNC) is the charity that runs the church and community centre based in the Gustaf Adolf Kyrka, also known as the Gustav Adolf Church or the Scandinavian Seamen's Church, on Park Lane, Liverpool in the heart of the Baltic Triangle. Originally the built served the spiritual needs of Swedish emigrants and seamen passing through the city during the late 19th century. Designed by W.D. Caröe, it is one of only four octagonal churches in England and is recognized for its architectural significance and is a Grade II* listed building and was constructed between 1883 and 1884 and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England.
During the later part of the 19th century, large numbers of Swedish emigrants were passing through Liverpool as well as seafarers docking in Liverpool, and there was a need to serve their spiritual needs. The first Swedish priest was appointed in 1870, who visited the emigrants in ships and boarding houses. There was perceived to be a need for a permanent centre. The commission to design a church and minister's house was gained by W.D. Caröe whose father, Anders Kruuse Caröe, was the Danish Consul in the city. It was Caröe's first independent commission to design a church.
Originally built to serve the needs of Swedish seafarers and emigrants, over the years it has welcomed in the communities from other Nordic countries and today serves Norwegians, Danes, Finnish and Icelandic communities as well as Swedish immigrants living working or studying in Liverpool and the North West of England.
Today the centre provides a diverse programme ranging from Sunday services, coffee mornings, knitting groups, language schools, concerts and a range of Scandinavian cultural events. Whilst LiNC serves the needs of the Scandinavian communities in the North West it welcomes everyone with and interest in or connection with Scandinavian culture and customs.
Interesting Historical Dates and Information Comments
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1862List Item 1
The Swedish Evangelical Patriotic Society (EFS) was established in London.
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1870List Item 2
Many Nordic emigrants passed through Liverpool in addition to heavy ships' traffic. In August this year, Per August Tegner, a pastor sponsored by EFS, arrived at the railway station from London. He was met by a Norwegian and also by an Anglican priest, who offered him a place to sleep in his home.
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1871List Item 3
Only 7 days later there was a first service in Swedish at South Bethel, a chapel that belonged to the English seamen’s mission. He wrote later about it: “About 90 persons turned up. It was a moment of great importance, and I remember well how it felt to perform the service for this parish, consisting of captains, crews and resident Scandinavians”.
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1881List Item 4
Tegner died having said to his wife “I know my deliverer lives here”. And if you go to Sefton Cemetery in Liverpool those words are what you can read on his and his wife’s tombstone.
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1882
EFS Committee visited Liverpool. Three committee members of EFS visited Liverpool in the autumn of 1882 and they were convinced of the necessity of a church in Liverpool. Architectural drawings by Caroe (the imagination drawing now hangs near the entrance to the coffee room)were at hand and EFS approved the full scheme
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1883
GA Trust formed in the 1883 Indenture between LCC and 3 Scandinavian Merchants living and working in Liverpool.
On 1 December 1883 the cornerstone of the first commission for W D Caröe was laid while “asking for God’s blessings over the church and over those who will gather here”.
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1884
On the very day a year later, 1 December 1884, the building was consecrated. A number of Nordic pastors attended the occasion and one, the Norwegian Johan Storjohann, said in a speech that “the Swedish seamen’s church in Liverpool is without any doubts the biggest and the most beautiful seamen’s church in the whole world!”
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1885
In the EFS’s account in Sweden you can read: “The past year has on one account, been more memorable than any other year. We have been blessed with being able to consecrate the most longed-for seamen’s church in Liverpool. It is that this church on a foreign shore stands there as a memorial of the love and sacrifice of the missionary friends and, with her dome, with the cross and her spire, she shall witness to the Scandinavian seamen of Him, who with living stones on a mortal soil builds himself a temple, which will last forever”.
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1921
Norwegians moved out to their own church in Southwood Rd Aigburth.
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1940 - 45
Hundreds of Norwegian seamen settled and married in Liverpool.
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1961
Upper floor installed at the level of the church balcony in the building to give more social space on the middle floor below.
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1992
The Norwegians congregation returned when their own church was closed.
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2004
Liverpool International Nordic Charity (LINC) formed to assist the vicars with any work needed on the church building and to help with ccultural and social activities.
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2008
The Swedish Church Abroad came to us at the church in Liverpool and said that they intended to close the church and sell the building.
LiNC informed them that there were specific details set down in the 1883 Indenture that prevented a sale.
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2009
LINC communicated with English Heritage and had the building upgraded to Grade II*.
This higher grading prevented any building changes without the approval of English Heritage.
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2010
The Swedish Church Abroad organisation handed running of church to LiNC and the 1883 Trust.
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2013
The church congregation became a separate body and was named Gustaf Adolf Nordic Congregation (GANC)
This enable them to join an established religious organisation the Lutheran Church in Great Britain.