Sunday, May 11, 2025, 1.30pm to 2.30pm PDT
The Vancouver Oxford & Cambridge Society and St. James' Anglican Church invite you to a talk at the St James' Anglican Church on Sunday, May 11 at 1:30pm.
Architect, historian, and VOCS member Elisabeth Kwan (PhD 2024; Magdalene), will presenting a talk reconsidering the history of St. James' Anglican Church: The Sceptre and the Sakura: The Rise of St. James' Anglican Church in Vancouver's Nihonmachi ('Japantown').
A 'startling' sight when built in 1936, St. James' Anglican Church would later be considered “the best building in Vancouver” by Arthur Erickson, one of Canada's most esteemed architects. Little is known about the Anglo-Canadian collective that shaped this bold example of early modernist architecture in the city, let alone how financing it was possible during the Depression. Even less obvious is how this building renewed the city's Anglican 'mother church' amidst a thriving centre of Vancouver's Japanese community. Drawing on archival research, architect and historian Elisabeth Kwan will offer intriguing new perspectives about the transformation of this building's identity from local church to city landmark.
Admission is free. You can tour the church after the talk. Details about parking and transit options to the venue can be found at this link.
We look forward to seeing you there!
