the Legislative Assembly. He was not able to prevent this action being taken by the provincial government, but he did eventually get some slight financial compensation for the Church. There is no trace of any glebe land being set apart in Grenville Parish.

From Walpole’s departure, probably in 1834, until 1841, no Anglican clergyman lived at New London. From 1827 to 1835 the Presbyterians had the services of the Reverend Hugh Dunbar, but they had no settled minister between 1835 and 1838. In that interval, according to tradition the “Old Church”, sometimes called “Anderson’s Church”, was built. It was given its present name not many years ago from the Reverend John Geddie who served at New London and Cavendish from 1838 to 1845. John Geddie left New London for Polynesia to become the first Presbyterian foreign missionary from British North America.

Efforts were not wanting within the next few years to improve the prospects of the Church in the diocese. The Diocesan Church Society of Prince Edward Island, founded in July, 1840, was an official organization backed up by the Bishop, the S.P.G., and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (S.P.C.K.), and it was incorporated in 1852. Since then New London has been represented at the annual meetings held in Charlottetown, the delegates for many years being William Cousins and James Pidgeon. Lists of contributors to the D.C.S. which appear in the annual reports give an index to the mainstays of the parish for well over a century. In November, 1840, an auxiliary branch of the Colonial Church Society (later the Colonial Church and School Society, and later still the Colonial and Continental Church Society) was organized in Charlottetown, at first in opposition to the Bishop’s wishes, and then with his qualified approval. To both of these societies the Parish of New London is deeply indebted as will soon be shown. In addition, the absentee proprietors began to support the Church more strongly, so that Anglican hopes were bright in the 1840’s and 1850’s.

The Royal Gazette, October 26, 1841, took note of the arrival, on the Pocahontas from Pictou, of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Panter and four children, and Mr. Roche. The latter was soon settled at Port Hill as the first incumbent, the Panters at George- town, and the Reverend Frederick Roberts at New London. All three men were sent out by the S.P.G. As the Bishop was visiting in another part of the diocese, Archdeacon Willis came to the Island to introduce the men to their respective missions.

New London had no parsonage for the new missionary and his wife, but lodgings were procured some four miles from the church, probably with the family of John Millman. Just as they were about to take up residence Mrs. Roberts died, aged 33, April 4, 1842. The bereaved clergyman decided to leave the Island, but he hesitated so long that Bishop Inglis wrote to the S.P.G. in July, 1843:

I do not despair of retaining Mr. Roberts of New London , Who is a very able and excellent clergyman, but his health and spirits have sustained a most severe shock. He has also a diseased arm.

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