Church flag restored at St Saviour’s parish Leeds - 58 years after it was removed

58 years after it was originally taken down in 1964, the church’s iconic flag pole, flying the St George’s Cross has been returned.

The flag pole has played its part in a long and proud history.

Dr Hook, the pioneer Vicar of Leeds, who played his part in the establishment of St Saviour’s via his friendship with the Oxford Professor, Edward Pusey, soon came to regret the presence of this church in the parish.

The vicar and his colleagues placed a large gilt cross on the top of the flag pole as a demonstration of what exactly the church stood for.

From the start, the flag of St George flew from the flag pole, and we are told that when Dr Pusey died in 1882, it was flying at half mast on the church tower.

It remained there until it was blown down, together with much of the church tower, during a storm in October 1935.

It was then that the present church tower was built, together with the restored flag pole, largely funded by Samuel Smith, the founder of Ringtons Tea, and an old boy of St Saviour’s School.

At length the flag pole was finally removed during full restoration of the church in 1964 and donated to All Saints Church Northallerton.

Three weeks ago, a new pole, complete with a large St George’s flag, was erected.