Brief History
The beginnings of the spiritual life of the Serbs in this part of Great Britain can be traced back to 1948. In December 1947 the first group of Serbs arrived from a camp in Germany and settled in various northern cities in and around Bradford, having accepted a three-year agreement with the authorities in this country. They had agreed to spend this time working in mines, textile factories or farms. Those who chose farm work were sent mainly to Scotland, while those who chose to work in textile factories or the mines came to Yorkshire. Most of them originated in patriarchal Serbian families and had been brought up in the Orthodox faith and the Serbian tradition. As soon as they had begun to settle, the spark of faith started to burn ever more brightly and they soon felt the need to organise their spiritual life, finding priests who would be able to conduct holy services. They did all this very modestly with the limited means that they had at their disposal but always with strong faith in God and a firm hope for a better tomorrow that is characteristic of the Serbian people.
Once the three-year agreement had expired, the settlers were able to seek whatever employment they could find. Those who had settled in the larger towns and cities in Yorkshire begun to ask their relatives, friends and neighbours to live closer to them and they begun finding them somewhere to work and live. Thus started the formation of Serbian communities in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Halifax and Huddersfield.
As the material situation began to improve, so the idea of the purchase of a church was first discussed in 1952. A committee for the purchase was formed. People were appointed to in various places to collect funds from the local Serbian community and a decision was made to purchase a building in Halifax.
In 1953 work was already in progress with the acquisition of the former Mount Carmel Methodist Chapel. This building was purchased in a dilapidated state but after much renovation was finally consecrated on the 26 September 1954. From thereon, this was officially the start of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity in Halifax. His Royal Highness King Peter II of Yugoslavia attended the opening along with various other civil and clerical dignitaries.
Since those early years, life in the Serbian community has evolved gracefully, always maintaining a dignified presence in the north of England. Hopefully, with that in mind this site will try to offer a taster on that front.
