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Manager of the crossBeaTs
(June 1964 - April 1967)
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Manager of the crossBeaTs (June 1964 - April 1967) |
| John Banner, curate at St Leonard's (and St Mary with St John) Bootle, was probably the most important organisational influence on the crossBeaTs, both in terms of paperwork and in terms of acting as 'advocate' for the group. John acted as spiritual adviser, leading the group Bible studies, and also as secretary - dealing with bookings and publicity, and later (December 1964) as manager. His commitment to the Gospel was 'total', his enthusiasm was infectious, and he had a great ability to 'get things done'. |
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 A youthful John Banner photographed in 1965/66 |
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| Some photos of the group with John Banner taken ~ 1965, probably in "The Vine" coffee bar, (old hall) St Leonard's |
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| Crossbeats calling card when John Banner was living in Bootle |
| After some time in Wigan, and then as vicar of a church in Norris Green, Liverpool, John Banner moved down to the south of England to Tunbridge Wells (Kent) to become vicar of Holy Trinity and Christ Church. This was an old church in the centre of town, and John set about having it knocked down, and a new one built in the 1990s. He used as a motif, within and without the building, the cross and crown of the crossBeaTs. In fact, outside the church he used a large, suspended cross and crown over the steps leading to the doorway, indicating the centrality of the cross of Christ, His resurrection and ascension as King. This is just visible in some of the external pictures below - underneath the portico. This 'cross and crown' has since (~2005) been moved on to the wall at the side of the church by the new incumbent. | |||||||||
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If you can help to supply any extra information, please get in touch.
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