An obituary of Dean Crick by D. R. Vicary, Headmaster of the King's School. Extract from The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 1971.

Many Friends of the Cathedral will have learnt with sadness the news of the death of Dean Crick on November 13th, 1970, at the age of 85. He was Dean of Rochester from 1943 to 1958, thus occupying the Deanery for longer than anyone this century since Dean Hole.

Photographic portrait of Dean Crick. Rochester Cathedral Chapter Library photo collection.

Educated at St. Edmund's School, Canterbury, Brasenose College, Oxford and Ely Theological College, Thomas Crick served a curacy from 1909 to 1911 at Wigan Parish Church. Then he began a distinguished career of thirty years as a chaplain in the Royal Navy. He was Jellicoe's chaplain at the Battle of Jutland at which he was wounded. Later he sailed round the world with Jellicoe and was present with the Duke of Connaught at the opening of the first Indian Parliament in 1921. In 1921-22 he was chaplain in H.M.S. Renown on her visit to India and Japan carrying the then Prince of Wales. He became Chaplain-of-the-Fleet in 1938 and was responsible for raising the number of naval chaplains from 100 to 500, among whom he recruited many who have served the Church with distinction since that time.

When Dean and Mrs. Crick came to Rochester in 1943 they did not come as strangers to the Medway Towns. They had lived in Watts Avenue when he was Chaplain at H.M. Dockyard and the Royal Marine Barracks, Chatham from 1926 to 1928. He retained his close connection with the Navy during his time as Dean of Rochester not only officially through his interest in Naval welfare organizations but also personally because so many of those in positions of senior command at H.M. Dockyard or the R.M. Barracks had been former shipmates or his confirmation candidates when he served as Chaplain at the R.N. College at Dartmouth.

Dean Crick (seated centre) with Canon Mackean and Professor Simpson. Rochester Cathedral Chapter Library photo collection.

As Dean, he was, of course, Chairman of the Friends of the Cathedral with whose help many improvements were made during his time. The Dean and Chapter launched in 1953 the successful Appeal for £60,000 to "preserve, improve and maintain" the Cathedral which was then suffering the effects of dry rot, deathwatch beetle and erosion. During his time, therefore, there were many outward changes. Among these were the introduction of a Nave Altar, the laying-out of the Cloister Garth, the clearing of the vestries so that the Crypt could be opened up, the replacement of the old gas lighting by a new electric system, an extensive rebuilding of the organ, the cleaning of the Quire and the robing of the voluntary choir, nowadays known as the Precinct Choir.

There were also changes in the inner spirit of the place. His friendly contacts and approach meant that many more organizations began to use the Cathedral for their annual Services. The Cathedral played a large part in the Diocesan Jubilee celebrations in 1954; besides holding a series of special services over the three weeks period of the Festival, the Cathedral also mounted a large exhibition-"Christian Art: Old and New" _with treasures from many cathedrals as well as many fine specimens of modern work in glass, silver, embroidery and wood-carving. In all this activity the Dean took the keenest interest. He regarded the Nave service very much as the Dean's personal responsibility and he made it a base for his own gifts of friendship and sympathy. In this he was consciously reviving in the post-war period a tradition inherited from the time of Dean Storrs. Although he made no claim to be a great preacher, there are still many who remember some of his talks, but it was in the area of personal friendship and guidance that he left his most characteristic mark.

The trouble that he took in helping individuals flowed from his intense love of people, and when the news of his retirement came it was greeted by the Chatham Observer with the headline: "much-loved figure who will be greatly missed". This was no overstatement.

His outside interests included serving on the local and regional Hospital Boards and the governing bodies of the Mathematical School and the Girls' Grammar School in Rochester, and of Gillingham Grammar School. He was Chairman of the Governors of the King's School where he is commemorated in the naming of a Day-boy House after him.

After he left Rochester Dean Crick continued to give help at St. Peter's, Eaton Square, until he finally retired to Camberley. We extend our sympathy to Mrs. Crick and Thomas Crick in their bereavement and give thanks to God for one who loved and served the Cathedral with such distinction.

D. R. Vicary
Headmaster, King's School

Extract from The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 1971
Reillustrated by Jacob Scott, Heritage Officer

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The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.