Contact

Fr Alasdair Coles - Parish Priest

Fr Coles was born in London and studied Physics at St Andrews, Education at Cambridge, and Theology at Oxford and London Universities, preparing for ordination at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, Oxford. He is married to Lil, a musician, and they have two young children.

Since ordination in 1996 he has served as a curate in Wymondham, Norfolk, as Sacrist and then Warden of the College of Minor Canons at St Paul's Cathedral, London, prior to appointment as priest-in-charge of St Mary's in 2004. He is also priest-in-charge of St Barnabas, Pimlico, a Priest Vicar of Westminster Abbey and Chaplain to the Francis Holland School, SW1.

His doctorate is in Patristic Theology and other interests include, neo-Platonism, Historical Theology, music, cricket and rock-climbing.

Fr Stuart Leamy - assistant Priest & PCC treasurer

Fr Leamy was born and brought up in London. He studied Theology at Pembroke College, Oxford and was trained for the priesthood at Salisbury Theological College. Ordained in 1970 in Liverpool Diocese, his first parish was St Thomas the Martyr, Up Holland, which included a large part of Skelmersdale New Town. In 1971 he married Carol and both their children were born in Lancashire.

In 1972 Bishop Stuart Blanch granted him 5 years leave of absence from the stipendiary ministry to gain wider experience of commerce and industry. He joined Price Waterhouse, Liverpool and, in 1975, qualified as a chartered accountant; the call to return to the stipendiary ministry has never come. He continued as a non-stipendiary in Skelmersdale until 1978 when he took a job in the City and the family moved to Hampton on the outskirts of London, where they still live.

He was attached for a number of years to St John the Divine, Richmond but in 1983 relinquished his orders in order to be able to stand for parliament. In 1991 he and his family started attending St Mary's regularly and, in 1994, he resumed his orders as a non-stipendiary curate in the parish. His present employment is as Finance Director of Kingston & Wimbledon YMCA.

His interests include medieval and military history, watching cricket and swimming.

Fr Jonathan Ewer SSM - assistant priest

Fr Jonathan is a priest of the Society of the Sacred Mission, a religious order of the Church of England.

He gained his theological education at the hands of the Society in South Australia, and after curacies in two different parishes in New South Wales, returned to the community and was professed in 1968. He has a BA in Philosophy, an MPhil in Religious Studies, and the degree of Doctor of Ministry.

As a member of the Society, Fr Jonathan has been novice master and prior and is currently Provincial in this country. He has taught in theological colleges, served as a university chaplain, organised a new parish on a housing estate, and set up a programme to enable those from disadvantaged backgrounds to crack the education system.

Before 'retirement', he was Director of Ordinands for the Diocese of Durham and has worked in developing forms of collaborative ministry in both Australia and the UK.

He has an amateur's interest in music, reading, walking and Radio 4.

David Richards - Churchwarden

DAVID RICHARDS was educated at St Paul's Cathedral Choir School, Cheltenham College and Bristol University. He has worked for Courvoisier Cognac in France, English Heritage, Accord plc based at Westminster City Council, and is currently a Sector Manager for Paypoint Plc.

He has been a churchwarden since 2001, is a member of the London Diocesan Synod and Lay Chairman of the Westminster (St Margaret) Deanery Synod.

Lady Stewart - Churchwarden

MARY STEWART was born in Stoke-on-Trent and educated at St Mary's School, Wantage. She worshipped first at St Mary's as a child. Before her marriage to Keith Stewart she studied Law. She has three children and seven grandchildren.

For over thiry years she has practised and studied yoga, teaching classes, private students and training other teachers in many different countries. She has written several books on the subject.

She spends her spare time drawing and painting.

PCC Secretary

Andrew Probert was born in Highgate and educated at University College School and later at Kings College, London, where he studied geology and physics, took an AKC and was secretary of the Joint Christian Council. After working in the advertising industry he moved to Magdalene College, Cambridge to undertake research on the use of marketing to assess transport quality, for a doctoral thesis at the Judge Institute of Management. He currently works as an advisor on policy for Commission for Rural Communities and as a non-executive director of the NHS National Patient Safety Agency His interests include running the CRC's pie club, coxing, match rifle shooting, (disabled) swimming, singing and, more recently, serving at the altar.