The current Grace Anglican church is not the original church.  The first Grace Anglican church had its foundation stone laid in 1830.  Although the architect of the original Grace Anglican church is not known, it was built in the same style as Mohawk Chapel.  It was a plain wood frame building painted white.  On the front steeple was mounted 2 balls of wood connected by an iron bar.  At the midway point, there was a sheet iron figure of an angel with a trumpet.  The interior of the church was furnished with a 3-sided gallery.  The organ was in the gallery facing Albion Street.  The church could hold 400 people.

The Reverend James Campbell Usher (later Canon) was welcomed as the first official rector in 1836.  He served as rector for 26 years, retiring in 1872.  He died on October 29th in the same year due to pneumonia.  He was not only active within this new parish but frequently took services within the county.  At the time of the cholera plague, he was an outstanding figure in caring for the sick and ministering to cholera stricken homes.

In the course of a decade, the congregations outgrew the little wooden church and talks began about building a new church.  In 1847, the church building was sold and was moved to Wellington Street where it became the first Grammar School. In 1862 it was sold again and was moved to King Street (Latter location of the Imperial Hotel) to be used as a carriage showroom.  A few years later it was consumed by fire.

On October 14, 1856, the cornerstone of the present church was laid with full Masonic honors by Colonel Wilson (Grand Master).  He was assisted by many local and visiting members of the order.  The congregation chose local well-known architect John Turner.  He was also a member of the congregation.  He also designed churches, other buildings, and parks which still stand today.  The original design of the church did not include a bell tower.  The West Street door north narthex used to be where the archway was going into the baptistery.  If you stand and look up over the archway going into the baptistery and if you go outdoors and look over the roof of the west street narthex, you can see where the windows were removed.  It is believed the windows were plain glass windows and not stained glass.  This is why they were not moved into the outer part of the newly built church.

While the brick edifice was being built, services were held in the frame church after it was moved to the rear of the property near Pearl Street.  On Ascension Day (May 8th, 1902), the brick building was consecrated by the Rt Rev. Maurice Scollard Baldwin, Lord Bishop of Huron.  The opening hymn was Christ Is Head Of The Church.

From 1913 to 1918, the bell tower was built.  It was given by Col. Reuben Leonard (a Brantford boy), in honor of his parents Francis Henry Leonard and Elizabeth Leonard.  Francis Henry Leonard served as warden of Grace for 5 years.

Grace’s bell tower is a landmark in Brantford. And was built as a war memorial.  It was designed to look like a bell tower that you would see in England.  Facing Church Street, there is a dedication stone at the base of the window on the tower at reads: “This Tower and peal of Bells is the gift of Reuben W Leonard, an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God for Victory in this year of Grace”.

The inscription is a cardiogram, which means the date is given, though hidden.  The tower was officially opened with a private, ceremony in 1918 after the signing of the Armistice which ended WWI.  The door going into the tower weighs a total of 400 pounds (it is believed this door was built in England and was sent with the bells)

72 stone steps will take you into the midlevel style room where the bells are played.  An additional 75 wooden steps take you to the roof.  The tower stands 110 Feet high.

The Grace bell tower holds 10 bells.  The largest bell weighs 3,500 lbs.  All the bells were manufactured in London, England, by Mears and Stanibank.  The bells were not originally designed for playing tunes, but for pealing and change-ringing. Swinging a peal of bells requires great strength.  There are over 450 feet of rope used to ring the bells.  The total weight of the ten bells is about 14,815 pounds. The chimes were installed in the tower in late August of 1915.  On January 9th, 1916 the service of dedication was led by the Right, Reverend David, Lord Bishop of Huron.  The bells of Grace Anglican continue to ring out today to the glory of God.

The information in this article has been compiled from many different sources which include, church records, church service bulletins, newspaper articles, information from private collectors and members of the congregation.