vestry

Doreen Golding, 83, the Pearly Queen of Bow Bells and the Old Kent Road, shouted to the group as she led the way to the church vestry.

Thanks to vestry records dating back to 1732, when the church occupied a wooden chapel — and assistance from Fairfax County Circuit Court Historic Records — Hamly and his team of researchers learned a lot.

"We put out an appeal on Facebook and that brought people from outside the church, from different walks of life and faiths," said vestry member Samuel Stewart.

In the town centre, Heidi Jacobsen, who runs the Hope Pantry in the vestry of a beautiful church, is tackling a different problem.

We hear how the Archbishop of Canterbury later helped revive her by giving her a swig of brandy in the vestry.