There is local pride and interest 

that the chalice and paten which Her Majesty the Queen has presented to St Mary’s Church, Rotterdam, to commemorate her visit there last March and the 250th anniversary this year of the founding of the original church, were made by Mr Philip Popham, lecturer at the Royal College of Arts, who is an Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School and a former student of Bideford School of Art.

He is the only son of Mr and Mrs J Popham, who live at ‘Ingoldsby’ Kipling Terrace, Westward Ho! and his wife is the only daughter of Mr John and the late Mrs Heywood, of ‘Woodford’ Raleigh. Mr and MRs Philip Popham live at Ickenham, near Uxbridge, and have four children. Mr Heywood is spending the Christmas and New Year with them. The family were on holiday here last summer.

Mr Popham, who has previously undertaken work for the Royal Family, was invited to Buckingham Palace to bring the Communion plate and spent some minutes talking with the Queen. At the Church on Sunday evening the chalice and paten were handed over on behalf of Her Majesty by Sir Paul Mason, the British Ambassador.

Article dated 24 December 1958