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Thanks to generous donations in the first half of the 20th century, The British community in Rio de Janeiro owns a fine property at Rua Real Grandeza 99, Botafogo, where the main users are Christ Church, The British School and The British and Commonwealth Society, the BCS. Many other entities use the properties, including the Freemasons, the Women’s Diocesan Association (WDA), AA and Al-Anon, SCM choir and other community and religious groups. The British School is currently the site’s heaviest user. It occupies the property every school day from early morning to late afternoon.

The properties were originally held in trust by The Establishment of Christ Church and in 1975 were transferred to the BCS to safeguard British ownership and usage of the buildings. A Board of Trustees was set up to oversee the holding and control of the properties, and to ensure respect for the wishes of the original donors.

Ever since the church was declared a listed property, or historic building, (listed in 1987, confirmed definitive in 1997) we have come under close surveillance by the city government and the DGPC (Departamento Geral de Patrimônio Cultural). Although its religious status meant that the church was already immune from municipal taxes such as rates, the DGPC insists on certain standards of maintenance and appearance.

The British School came to the properties in 1951 with around 200 children, after the community had raised funds to build the Cashman Building, which faces the playground/car park. The school started to grow and in 1957 the Cashman building was extended. Then in 1967 the school bought the Ribeiro dos Santos building at the back of the site, on Rua da Matriz. The school has not stopped its growth since then and over the years has rented or bought buildings on both the Rua Real Grandeza and the Rua da Matriz. Today it has around 800 students on the Botafogo site, as well as some 400 in its new Senior School building in Urca, not to mention its new site in Barra, which is growing fast. The school rents various rooms on the community site and makes a major contribution to income. More than four fifths of the children at the school are Brazilian.

The BCS manages the properties on a day-to-day basis, with major decisions made by a Property Advisory Committee (PAC), which is chaired by the BCS. This committee has two representatives from each of the main users of the site, Christ Church, the British School and the BCS. Running costs are shared among the site’s users.

In 2006 a Property Reparations fund was set up, which accumulated more than R$300,000 in funds for repairs and improvements. Over the last few years a lot of work has been done, such as rewiring and relocation of cables, construction of wheelchair access ramps and accessible bathrooms, restoration of stained glass windows in the church and replacement of flood lights, unblocking and replacement of drains, repairs and waterproofing of gutters and roof areas all over the property, painting and general repairs to external and internal walls, and much else. The Property Fund is now almost completely depleted and the BCS, along with other site users, is looking for ways to raise funds for a complete overhaul of the Jubilee Hall.

The BCS also owns a very attractive property in Niteroi – All Saints Church – where Anglican services are still held in English, though it is mainly rented to the Bethany Church. Our tenants maintain it extremely well. The other property is the British Cemetery in Gamboa, which belongs to and is maintained by the British Burial Fund. It generates its own income and is no burden on central funds.

The church and properties are our heritage, created by the original founding fathers and handed down over the generations to the British community of today. The British brought progress to Rio and Brazil, but over the years lost many of their assets as times changed and Brazil grew more independent.

Today we are once again in partnership with our Brazilian colleagues in many areas, and should continually enhance the facilities we own, to promote British cultural, educational and moral principles.

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