The separation of the English and Tamil work in San Thome dates from 1848, when the Rev. A.R. Symonds, Secretary of the S.P.G., in Madras, purchased for the use of the Tamil congregation the old Wesleyan Chapel, formerly used by Carver, appointing a ‘Eurasian’ clergyman to minister in it, who was followed by Indian clergymen. In and since 1956, successive attempts were made to sell the English Church to Government and to secure its conversion into a Government Chaplaincy. This was because, on one hand, the Directors, feeling that Governments in India ought to dissociate themselves from missionary work, had ready embarked on a definite policy of abolishing the joint use of Churches by European and Indian congregations, not only in San Thome but also in ‘Black Town’, Trichinopoly, Tanjore, Ramnad, Palayamcottai and Chittoor; on the other hand, the Bishop, the Archdeacon and the S.P.G. were convinced that it was not morally right to expend Mission funds on European congregations. It must be remembered that, at this time, St. Thomas was the fashionable Church of Madras and was attended by the Governor of Madras (who held a pew) and by the elite of Madras Society, who also, incidentally, contributed liberally towards S.P.G. Funds. The Church building, therefore, together with the School and the Personage, was offered to the Government and was valued by the chief Engineer at Rs. 20,068, but the sale was never effected for one reason or another all that happened was that a grant of Rs. 100 per month was obtained in 1863 from Government of ministerial services to the English congregation and for the use of the burial ground, the Government also undertaking to keep the fabric in repair for the time being.