THE grandson of Worcester's famous First World War chaplain Woodbine Willie, paid a visit to the city prior to the anniversary of his death.

This Friday will mark 90 years since Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, nicknamed Woodbine Willie, died in Liverpool and to mark the occasion, Kostya Kennedy, his grandson from New York, USA, visited St Paul’s Church.

Kostya Kennedy said that he felt “a surge of emotion” when standing in the same pulpit his grandfather once did.

He said, “It was then that I felt his presence most strongly and tangibly. My breath caught.”

When war broke out in 1914, Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy was the parish vicar for St Paul’s and preached with compassion and understanding which won the hearts of the blockhouse, the houses surrounding the church.

He then became an army chaplain and soon became famous for the handing out of Woodbine cigarettes to troops in the trenches.

Geoffrey received the Military Cross and also became personal chaplain to King George V but later died in 1929.

Kostya Kennedy visited Worcester with his wife Amy and daughter Maya, Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy’s great granddaughter.

"Our visit to Worcester, and to St Paul's Church in particular, was remarkable. It brought my grandfather to life,” said Kostya.

Kostya’s father, Michael Studdert-Kennedy, was the youngest of Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy’s three sons and was two years old when he died.

He emigrated to America where he made a career as a speech scientist and professor of linguistics.

“While I certainly learned of what Geoffrey did, and many intimate stories were passed down from my father, it was quite powerful to come to Worcester and see more closely the impact that Geoffrey had on his parish, in the Church and upon so many people as Woodbine Willie," he added.

Kostya and his family also visited Worcester Cathedral where his grandfather delivered memorable sermons.

"It was remarkable to visit Worcester Cathedral and see the window etching that shows him bringing the light to soldiers at the front.”

“And it was incredible to read through some of the letters that came from so far away - from the United States, from all reaches on the United Kingdom, from ordinary people and from the secretary to King George V- on the occasion of Geoffrey's death.”

Maya, Kostya’s daughter said: "As my feet touched the same church grounds as my great grandfather, I tried my best to absorb his admirable quality: to love.”

“As I stood in the same pulpit my great grandfather preached in, pride of the inspiration he shared overwhelmed me.”

Kostya added: "I'm proud to be his grandson, proud of the life that he lived and proud of the legacy he left.”

An exhibition entitled ‘Woodbine Willie the Worcester Years’, will be on display in the Deans chapel of the Cathedral from March 4 to 11 and on the day itself Revd Canon Andrew Studdert-Kennedy, another grandson of Geoffrey, will be preaching at evensong at the Cathedral at 5.30pm.