A church in Surrey has found itself at the center of controversy after the wrongful dismissal of its long-serving organist, Dr. Fraser, a Yale-educated musician.

Dr. Fraser, who had served at St. Mary and St. Peter Church in Staines since 2010, was dismissed in 2020 after church leaders sought to cut costs. She claimed that during her tenure, she was pressured to leave, excluded from certain church events, and even discouraged from playing British patriotic music because she is American.

Her duties included playing the organ, organising choir practise and running a hand bell group.

The church, citing financial difficulties, decided to make her position redundant, even rejecting an anonymous donor's offer to cover her salary adding that the organist had a 'very high' salary - though the exact amount has not be disclosed. 

As the parish's finances were not in 'good health' senior figures weren't sure if they 'could afford' a musician of Dr Frazer's calibre.

However, an employment tribunal found her dismissal was “manifestly unfair” and carried out in an “irregular” manner.

While her claims of discrimination were dismissed, the ruling acknowledged that the process by which she was removed was unjust. The consequences of the church’s decision became clear as congregation numbers reportedly dropped, suggesting that the loss of traditional music and the manner in which Dr. Fraser was treated may have alienated some members of the congregation. 

The panel dismissed Dr Frazer's claims there was a link between her nationality and her dismissal.

Speaking at the tribunal, Employment Judge Judith George said:

'[Dr Fraser's] supporters would no doubt argue passionately, as they did in the hearing before us, that the tradition at St Peters needs to be respected and that there was a risk that parishioners and their giving would move away if the director of music was not held by a professional.

'There are also a number of letters from people in the community to that effect.

'The PCC may have chosen to value the status quo. Since the director of music post has gone, the congregation at St Peters has apparently reduced more than that at St Mary's and that suggests that Covid alone may not be the cause of the reduction.'

But the tribunal also calculated that if a fair dismissal process had been followed, there would have been a 40 percent chance Fraser would have been dismissed by reason of redundancy.

It therefore decided that a 40 percent deduction should be made from Dr Frazer's compensation to take account of that chance.