Part 39

_St. John's_, Ladywood, built at a cost of £6,000, the site being given by the Governors of the Free Grammar School, and the stone for building by Lord Calthorpe, was consecrated March 15, 1854. In 1881, a further sum of £2,350 was expended in the erection of a new chancel and other additions. The Rector of St. Martin's is the patron of the living (valued at £330), and the present Vicar is the Rev. J.L. Porter, M.A. The sittings number 1,250, of which 550 are free. Services are also conducted at the Mission Room, Coplow Street, and on Sunday evenings in Osler Street Board School.

_St. John's_, Perry Barr, was built, endowed, and a fund left for future repairs, by "Squire Gough," of Perry Hall, the cost being about £10,000. The consecration took place Aug. 6, 1833, and was a day of great rejoicing in the neighbourhood. In 1868 the church was supplied with a peal of eight bells in memory of the late Lord Calthorpe. The living (valued at £500) is in the gift of the Hon. A.C.G. Calthorpe.

_St. John the Baptist_, East Harborne, which cost rather more than £4,000, was consecrated November 12, 1858. It has sittings for 900, of which number one half are free. Living valued at £115; patron Rev. T. Smith, M.A.; vicar, Rev. P. Smith, B.A.

_St. John the Evangelist_, Stratford Road.--A temporary iron church which was opened April 2, 1878, at a cost of £680. A Mission Room, in Warwick Road, Greet, is in connection with above.

_St. Jude's_, Tonk Street, which was consecrated July 26, 1851, has 1,300 sittings, of which 1,000 are free. In the summer of 1879, the building underwent a much-needed course of renovation, and has been still further improved by the destruction of the many "rookeries" formerly surrounding it. The patronage is vested in the Crown and Bishop alternately, but the living is one of the poorest in the town, only £150.

_St. Lawrence's_, Dartmouth Street.--First stone laid June 18, 1867; consecrated June 25, 1868; has sittings for 745, 400 being free. The Bishop is the patron, and the living (value £320) is now held by the Rev. J.F.M. Whish, B.A.

_St. Luke's_, Bristol Road.--The foundation stone of this old Norman-looking church was laid July 29, 1841, but it might have been in 1481 to judge by its present appearance, the unfortunate choice of the stone used in the building giving quite an ancient look. It cost £3,700, and was consecrated Sept. 28, 1842. There are 300 free seats out of 800. The trustees are patrons, and the living (value £430) is held by the Rev. W.B. Wilkinson, M.A., vicar.

_St. Margaret's_, Ledsam Street.--The cost of this church was about £5,000; the first stone was laid May 16, 1874; the consecration took place Oct. 2, 1875, and it finds seating for 800, all free. The Bishop is the patron of the living (a perpetual curacy value £300), and it is now held by the Rev. H.A. Nash. The schoolroom in Rann Street is licensed in connection with St. Margaret's.

_St. Margaret's_, Olton, was consecrated Dec. 14, 1880, the first stone having been laid Oct. 30, 1879.

_St. Margaret's_, Ward End, built on the site, and partly with the ruins of an ancient church, was opened in 1836, and gives accommodation for 320 persons, 175 seats being free. The living, value £150, is in the gift of trustees, and is held by the Rev. C. Heath, M.A., Vicar.

_St. Mark's_, King Edward's Road.--First stone laid March 31, 1840; consecrated July 30, 1841. Cost about £4,000, and accommodates 1,000, about a third of the seats being free. A vicarage, value £300; patrons, trustees; vicar, Rev. R.L.G. Pidcock, M.A.

_St. Martins_.--There is no authentic date by which we can arrive at the probable period of the first building of a Church for the parish of Birmingham. Hutton "supposed" there was a church here about A.D. 750, but no other writer has ventured to go past 1280, and as there is no mention in the Domesday Book of any such building, the last supposition is probably nearest the mark. The founder of the church was most likely Sir William de Bermingham, of whom there is still a monumental effigy existing, and the first endowment would naturally come from the same family, who, before the erection of such church, would have their own chapel at the Manor House. Other endowments there were from the Clodshales, notably that of Walter de Clodshale, in 1330, who left twenty acres of land, four messuages, and 18d. annual rent, for one priest to say mass daily for the souls of the said Walter, his wife, Agnes, and their ancestors; in 1347, Richard de Clodshale gave ten acres of land, five messuages, and 10s. yearly for another priest to say mass for him and his wife, and his father and mother, "and all the faithful departed"; in 1428, Richard, grandson of the last-named, left 20s. by his will, and bequeathed his body "to be buried in his own chapel," "within the Parish Church of Bermyngeham." Besides the Clodshale Chantry, there was that of the Guild of the Holy Cross, but when Henry VIII. laid violent hands on all ecclesiastical property (1535) that belonged to the Church of St. Martin was valued at no move than £10 1s. From the few fragments that were found when the present building was erected, and from Dugdale's descriptions that has come down to us, there can be little doubt that the church was richly ornamented with monuments and paintings, coloured windows and encaustic tiles, though its income from property would appear to have been meagre enough. Students of history will readily understand how the fine old place came gradually to be but little better than a huge barn, the inside walls whitewashed as was the wont, the monuments mutilated and pushed into corners, the font shoved out of sight, and the stained glass windows demolished. Outside, the walls and even the tower were "cased in brick" by the churchwardens (1690), who nevertheless thought they were doing the right thing, as among the records of the lost Staunton Collection there was one, dated 1711, of "Monys expended in public charitys by ye inhabitants of Birmingham, wth in 19 years last past," viz.:--

In casing, repairing, &c., ye Old Church £1919 01 9-1/2

Adding to ye Communion Plate of ye said Church 275 ounces of new silver 80 16 06

Repairing ye high ways leading to ye town wth in these 9 years 898 00 01

Subscribed by ye inhabitants towards erecting a New Church, now consecrated, and Parsonage house 2234 13 11 ------------ In all £5132 12 3-12

In the matter of architectural taste the ideas of the church wardens seem curiously mixed, for while disfiguring the old church they evidently did their best to secure the erection of the splendid new church of St. Philip's, as among other entries there were several like these:--

"28pds. 2s. wch Mr. Jno. Holte has collected in Oxford towards building ye New Church."

"Revd. £30 from Sir Charles Holte, Baronet, for the use of the Com.e of the New Church."

From time to time other alterations were made, such as new roofing, shutting up the clerestory windows, piercing the walls of the chancel and the body of the church for fresh windows attaching a vestry, &c. The churchyard was partly surrounded by houses, and in 1781 "iron pallisadoes" were affixed to the wall. In this year also 33ft. of the spire was taken down and rebuilt. In 1807 the churchyard was enlarged by the purchase of five tenements fronting Spiceal Street, belonging to the Governors of the Free Grammar School, for £423, and the Commissioners having cleared the Bull Ring of the many erections formerly existing there the old church in its hideous brick dress was fully exposed to view. Noble and handsome places of worship were erected in other parts of the town, but the old mother church was left in all its shabbiness until it became almost unsafe to hold services therein at all. The bitter feelings engendered by the old church-rate wars had doubtless much to do with this neglect of the "parish" church, but it was not exactly creditable to the Birmingham men of '49, when attention was drawn to the dangerous condition of the spire, and a general restoration was proposed, that what one gentleman has been pleased to call "the lack of public interest" should be made so manifest that not even enough could be got to rebuild the tower. Another attempt was made in 1853, and on April 25th, 1854, the work of restoring the tower and rebuilding the spire, at a cost of £6,000, was commenced. The old brick casing was replaced by stone, and, on completion of the tower, the first stone of the new spire was laid June 20, 1855, the "topping" being successfully accomplished November 22nd following. The height of the present spire from the ground to the top of the stone-work is 185ft. 10 1/2in., the tower being 69ft. 6in., and the spire itself 116ft. 4 1/2in., the vane being an additional 18ft. 6in. The old spire was about 3in. lower than the present new one, though it looked higher on account of its more beautiful form and its thinner top only surmounted by the weathercock, now to be seen at Aston Hall, The clock and chimes were renewed at a cost of £200 in 1858; the tunes played being "God save the Queen" [Her Majesty visited Birmingham that year], "Rule Britannia," "Blue Bells of Scotland," "Life let us cherish," the "Easter Hymn," and two other hymns. Twenty years after (in 1878) after a very long period (nine years) of inaction, the charming apparatus was again put in order, the chimes being the same as before, with the exception of "Auld lang syne," which is substituted for "God save the Queen," in consequence of the latter not giving satisfaction since the bells have been repaired [vide "_Mail_"]. The clock dial is 9ft. 6in. in diameter. The original bells in the steeple were doubtless melted in the troublesome days of the Commonwealth, or perhaps, removed when Bluff Hal sequestered the Church's property, as a new set of six (total weight 53cwt. 1qr. 15lbs.) were hung in 1682. During the last century these were recast, and addition made to the peal, which now consists of twelve.

Treble, cast in 1772, weight not noted. Second, " 1771, ditto. Third, " 1758, weighing 6 2 16 Fourth, " 1758, " 6 3 27 Fifth, " 1758, " 8 0 20 Sixth, " 1769, " 8 2 12 Seventh " 1768, " 9 3 12 Eighth, " 1758, " 11 3 6 Ninth, " 1758, " 15 1 17 Tenth, " 1758, " 17 3 2 Eleventh " 1769, " 27 3 16 Tenor, " 1768, " 35 0 8

The ninth bell was recast in 1790; fourth and fifth have also been recast, by Blews and Son, in 1870. In the metal of the tenor several coins are visible, one being a Spanish dollar of 1742. The following lines appear on some of the bells;--

On Seventh:--"You singers all that prize your health and happiness, be sober, merry and wise and you will the same possess."

On Eighth.--"To honour both of God and King, our voices shall in concert ring."

On Tenth.--"Our voices shall with joyful sound make, hills and valleys echo round."

On Tenor.--"Let your ceaseless changes raise to our Great Maker still new praise."

The handsome appearance of the tower and spire, after restoration, contrasted so strongly with the "dowdy" appearance of the remainder of the church, that it was little wonder a more determined effort should be made for a general building, and this time (1872) the appeal was no longer in vain. Large donations were given by friends as well as by many outside the pale of the Church, and Dr. Wilkinson, the Rector, soon found himself in a position to proceed with the work. The last sermon in the old church was preached by Canon Miller, the former Rector, Oct. 27, 1872, and the old brick barn gave place to an ecclesiastical structure of which the town may be proud, noble in proportions, and more than equal in its Gothic beauty to the original edifice of the Lords de Bermingham, whose sculptured monuments have at length found a secure resting-place in the chancel of the new St. Martin's. From east to west the length of the church is a little over 155ft., including the chancel, the arch of which rises to 60ft.; the width, including nave (25ft.) and north and south aisles, is 67ft.; at the transepts the measure from north to south gives 104ft. width. The consecration and re-opening took place July 20, 1875, when the church, which will accommodate 2,200 (400 seats are free) was thronged. Several stained windows have been put in, the organ has been enlarged, and much done in the way of decoration since the re-building, the total cost being nearly £25,000. The living (£1,048 nett value) is in the gift of trustees, and has been held since 1866 by the Rev. W. Wilkinson, D.D., Hon. Canon of Worcester, Rural Dean, and Surrogate. The burial ground was closed Dec. 9, 1848.

_St. Mary's_, Acock's Green, was opened Oct. 17, 1866. The cost of erection was £4,750, but it was enlarged in 1882, at a further cost of £3,000. There are 720 sittings, 420 being free. The nett value of the living, in the gift of trustees, is £147, and the present vicar is the Rev. F.T. Swinburn, D.D.

_St. Mary's_, Aston Brook, was opened Dec. 10, 1863. It seats 750 (half free), and cost £4,000; was the gift of Josiah Robins, Esq., and family. Perpetual curacy, value £300. The site of the parsonage (built in 1877, at a cost of £2,300), was the gift of Miss Robins. Present incumbent, Rev. F. Smith, M.A.

_St. Mary's_, Moseley.--The original date of erection is uncertain, but there are records to the effect that the tower was an addition made in Henry VIII.'s reign, and there was doubtless a church here long prior to 1500. The chancel is a modern addition of 1873; the bells were re-cast about same time, the commemorative peal being rung June 9, 1874; and on June 8, 1878, the churchyard was enlarged by the taking in of 4,500 square yards of adjoining land. The living, of which the Vicar of Bromsgrove is the patron, is worth £280, and is now held by the Rev. W. H. Colmore, M.A. Of the 500 sittings 150 are free.

_St. Mary's_, Selly Oak, was consecrated September 12, 1861, having been erected chiefly at the expense of G.R. Elkington and J.F. Ledsam, Esqrs. There are 620 sittings, of which 420 are free. The living is in the gift of the Bishop and trustee; is valued at £200, and the present vicar is the Rev. T. Price, M.A.

_St. Mary's_, Whittall Street, was erected in 1774, and in 1857 underwent a thorough renovation, the reopening services being held August 16. There are 1,700 sittings of which 400 are free. The living is a vicarage, with an endowment of £172 with parsonage, in the gift of trustees, and is now held by the Rev. J.S. Owen.

_St. Matthew's_, Great Lister Street, was consecrated October 20, 1840, and has sittings for 1,400, 580 seats being free. The original cost of the building was only £3,200, but nearly £1,000 was expended upon it in 1883. Five trustees have the gift of the living, value £300, which is now held by the Rev. J. Byrchmore, vicar. The Mission Room, in Lupin Street, is served from St. Matthew's.

_St. Matthias's_, Wheeler Street, commenced May 30th, 1855, was consecrated June 4, 1856. Over £1,000 was spent on renovations in 1879. The seats (1,150) are all free. The yearly value of the living is £300, and it is in the gift of trustees. The vicar is the Rev. J.H. Haslam, M.A.

_St. Michael's_, in the Cemetery, Warstone Lane, was opened Jan. 15, 1854, the living (nominal value, £50) being in the gift of the directors. Will accommodate 400--180 seats being free.

_St. Michael's_, Northfield.--Of the original date of erection there is no trace, but it cannot be later than the eleventh century, and Mr. Allen Everett thought the chancel was built about 1189. The five old bells were recast in 1730, by Joseph Smith of Edgbaston, and made into six. The present building was erected in 1856-7, and has seating for 800, all free. The living, valued at £740, is held by the Rev. R. Wylde, M.A., and connected with it is the chapel-of-ease at Bartley Green.

_St. Michael's_, Soho, Handsworth, was opened in 1861. It has 1,000 sittings, one-half of which are free. The living is valued at £370, is in the gift of the Rector of Handsworth, and is now held by the Rev. F.A. Macdona.

_St. Nicolas_, Lower Tower Street--The foundation stone was laid Sept. 15, 1867; the church was consecrated July 12, 1868, and it has seats for 576 persons, the whole being free. The Bishop is the patron of the living, value £300, and the Vicar is the Rev. W.H. Connor, M.A.

_St. Nicholas_, King's Norton.--This church is another of the ancient ones, the register dating from 1547. It was partially re-erected in 1857, and more completely so in 1872, morn than £5,000 being expended upon it. The Dean and Chapter of Worcester are the patrons of the living (nett value £250), and the Vicar is the Rev. D.H.C. Preedy. There are 700 sittings, 300 of which are free.

_St. Oswald's_, situated opposite Small Heath Park, is an iron structure, lined with wood. It will seat about 400, cost £600, and was opened Aug. 10, 1882, being for the present in charge of the clergyman attached to St. Andrew's.

_St. Patrick's_, Highgate Street.--Erected in 1873, at a cost of £2,300, as a "School-chapel" attached to St. Alban's, and ministered unto by the Revds. J.S. and T.B. Pollock. 800 seats, all free.

_St. Paul's_, in St. Paul's Square.--The first stone was laid May 22, 1777, and the church was consecrated June 2, 1779, but remained without its spire until 1823, and was minus a clock for a long time after that. The east window in this church has been classed as the A1 of modern painted windows. The subject, the "Conversion of St. Paul," was designed by Benjamin West, and executed by Francis Eggington, in 1789-90. In May, 1876, the old discoloured varnish was removed, and the protecting transparent window re-glazed, so that the full beauty and finish of this exquisite work can be seen now as in its original state. Of the 1,400 sittings 900 are free. The living is worth £300, in the gift of trustees, and is held by the Rev. R.B. Burges, M.A., Vicar.

_St. Paul's_, Lozells.--The first stone was laid July 10, 1879, and the building consecrated September 11, 1880. The total cost was £8,700, the number of sittings being 800, of which one half are free. Patrons, Trustees. Vicar, Rev. E.D. Roberts, M.A.

_St. Paul's_, Moseley Road, Balsall Heath.--Foundation stone laid May 17, 1852, the building being opened that day twelvemonth. Cost £5,500 and has sittings for 1,300, of which number 465 are free. The Vicar of King's Norton is the patron of the living (value £300), and it is held by the Rev. W.B. Benison, M.A.

_St. Peter's_, Dale End, was begun in 1825, and consecrated Aug. 10, 1827, having cost £19,000. Considerable damage to the church was caused by fire, Jan. 24,1831. There are 1,500 sittings, all free. The living is valued at £260, is in the gift of the Bishop, and is held by the Rev. R. Dell, M.A., Vicar.

_St. Philip's_.--The parish of St. Philip's was created by special Act, 7 Anne, c. 34 (1708), and it being the first division of St. Martin's the new parish was bound to pay the Rector of St. Martin's £15 per year and £7 to the Clerk thereof, besides other liabilities. The site for the church (long called the "New Church") and churchyard, as near as possible four acres, was given by Mrs. Phillips, which accounts for the Saint's name chosen. George I. gave £600 towards the building fund, on the application of Sir Richard Gough, whose crest of a boar's head was put over the church, and there is now, in the form of a vane, as an acknowledgment of his kindness. Other subscriptions came in freely, and the £5,000, first estimated cost, was soon raised. [See "_St. Martins_"]. The building was commenced in 1711, and consecrated on October 4th, 1715. but the church was not completed until 1719. The church was re-pewed in 1850, great part restored in 1859-60, and considerably enlarged in 1883-84. The height of the tower is 140ft., and there are ten bells, six of them dating from the year 1719 and the others from 1761. There is accommodation for 2,000 persons, 600 of the seats being free. The nett value of the living is £868, the Bishop being patron. The present Rector, the Rev. H.B. Bowlby, M.A., Hon. Canon of Worcester, and Surrogate, has been with us since 1875,

_St. Saviour's_, Saltley, was consecrated July 23, 1850. The cost of building was £6,000; there are 810 seats, 560 being free; the living is vnlued at £240, and is in the gift of Lord Norton; the present Vicar is the Rev. F. Williams, B.A.

_St. Saviour's_, Villa Strest, Hockley.--Corner-stone laid April 9, 1872; consecrated May 1, 1874. Cost £5,500, and has seats for 600, all free. The living (value £250) is in the gift of trustees, and is now held by the Rev. M. Parker, Vicar.

_St. Silæs's_ Church Street, Lozells, was consecrated January 10, 1854, the first stone having been laid June 2, 1852. It has since been enlarged, and has now 1,100 sittings, 430 being free. The living (value £450) is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of trustees, and is held by the Rev. G. C. Baskerville, M.A. The Mission Room in Burbury Street is served from St. Silas's.

_St. Stephen's_, Newtown Row, was consecrated July 23, 1844. The building cost £3,200; there are 1,150 sittings, of which 750 are free; the living is valued at £250, is in the gift of the Bishop and the Crown alternately, and is now held by the Rev. P. Reynolds, Vicar, who also provides for the Mission Room in Theodore Street.

_St. Stephen's_, Selly Hill, was consecrated August 18, 1871, the first stone having been laid March 30, 1870. The patrons are the Bishop and trustees; the living is valued at £200; it is a perpetual curacy, and the incumbent is the Rev. R. Stokes M.A. Of the 300 sittings 100 are free.

_St. Thomas's_, Holloway Head.--First stone laid Oct. 2, 1826; consecrated Oct. 22, 1829, having cost £14,220. This is the largest church in Birmingham, there being 2,600 sittings, of which 1,500 are free. In the Chartist riots of 1839, the people tore up the railings round the churchyard to use as pikes. The living (value £550) is in the gift of trustees, and is held by the Rev. T. Halstead, Rector and Surrogate.

_St. Thomas-in-the-Moors_, Cox Street, Balsall Heath.--The church was commenced to be built, at the expense of the late William Sands Cox, Esq., in the year 1868, but on account of some quibble, legal or ecclesiastical, the building was stopped when three parts finished. By his will Mr. Cox directed it to be completed, and left a small endowment. This was added to by friends, and the consecration ceremony took place Aug. 14, 1883. The church will accommodate about 600 persons.