Churches - Bevendean History Project
St Matthew's Church, Sutherland Road
The
Church and the Parish of St. Matthew's, Kemp Town, both owed their
origin to the energy and generosity of the Incumbent and congregation
of the neighbouring Church of St. George's in the 1880s.
St. George's had a very wealthy congregation, and its incumbent, the Rev. J. H. Rogers, was a preacher of remarkable power. St George’s Church had no parish assigned to it, and the incumbent therefore had no legal responsibility for the “cure of souls” yet the poorer population scattered around, in the outlying district rising up towards the Downs, attracted the attention and the kindly interest of St. George's congregation. They accordingly approached the Vicar of Brighton with an offer to take charge of the district, and do something to provide for its spiritual needs.
The Iron Church
In 1878, the Vicar of St. George’s church, Rev. J. H. Rogers, recognised that since St. George’s was chiefly attended by the rich and well off, the poorer families who lived on the northern edge of its district lacked any church building within easy reach. He therefore began the process of constructing a “tin chapel”.
Mr. W. Percival Boxall, J.P. of Belle Vue Hall, Eastern Road, offered a piece of land in Sutherland Road valued at £1,300 for the site of this new enterprise, but for some reason Rogers was prevented by the Diocese from accepting this gift. Boxall donated £1,000 in cash to the Chichester Diocesan Association instead, who then transferred the sum to St. George’s accounts, from where Rogers was permitted to pay Boxall for the land, making up the difference of £300 from the Church’s own funds.
This offer was accepted, plans were formed, and money was raised to carry them out. A temporary iron church was erected on land now forming part of Brighton College playground. The church was opened for service in January, 1880, by the Bishop of Chichester (Dr. Durnford), Archdeacon John Hannah (then Vicar of Brighton), with the Rev. J. H. Rogers, and the Rev. R. C. Macdonald (Curate of St. George's) also officiating.
The iron church in 1880
A Church Day School was opened in an Iron Room in Canning Street, and was still standing at the end of World War One.
In November, 1880, the Rev. W. T. McCormick was appointed to take charge of the work and, with the aid of many excellent workers from St. George's, he set up a very efficient parochial organisation, suited for the poor population in the area.
More ambitious projects began to take shape under the auspices of the Rev. J. H. Rogers, the Vicar of St Georges. A large permanent Church was planned, a Building Committee was formed, and a site was purchased on the corner of Sutherland Road and College Terrace. A subscription list was opened, and public appeals were made.
A Permanent Church
Building work for St Matthew’s Church started in 1882 to the design of John Norton, who later designed the school buildings for St Mark's Church in Kemptown.
A drawing of St Matthews Church published in ‘The Builder’ of September 1st, 1888. The tower was never completed.
On St. Matthew's Day, September 21st, 1883, the Church was consecrated by the Bishop, and on August 19th, 1884, a parish was legally assigned to it as a “District Chapelry,” the Rev. W. T. McCormick being appointed the first Vicar.
The builder was Mr. Chappell, of Brighton. The cost of the building, including fittings, was £13,000. The completing of the Church Tower could not be attempted as there was insufficient money available.
St Matthew’s Church in Sutherland road viewed from the south west in 1967.
With thanks to the Regency Society for the use of this picture. You can see the whole of the James Gray archive at regencysociety-jamesgray.com
Plans were drawn up in February 1884 to build a Parsonage for the church at an unknown location, although this was never built.
Two years later in 1886 number one College Terrace, adjacent to the church was purchased as a Rectory for St Matthew’s.
This was enlarged with funds collected and set aside for that purpose by the Rev. J. H. Rogers and was increased by a grant from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
No. 1 College Terrace in 2020, the site of the Vicarage for St Matthew’s Church.
continued
St. George's had a very wealthy congregation, and its incumbent, the Rev. J. H. Rogers, was a preacher of remarkable power. St George’s Church had no parish assigned to it, and the incumbent therefore had no legal responsibility for the “cure of souls” yet the poorer population scattered around, in the outlying district rising up towards the Downs, attracted the attention and the kindly interest of St. George's congregation. They accordingly approached the Vicar of Brighton with an offer to take charge of the district, and do something to provide for its spiritual needs.
The Iron Church
In 1878, the Vicar of St. George’s church, Rev. J. H. Rogers, recognised that since St. George’s was chiefly attended by the rich and well off, the poorer families who lived on the northern edge of its district lacked any church building within easy reach. He therefore began the process of constructing a “tin chapel”.
Mr. W. Percival Boxall, J.P. of Belle Vue Hall, Eastern Road, offered a piece of land in Sutherland Road valued at £1,300 for the site of this new enterprise, but for some reason Rogers was prevented by the Diocese from accepting this gift. Boxall donated £1,000 in cash to the Chichester Diocesan Association instead, who then transferred the sum to St. George’s accounts, from where Rogers was permitted to pay Boxall for the land, making up the difference of £300 from the Church’s own funds.
This offer was accepted, plans were formed, and money was raised to carry them out. A temporary iron church was erected on land now forming part of Brighton College playground. The church was opened for service in January, 1880, by the Bishop of Chichester (Dr. Durnford), Archdeacon John Hannah (then Vicar of Brighton), with the Rev. J. H. Rogers, and the Rev. R. C. Macdonald (Curate of St. George's) also officiating.
The iron church in 1880
A Church Day School was opened in an Iron Room in Canning Street, and was still standing at the end of World War One.
In November, 1880, the Rev. W. T. McCormick was appointed to take charge of the work and, with the aid of many excellent workers from St. George's, he set up a very efficient parochial organisation, suited for the poor population in the area.
More ambitious projects began to take shape under the auspices of the Rev. J. H. Rogers, the Vicar of St Georges. A large permanent Church was planned, a Building Committee was formed, and a site was purchased on the corner of Sutherland Road and College Terrace. A subscription list was opened, and public appeals were made.
A Permanent Church
Building work for St Matthew’s Church started in 1882 to the design of John Norton, who later designed the school buildings for St Mark's Church in Kemptown.
A drawing of St Matthews Church published in ‘The Builder’ of September 1st, 1888. The tower was never completed.
On St. Matthew's Day, September 21st, 1883, the Church was consecrated by the Bishop, and on August 19th, 1884, a parish was legally assigned to it as a “District Chapelry,” the Rev. W. T. McCormick being appointed the first Vicar.
The builder was Mr. Chappell, of Brighton. The cost of the building, including fittings, was £13,000. The completing of the Church Tower could not be attempted as there was insufficient money available.
St Matthew’s Church in Sutherland road viewed from the south west in 1967.
With thanks to the Regency Society for the use of this picture. You can see the whole of the James Gray archive at regencysociety-jamesgray.com
Plans were drawn up in February 1884 to build a Parsonage for the church at an unknown location, although this was never built.
Two years later in 1886 number one College Terrace, adjacent to the church was purchased as a Rectory for St Matthew’s.
This was enlarged with funds collected and set aside for that purpose by the Rev. J. H. Rogers and was increased by a grant from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
No. 1 College Terrace in 2020, the site of the Vicarage for St Matthew’s Church.
continued
