Holy Trinity Church, Canning Town facts for kids
Holy Trinity Church was a special church in Canning Town, east London. It was part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. This church was built to serve the people living in the growing area of Hallsville.
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How the Church Started
The idea for Holy Trinity Church came from a group called the Plaistow and Victoria Docks Mission. This group was set up by the vicar (a type of priest) from St Mary's Church, Plaistow and a man named Antonio Brady. They wanted to help the many new families moving into the area.
At first, the church services were held in the National School on Barking Road. This was a temporary place until a proper church building could be finished.
Building the Church
The permanent Holy Trinity Church opened its doors in 1867. A year later, in 1868, it officially became its own parish. A parish is like a local area that a church is responsible for. Parts of the areas covered by St Mary's Church and All Saints Church were used to create this new parish.
Who Chose the Priests?
Originally, the local bishop had the right to choose the priest for Holy Trinity Church. This right is called an advowson. But in 1886, this right was given to the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor is a very important government official. This change helped the church get more money to support its priest. The extra money came from another old church called All Hallows Church, London Wall.
The Church During Wartime
During World War II, many parts of London were bombed. Holy Trinity Church was badly damaged by bombs in 1941. Even with the damage, the church managed to open again the very next year.
The Church Closes
Sadly, Holy Trinity Church closed its doors for good in 1948. The local council, West Ham Borough Council, bought the land. They then tore down the church building. In its place, new homes (flats) were built for people to live in.
The money that the church received for the war damage was used for something else. It helped to build a brand new church called St Erkenwald's Church, Barking, which opened in 1954.
What Happened to the Parish?
Even after the church building was gone, the parish of Holy Trinity continued to exist until 1961. During this time, the priest from St Matthias' Church, Canning Town looked after the Holy Trinity parish. In 1961, most of the Holy Trinity parish joined with St Matthias' Church. A smaller part of the area became part of St Cedd's Church, Canning Town.
