Memorial Community Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Memorial Community Church
Memorial Community Church Plaistow
Location	389-395 Barking Road, Plaistow, E13 8AL
Country	England
Denomination	Baptist
Website	https://memorialcc.org.uk/
History
Founded	1871
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	William Hayne
Architectural type	Church
Style	Neo-Byzantine
Years built	1921-22
Construction cost	£60,000
Specifications
Number of towers	2
Bells	10

The Memorial Community Church is a Baptist church located in Plaistow, Newham, a part of east London. It has a special design called Neo-Byzantine style. This means it looks similar to ancient churches from the Byzantine Empire. It is also recognized as an important historic building, known as Grade II listed.

History of the Church

Early Beginnings (1871-1904)

This church started way back in 1871. It was first known as the Barking Road Tabernacle. The building they used before is still there today, closer to Canning Town.

For a while, the church had money problems. But in 1897, a person named Robert Rowntree Clifford took charge. He helped the church grow a lot and got rid of all its debts by the year 1900. Because the church was growing, they started a new group called the West Ham Central Mission in 1904. This mission worked together with the church.

Building the Current Church (1921-1922)

The current church building opened in 1922. The famous architect William Hayne designed it. It took about 15 months to build and cost around £60,000.

The church was built in the Byzantine style, which means it has a round, domed main hall and two tall towers. It was built to honor the men from the local area and the church who sadly died in World War I.

Special Features: Organ and Bells

In 1924, the church received a wonderful gift: a new organ from a famous singer named Dame Clara Butt. This organ is very special because it was one of the first to use electric power.

The bells in the East tower were made by a company called Gillett & Johnston. The names of 169 local men who died in the First World War are carved into these bells. One bell even has the name of Prince Maurice of Battenberg, who was the only member of the British royal family killed in that war. Another bell is dedicated to the Unknown Warrior, representing all unknown soldiers who died. These bells were officially dedicated in 1926 at a special service.

Honoring Contributions

In 1938, Robert Rowntree Clifford's wife, Hettie, received a special award called the OBE. She earned this award for her amazing work helping women through the church's mission.

Name Changes and Mergers

In 1978, the church's name changed to Memorial Baptist Church Plaistow. Later, in 2006, the Memorial Community Church was formed. This happened when the people from St Andrew's Church, Plaistow joined together with the people from Memorial Baptist Church. They became one big group.