St Gabriel's Church, Canning Town facts for kids

St Gabriel's Church in Canning Town was once a special place of worship for the Church of England in east London. It started in a very simple way, not as a grand stone building, but as a church made of iron! This type of church was sometimes called a "tin tabernacle." It was built between the River Lea and the railway tracks, in the area where the permanent brick church would later stand.

The Start of St Gabriel's Church

What Was St Gabriel's Church?

St Gabriel's Church was a place where people in Canning Town could go to worship. It was part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. The church was located in Canning Town, a busy part of east London.

From Iron Church to Brick Building

The very first church building for St Gabriel's was quite unusual. It was an "iron church," also known as a Tin tabernacle. These were churches made from sheets of corrugated iron. They were quick and cheap to build, often used as temporary places of worship before a more permanent building could be constructed.

This iron church was a "mission" from another church called All Saints Church, West Ham. A mission church helps to serve a new or growing community. Later, a much stronger church made of bricks was built on the same spot. This new, permanent church was officially opened and blessed in 1876. This special ceremony is called a "consecration."

A Church Gets Its Own Area

After the new brick church was consecrated in 1876, it became even more important. Three years later, in 1879, St Gabriel's was given its very own "parish." A parish is a specific area that a church is responsible for. It's like the church's neighborhood.

To create St Gabriel's parish, parts of the areas belonging to other nearby churches were used. These churches included All Saints, St Mary's, and St Andrew's. This meant St Gabriel's had its own dedicated community to serve.

The End of St Gabriel's Church

The War Years and Demolition

Sadly, St Gabriel's Church faced a difficult time during The Blitz. The Blitz was a period during World War II when German planes bombed London heavily. Many buildings were damaged or destroyed, and St Gabriel's Church was one of them.

The church was badly damaged during these bombings. Because of the damage, it was eventually taken down around 1955. The area that used to be St Gabriel's parish was then divided up. It became part of the parishes of two other churches in Canning Town: St Matthias and St Luke's. This happened in 1961, marking the official end of St Gabriel's Church.