St George's German Lutheran Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's German Lutheran Church |
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| Location | Alie Street, London Borough of Tower Hamlets |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| History | |
| Founded | 1762 |
| Founder(s) | Dietrich Beckman |
St George's German Lutheran Church is a historic church located on Alie Street in Whitechapel, a part of London. For over 200 years, from 1762 until 1995, it was a special place for German Lutherans living in London. Today, a small part of the church is used as an office for the Historic Chapels Trust. The main church building can also be rented for different events.
This church was the fifth Lutheran church ever built in London. It is now the oldest German Lutheran church still standing in the entire United Kingdom.
Contents
How the Church Started and Grew
The church was founded by Dietrich Beckman, a very successful sugar maker. He gave half the money needed to buy the land and build the church. His cousin, Gustav Anton Wachsel, became the first pastor. When the church was built, the street was called "Little Ayliffe Street." It changed to "Alie Street" around 1800.
In the 1800s, many German sugar makers lived in the Whitechapel area. Most of the church members were from these families. After 1853, people were no longer buried in the churchyard or in the crypt (an underground room).
At its busiest time, there were about 16,000 German Lutherans in Whitechapel. People sometimes called the area "Little Germany." St George's Church is the last building left that shows how many German people moved to East London long ago.
In the 1930s, more Germans came to the area. During the time of the Nazis, the church's pastor, Julius Rieger, helped Jewish refugees at St George's. A famous religious leader named Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who spoke out against the Nazis, preached here for a short time in 1935. This happened after his own church nearby was destroyed.
Helping Refugees from the Virgin Islands
In 1763, about 600 Germans from parts of Germany like the Palatinate wanted to travel to the Virgin Islands (specifically St John and St Croix). Sadly, the person in charge left them stranded in London. They had no money, no supplies, and didn't speak English.
Gustav Anton Wachsel, the pastor of St George's Church, asked for help for them. The Tower of London gave them 200 tents to stay dry. People also donated 600 pounds to help. King George III himself stepped in and helped them travel to Carolina instead.
What's Inside the Church?
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The church still has many of its original items from the 1700s. These include special seats called box pews and a tall, two-level pulpit where the pastor would preach. You can also see the coat-of-arms of King George III (from before 1801) and two wooden boards with the Ten Commandments written in German.
Churches that were not part of the main Church of England often put up the Royal Arms to show their loyalty to the King. There are also boards listing people who donated money to the church and its old school. The King of Prussia is listed as one of the donors!
The church organ was built in 1886 by the Walcker family. They used the wooden case from an older organ built in 1794. When the organ was updated in 1937, the old case was used again.
The Bell Tower
The front of the church used to have a fancy bell tower made of wood and covered in copper. This tower was taken down in the 1930s because it was unsafe. It has not been replaced. Now, there is a plain brick triangle and a cement cross instead. This makes the front of the church look a bit less grand. You can still see where the bell tower used to be in the brickwork. Luckily, the original bell and the weather vane from the tower were saved and are still inside the church.
Restoring the Church
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After the German Lutheran community stopped using the church, it was given to the Historic Chapels Trust in 1995. This group started a big project to fix and restore the church. It cost £600,000! Many groups helped, including English Heritage and other private foundations.
The work included fixing the roof and carefully repairing the brick walls, which were starting to move. Experts in old buildings, Thomas Ford and Partners, oversaw the restoration, with Alan Baxter Associates handling the structural engineering.
How the Church is Used Today
The church is now rented out for many different events. These include organ concerts, filming, rehearsals, and even weddings. Sometimes, other church groups without their own building use it for services. The money earned from these rentals helps to keep the church in good condition.
The small vestry room is used as an office for the Historic Chapels Trust. There's also a committee room, called the Maezold Zimmer (named after an old pastor), which can also be rented.
Couples who live in Tower Hamlets can get married here. Weddings can be held in German, English, or Latin.
A group called the "Friends of St George's" organizes public events at the church and welcomes new members. You can also arrange guided visits for groups, and the church has regular open days throughout the year.
Church Library and Old Records
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The first pastor, Gustav von Anton, had a collection of books kept in the vestry. Over time, more books were added. When the Historic Chapels Trust took over the building, they also took care of about 750 books. These included old prints from the 1700s about the Waisenhaus (an orphanage) in Halle, Germany.
In 1995, someone tried to steal the books. After that, they were moved to the British Library. There, they are kept as a special collection and can be studied by students.
Records like baptism books from 1763 to 1895, which are useful for family history research, are no longer at the church. You can find them at the LB Tower Hamlets Central Library.
See also
- List of chapels preserved by the Historic Chapels Trust
