St George and St Ethelbert's Church, East Ham facts for kids
St George and St Ethelbert's Church is a special building in East Ham, east London. It is a Church of England church, which means it's part of the main Christian church in England. This church has an interesting history, starting as a small meeting place and growing into the building you see today.
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About St George and St Ethelbert's Church
This church is named after two important figures: Saint George and Saint Ethelbert. It serves the local community in East Ham, providing a place for worship and gathering.
How the Church Started
Before the main church building was constructed, there was a smaller, temporary place. Around 1912, a piece of land was bought in an area called the Greatfield Estate. By 1914, a temporary mission hall was built there. It was known as St George's. This hall was located at the corner of Boston Road and Masterman Road. It was set up by another nearby church, St Mary Magdalene's Church, East Ham.
Becoming Its Own Parish
A "parish" is like a local area that a church is responsible for. In 1923, St George's became its own parish. This meant it could serve its community more directly. Even though it was a parish, it took a while to build a permanent church. The new, lasting church building was finally completed between 1936 and 1937.
Why St Ethelbert?
Building the new church cost a lot of money. More than half of the money came from a church group far away, called the Diocese of Hereford. Because they helped so much, they asked for something special. They requested that the church also be dedicated to St Ethelbert.
St Ethelbert was an old king from a long time ago. He is one of the two saints that Hereford Cathedral is dedicated to. The other is the Virgin Mary. So, adding St Ethelbert's name to the church in East Ham connects it to this important history in Hereford.
