St Luke's Church, Kew facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Luke's Church, Kew
Kew St. Luke
St Luke's Church, Kew
Location	St Luke’s Church, The Avenue, Kew, Richmond TW9 2AJ
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Founded	1889
Architecture
Architect(s)	Goldie, Child and Goldie
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1889; redesigned 1983
Administration
Parish	Kew, St Luke
Deanery	Richmond & Barnes
Archdeaconry	Wandsworth
Diocese	Southwark

St Luke's Church, Kew, is a special church located in the London area of Richmond upon Thames. It's part of the Church of England, which is a big Christian church group. St Luke's works with other local churches as part of "Churches Together in Kew."

This church is one of two main churches in the Kew area. The other is St Philip and All Saints, also known as the Barn Church. The current vicar, Rev Dr Melanie Harrington, started her role in June 2021. The church building was designed in a style called Gothic Revival by architects Goldie, Child and Goldie. It's not just a church; it also hosts the Kew Community Trust and works as a community centre.

History of St Luke's Church

Building the Church

Kew's population grew a lot when the District line train service was extended to Richmond. A new train station opened at Kew Gardens. To help the growing number of people, a temporary "iron church" was first set up. This was a simple building made of metal sheets. St Luke's Church, located on The Avenue, was built in 1889 to replace this temporary church.

Design and Changes Over Time

The large Victorian church was built to hold about 400 people. It was made from sandstone and had a big main area (nave) and a special area for the altar (chancel), both the same height. The first plans for the church included a tall spire, but this was never built.

Even though Kew's population was growing, the church didn't always have a full congregation. By the 1970s, fewer people were attending, sometimes as few as 12. People also complained that the church was uncomfortable and cold.

Modern Updates and Community Use

In the late 1970s, big plans were made to change the church. The idea was to make it a day centre for older people, with a smaller area kept for church services. About £600,000 was planned for this work. The church hall was sold for £50,000 to help pay for the changes.

The work happened in two stages: the first from 1984 to 1985, and the second in 1989. An upstairs room, which opened in 1990, was named after HRH Princess Alexandra, who officially opened it. These changes meant that only the chancel and side aisles were used for church services. The rest of the building became "The Avenue Halls."

The Kew Community Trust now uses these halls. They can be rented for parties, weddings, and other events.

Church Organ

The church originally had an organ built by Henry Willis in 1897. In 1999, a rebuilt and restored Walker pipe organ from 1880 was installed. This organ was first built for the Brentford Free Church.

Past Leaders

Timothy Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley, who was once a leader of the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom, served as the priest in charge of St Luke's from 1986 to 1991.

Community Activities

The community areas in the church building are used by the Kew Community Trust. The main activity of the Trust is the Avenue Club. This is a non-profit social centre that offers many fun activities for everyone in the community.

Gallery

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  The south entrance of the church.

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  The chancel, a special area inside the church.

See also

• The Barn Church, Kew
• St Anne's Church, Kew
• Victoria Working Men's Club