St Matthias' Church, Farm Street, Birmingham facts for kids

St Matthias’ Church, Farm Street, Birmingham was a Church of England parish church located in Birmingham, England. It no longer stands today.

What Was St Matthias Church?

St Matthias Church was a place of worship for the local community. It was part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. The church served the area of Farm Street in Birmingham for many years.

When Was the Church Built?

The church was designed by an architect named James Lyndon Pedley. Work on the church began on 30 May 1855, when the first stone was laid. It was finished and officially opened on 5 June 1856. This opening ceremony is called a consecration.

Once the church was ready, it became a new parish. A parish is like a local area that a church serves. St Matthias’ parish was created from a larger area that used to belong to another church, St George in the Fields, Hockley.

What Happened to the Church?

Over the years, the area around St Matthias Church grew. Because of this, parts of its parish were used to create new church areas. This happened for St Saviour's Church, Hockley in 1874 and for St Edward's Church, Hockley in 1899.

Sadly, during the Second World War, the church was damaged. This happened because of air raids, which were attacks from the sky. After the war, the church was closed in 1948. It was then taken down, or demolished, in 1952.

Did the Church Have an Organ?

Yes, St Matthias Church had a special musical instrument called a pipe organ. This organ was built by a company named William Hill. Pipe organs are very large and make music using air flowing through many pipes.