St Nicholas' Chapel, Manor Park facts for kids
St Nicholas' Chapel in Manor Park, East London, is a Roman Catholic church. It has a long and interesting history, starting over 150 years ago.
Contents
St Nicholas' Chapel: A Look Back
Early Beginnings
St Nicholas' Chapel first opened in 1870. It was built as a special chapel for the St Nicholas's Catholic Industrial School for Boys. This school was located in a building called Manor House. Before the school, Manor House was home to the Fry family, who were Quakers. A famous member of this family was Elizabeth Fry, known for her work helping prisoners.
Becoming a Parish Church
For many years, the chapel mainly served the school. But in 1918, St Nicholas' Chapel became a parish church. This meant it served the local community as well as the school. A new area, or "parish," was created for Manor Park.
In 1924, another chapel, St Stephen's in Little Ilford, joined with St Nicholas'. A few years later, in 1934, their roles switched. St Stephen's became the main parish church, and St Nicholas' Chapel became its chapel. The parish then became known as "St Stephen and St Nicholas."
Changes Over Time
The school itself closed in 1925. After it closed, most of the school's land and buildings were sold. Only the chapel and the house for the priests remained. This shows how the chapel changed from being mainly for a school to serving the wider community.
