St Thomas' Church, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas’ Church, Bath Row, Birmingham |
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St Thomas’ Church, Bath Row ca. 1880
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| Location | Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Thomas |
| Consecrated | 22 October 1829 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Rickman |
| Style | Neo classical |
| Groundbreaking | 22 October 1826 |
| Completed | 1829 |
| Demolished | 1940 (partial) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 800 people |
St Thomas’ Church, Bath Row, Birmingham was once a Church of England church in Birmingham, England. It is no longer a full church building today.
Contents
History of St Thomas' Church
St Thomas' Church was built as a "Commissioners' church." This means the government helped pay for it. The first stone was laid on October 22, 1826, by Folliott Cornewall, who was the Bishop of Worcester.
The church was designed by an architect named Thomas Rickman. It cost about £14,220 to build. This would be like paying around £1,390,000 today! The church was officially opened on October 29, 1829. For a while, it was the biggest church in Birmingham. It could hold 2,600 people.
Trouble at the Church
In 1839, there were protests called the Chartist riots. During these riots, people took the metal railings from around the churchyard. They used them as pikes, which are like long spears.
Later, in 1868, a part of the church's area was used to create a new church called St Asaph's.
Repairs and Renovations
The church was repaired and updated in 1893. An architect named Frank Barlow Osborn oversaw the work. Old, tall pews were removed, and the church was cleaned. The organ was also fixed by Walter James Bird from Birmingham. All these repairs cost about £1,200, which is like £160,000 today.
World War II Damage
Sadly, on December 11, 1940, during World War II, the church was badly damaged. German bombs fell on Birmingham in what was called the Birmingham Blitz. Almost all of St Thomas' Church was destroyed, except for its tower and the grand entrance at the front.
After this, the church's local area joined with another church, Immanuel Church. Immanuel Church had closed in 1939 but was reopened after St Thomas' was damaged.
St Thomas' Peace Garden
Today, the remaining entrance and tower of St Thomas' Church are still standing. They are now part of a special place called St. Thomas' Peace Garden. This garden is a quiet spot for people to remember peace.
The Church Organ
A new organ was put into St Thomas' Church in 1837. It was first played by George Hollins on November 24, 1837.
In 1861, the organ was rebuilt and made bigger by Mr. Bosward. It had three "manuals," which are like keyboards for organs. It also had many different sounds, called "stops." The organ was updated again in 1893, when three new stops were added by Walter James Bird.
