Parish of St Anne, Wandsworth , Church of England

Saint Anne's Church is one of the five 'Waterloo Churches' built in the Southwark diocese. It was built as part of a plan to erect churches as monuments to the victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. Building of Saint Anne's Church began in 1820 and was completed in 1824. The architect was Sir Robert Smirke. The church was consecrated on 1 May 1824 as a chapel of ease to the Parish Church of All Saints, Wandsworth (P95/ALL1).

On 12 December 1846 it was agreed that the parish of All Saints should be divided. An existing Act of Parliament however specified that new churches should remain chapels of ease during the incumbency of the vicar of the mother church. It was therefore not until July 1850, when the Revd Dr Pemberton of All Saints resigned, that Saint Anne's Wandsworth became a separate parish. An order of the Bishop of Winchester (8 November 1850) authorised baptisms and marriages to take place in Saint Anne's Church. Baptism, marriage and burial registers start from this date (and have a copy of the Bishop's decree inside the front covers).

The church was beautified and the chancel added at the end of the 19th century. Extensive structural damage was caused during the Second World War and repairs were carried out from 1945 to 1948. In June 1950 a fire broke out destroying the roof and causing the closure of the church. Services were held in the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin (P95/MRY4) until Saint Anne's Church was re-opened and re-dedicated in 1951.

The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Iron Mill Place, Garratt Lane, was a chapel of ease to Saint Anne's Church. It was consecrated in 1905, but after the Second World War its congregation transferred to Saint Anne's. In 1950 it was used for services again while Saint Anne's Church was being repaired. See list P95/MRY4 for records of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. It should be noted, however, that there are several references to Saint Mary's among the records of Saint Anne's Church.

In 1938 Saint James' Church, Earlsfield Road was transferred from the parish of Saint Andrew (P95/AND1) to the parish of Saint Anne. After the Second World War the church was converted into a hall and was used as another centre for parish work. For records relating to Saint James' Church see P95/ANN/530-533. For register of baptisms performed at Saint James' Church see P95/AND1/13.

Garratt Lane Infant School: Plans for the school were drawn up in 1867 and the site was conveyed to the Minister and Churchwardens of Saint Anne's Church on 20 July 1870. The school was closed in 1883 due to the establishment of other schools in the neighbourhood. Thenceforth the premises were used for a Sunday School and later for church societies during the week. The building came to be known as the Mission Hall, Iron Mill Place. For records relating to Garratt Lane Infant School see P95/ANN/301-306.

The building of Saint Anne's Church of England Schools for boys, girls and subsequently infants, began in 1858 after land in Saint Ann's Hill/All Farthing Lane was conveyed to the Vicar and Churchwardens of Saint Anne's Church. For records relating to Saint Anne's Schools see P95/ANN/236-306. For additional plans of the school (1870 and 1858) see Y/SP/95/5 and Y/SP/95/6/A-C. There are also records relating to Saint Anne's Schools in the series of Inspectors' Reports for non-provided schools, and in the Admission and Discharge registers for Division 9 in the Greater London Record Office.

Papers of Miss Irene Caudwell (P95/ANN/560-572): Miss Irene Caudwell was secretary of Saint Anne's Parochial Church Council, sacristan, editor of the parish magazine and a member of many church bodies and societies. In addition, she had a great interest in the history of Saint Anne's Church, and her book The Pepper-Pot Church: St Anne's Wandsworth was published in 1946. Miss Caudwell also wrote many passion plays, and articles for religious magazines and local newspapers, and gave talks on local history.