Collection GB 0074 P84/MTS - SAINT MATTHIAS, EARLS COURT: KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 P84/MTS

Title

SAINT MATTHIAS, EARLS COURT: KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Date(s)

  • 1869-1948 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.67 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The church of Saint Matthias was built between 1869 and 1872 to designs by J.H. Hakewill. The church schools - erected in 1878-1879 - survive. The church dates from the period when there was much church building in Kensington to keep pace with the estate development, regardless of proven need or of financial security. The parish derived from Saint Philip's, Earl's Court Road, which was 'High Church' from the time of its first incumbent the Reverend Joseph Claxton. The first vicar of Saint Matthias was the controversial Reverend Samuel Charles Haines. The doors were at the sides not at the west end because Haines wished to avoid 'the gathering of idle persons around the entrance from the main road and so securing greater quiet in services'. Haines was constantly summoned before the Bishop of London for 'Anglo-Catholic excesses'. Services at Saint Matthias under Haines's ministry were 'fashionably extreme and attracted wide attention'. There was also much dispute over parish boundaries.

During World War Two the church was without a vicar and temporarily administered from Saint Cuthbert's. The church was deemed to be too big for its diminished congregation and the parish was merged with Saint Cuthbert's; the building was razed in 1958.

Archival history

GB 0074 P84/MTS 1869-1948 Collection 0.67 linear metres Parish of St Matthias, Earls Court , Church of England

The church of Saint Matthias was built between 1869 and 1872 to designs by J.H. Hakewill. The church schools - erected in 1878-1879 - survive. The church dates from the period when there was much church building in Kensington to keep pace with the estate development, regardless of proven need or of financial security. The parish derived from Saint Philip's, Earl's Court Road, which was 'High Church' from the time of its first incumbent the Reverend Joseph Claxton. The first vicar of Saint Matthias was the controversial Reverend Samuel Charles Haines. The doors were at the sides not at the west end because Haines wished to avoid 'the gathering of idle persons around the entrance from the main road and so securing greater quiet in services'. Haines was constantly summoned before the Bishop of London for 'Anglo-Catholic excesses'. Services at Saint Matthias under Haines's ministry were 'fashionably extreme and attracted wide attention'. There was also much dispute over parish boundaries.

During World War Two the church was without a vicar and temporarily administered from Saint Cuthbert's. The church was deemed to be too big for its diminished congregation and the parish was merged with Saint Cuthbert's; the building was razed in 1958.

Records deposited in the former London County Council Record Office, 17 April 1963.

Records of the parish of Saint Matthias, Earls Court, including registers of baptisms and marriages; Parochial Church Council minutes; papers relating to the church fixtures and fittings; correspondence; legal documents relating to parish property; and plans and drawings of the church.

The records have been sorted into categories which reflect divisions between the different functions and operations of the parish and its administration. Order within these categories reflects chronology.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Survey of London, Volume XLII, (1986), LMA Library reference 92.1 GLC.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

April to June 2010. Anglicanism Church of England Ecclesiastical parishes Buildings Religious buildings Churches Architecture Church architecture Primary documents Church records and registers Information sources Documents Parish records Marriage registers Government Public administration Local government Administrative units Parishes Parish councils Protestantism Christianity Ancient religions Religions Baptism registers Religion Parish of St Matthias , Earls Court , Church of England Earl's Court London England UK Western Europe Europe Kensington and Chelsea Legal documents Catholicism

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Records deposited in the former London County Council Record Office, 17 April 1963.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the parish of Saint Matthias, Earls Court, including registers of baptisms and marriages; Parochial Church Council minutes; papers relating to the church fixtures and fittings; correspondence; legal documents relating to parish property; and plans and drawings of the church.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The records have been sorted into categories which reflect divisions between the different functions and operations of the parish and its administration. Order within these categories reflects chronology.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area