I wish I had a picture of my parents wedding - all of their photos were lost when they were bombed out of Stepney in WW2. Even the church they married in was hit and I cannot find a picture of that either.
I just Googled Churches in Stepney before WW11. try it,may find the one you want...what / where was it?
It was St John's Limehouse - there are plenty of mentions of it, but all the pictures are of St Anne's Limehouse, which was also bombed but survived. I do check every now and live in hope of finding a picture one day
Googled St. John's Limehouse : photos arrive, some look like St.Anne's, but they have a plaque for the St.John's Sunday school, &a 'parish paper'. do have a google. Was it Baptist on Woods road?
No it was the parish church for Limehouse Fields in Halley Street (where my Dad was born). I have discovered it was destroyed 19/9/1940, so just over 3 years after they married.
That is sad MollyMay - but somewhere there is a photo or picture - don't give up...... My Dad was fortunate in that he made his marriage. The boys organised a "do" for my Dad and presented him with a biscuit barrel. He took it back to the barracks and then stopped 'for a call of nature'. A direct hit on the party - that biscuit barrel came to Canada in 1963 - but sadly, while the enclosure [barrel] remained intact, the remainder of it disintegrated . No lid now, either, but it is is a well remembered heirloom in my family.
There's a postcard of the Lady Chapel here> http://www. churchpostcardviews.co.uk/LondonE/pages/Limehouse%20-%20St%20Johns%20Lady%20Chapel%20Halley%20Street%20LEA038.htm
Where would I be without your help Flook? - thank you is hardy sufficient but thank you anyway. I learned more about the church last night and now know where is was in Halley Street (next door but one from where Dad was born).
I haven't been able to see this site, busy..I wonder MollyMay, have you ever asked on various sites for other people who may have been married there & perhaps have photos? At least you'd have a piccy of where your Parents married.
I have tried very hard to find a picture, but with no luck However, I have found a couple of things which, although of not much use as regards what the church looked like, are still quite interesting. Apologies MollyMay, if you have already seen any of this. From Genuki Limehouse, St. John the Evangelist, Limehouse Fields [1853] Bombed 19 September 1940. Church gone? 1951 parish united to St. Matthew Stepney. 1956 united parish abolished and divided between Stepney St. Dunstan w.All Saints and Limehouse St. Anne . From London Metropolitan Archives St John's was bombed in 1940 and services held for a time in St Luke, Burdett Road. In 1948 a small temporary church was built on the site of St John's, dedicated to St Matthew and St John, to serve St John's and St Matthew, Salmon Lane parishes. The name was changed in 1951 to St John and St Matthew. From Google Books - a copy of the parish magazine for January 1880 http://books. google.co.uk/books?id=lqJbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA26&dq=st+john+the+evangelist+limehouse&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qpR9VMO_FY2sPJGTgdgN&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=st%20john%20the%20evangelist%20limehouse&f=false An finally a 15 minute film made in 1935 about the slums in Limehouse Fields http://www. eolfhs.org.uk/news/files/003d83bebbddb5ef4251d6a1a1417280-395.php There must be a photo somewhere...... Ann
Thank you Ann, I have seen some of the info, and knew about the parish magazines but had never seen anything other than the outer covers - that one makes very interesting reading. I am saving the film for later, when I can watch it uninterrupted (once everyone is in from work and fed). There must be a picture of the church somewhere, and I (or one of the kind people on here) will find it one day.
MollyMay have you tried getting hold of the Diocese of London - they might have something in their library/archives. There is a care of churches team Tel No. 020 7932 1100 (main switchboard) or the Diocesan Records Offices are at Guildhall Library (020 7332 1863), London Metropolitan Archives (7332 3820) or Westminster Archives Department (7641 5180). I'm sure somebody could point you in the right direction but best try the LDF Care of Churches Team first.
Thank you Liane - I had not tried anything other than searching online, so will certainly give them a try - hopefully they will be able to point me in the right direction.
According to this website (eastlondonpostcard.co.uk/gallery.htm) "these views are not for sale - however, a scanned copy may be purchased" One of the views is St Johns Chapel, Hally Street - portrait view of interior. Any good?
You aren't the only one, there has to be one out there somewhere. I suspect, it is lurking in a book or as photograph, in a library or local studies centre. Maybe it would be a good idea to contact as many of the said institutions as possible, such as Tower Hamlet's Local History and Archives? http://www. towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/1001-1050/1034_local_history__archives.aspx Ann PS Of course, MollyMay might have already done this
I have been a bit slow off the mark with this thread sorry! I belong to the East of London Family History Society. I will post a request on their message board to see if anyone has a pic. Just to be sure Mollymay, are you talking about St John the Evangelist?
I still have not had a chance to ring the numbers that Liane suggested - it has been one of 'those' weeks - I have even had to go to the supermarket this morning. I had been planning a trip to Tower Hamlets but life has got in the way, but it is something I must do in the New Year, but I can mail them of course in the meantime (thank you Anne). Blackmogs - Yes it is St John the Evangelist, from my map it was on the corner of Halley Street and Aston Street - the m.c. just says the Parish Church St John's Limehouse. Thank you everyone for your interest and help this just started as an off the cuff comment in another post and I am now far more hopeful that I will find a picture somewhere.