rel 18 St. Peter’s Stoke Rectory Act 1827.

It was in 1832, when the first move was made to provide an Anglican Church in Penkhull, a village ion the top of a hill. The parish church of St Peter-ad-Vincula was situated around one mile away in the valley below. It was used weekdays as a school and Sundays for worship and situated in what is now the north side of the present churchyard. In 1842 the present church of St. Thomas was built to accommodate and expanding congregation.
Probably as a direct result and with the predominant number of working people in the village, the first Primitive Chapel was erected within a stone’s throw from the one in the churchyard although many were worshiping in houses by that time. The new chapel was opened in 1836 (still standing) but there were serious financial issues almost from day one to finance the building.
Following the establishment of the church in 1842, by 1844 the church established a National School just across the road. Then in the 1850’s because of the high number of children wishing to attend the Primitive church, an additional separate but attached Sunday School was built.
The story continues to include the parish registers and many different views between the two denominations which went on for years. This twenty-seven-page essay places both church/chapel within the national framework and far much more. This is an important essay for students of religious worship and community relationships of the time.
twenty-seven pages with photos

Within the traditions of the Anglican Church attention was made to the provision of small churches, frequently built of corrugated tin and run by local Lay Readers especially for the poorer areas of a parish.
In the case of All Saints Mission it was a brick building, a large chapel with raised platform and a room for meetings etc at the side. It was opened in a former joiner’s workshop in 1894 and run by Church Army Captains until the First World War when all Church Army Captains went to serve their country leaving no one in charge so it closed the following year. It remained closed until 1919 when Mr Arnold A. Wain, a licensed preacher was asked to re-open the Mission and take charge.
The building was by then dilapidated with no congregation, so Mr. Wain walked with streets and back-allies of Boothen even standing on a wooden box preaching the gospel to hopefully encourage his future congregation. Following Mr. Wain the duty was taken over by Mr. Sam Calligan of Foden Street until it finally closed in October 1967. During his tenure the building went through a period of change, such as electric lighting, new floors, platform and heating even started a youth club in the adjacent room in 1949 continuing until 1958.
The Mission was always well attended where people found common support in difficult times of unemployment, illness, and poor inadequate housing. In those days Churches and Mission had large Sunday Schools, and the familiar site of the Annual Anniversary walks around that part of Stoke brought with it a welcomed admiration of the work of the Mission. Mr. Wain was always invited to preach on Anniversary Sundays. In his time, he was known as one of N. Staffs outstanding orators and preached with authority and conviction.
This is a good story of social interest of the period and shows that despite many poor areas of Stoke had a ministry adapted to their needs.
Two pages