Churches - Bevendean History Project
St Mary Magdalen Church, Bread Street in 1914
The
ecclesiastical district of S. Mary Magdalene was constituted in 1884 by
Order in Council, out of the parish of Brighton, in 1911 it had a
population of 2,987. The area consisted of working class residential
streets, with stores and workshops, and a large portion by 1914 was
taken up by the Brighton Corporation Electric Distribution Works. The
population was diminishing as most residences, when so dilapidated as
to require pulling down, are replaced by warehouses or the like.
The Church was situated between two back streets, in an un-consecrated building, originally erected as a temporary church. There was no residence for the Incumbent. The parish was a narrow strip extending from North Street to Trafalgar Street; many of the houses being inhabited by several families.
No persons of the class from whom District Visitors or Sunday School teachers could be found resided in the parish, and the Incumbent had to find people who had to be paid to do this work.
Funds for the necessary expenses of the place, such as wages, heating, lighting, and repairs required on old buildings, were badly needed, the collections consisting chiefly of coppers from the poor.
Up to the time of his death in January 1902, the Rev. A. D. Wagner, to whom the buildings belonged and who endowed the place, gave a liberal subscription which ceased on his death.
There are no day schools connected with the parish, but what was possible with the very small staff was done through the Sunday Schools. The very much out-of-date buildings belonging to the parish were also used for the Girls' Club, Mothers' Meetings, Classes, etc.
Rummage Sales were held from time to time, whenever enough articles had been received. The proceeds going to the General and Poor Funds. These sales were managed by Miss Bruce of Buckingham Road. Articles of clothing, furniture, etc., could be gratefully received, and sent to the Bread Street Church Rooms (Caretaker, 40, Bread Street), or, if desired, will be collected, on receipt of a post-card to Miss Bruce. If articles are to be collected it will greatly facilitate matters if the nature of them is mentioned, and whether a boy can carry them, or will a truck be required.
The Blessed Sacrament was celebrated daily at 7 a.m., and Evensong at 8 p.m. on week days (Sundays, 7 p.m.).
At the end of 1914 the church was in need of money for the following items.
£50 to balance expenditure for the year on the General Church Account for lighting, heating, cleaning, wages, repairs, etc.
£20 for Sunday School treats, including material and making of children's underclothing, prizes at Christmas.
£100 for various necessary repairs to buildings, such as new flooring in the Bread Street Room, and repairs to roofs, painting, etc.
£25 for new church chairs to replace those falling to pieces.
Subscriptions towards making up balance of Assistant Curates' stipend.
Many of the vestments are getting almost past repair, and will shortly require replacing.
Information from the Brighton and Hove Parochial Gazetteer November 1914. This was a publication which started in November 1914 and ceased publication about 1925.
The Church was situated between two back streets, in an un-consecrated building, originally erected as a temporary church. There was no residence for the Incumbent. The parish was a narrow strip extending from North Street to Trafalgar Street; many of the houses being inhabited by several families.
No persons of the class from whom District Visitors or Sunday School teachers could be found resided in the parish, and the Incumbent had to find people who had to be paid to do this work.
Funds for the necessary expenses of the place, such as wages, heating, lighting, and repairs required on old buildings, were badly needed, the collections consisting chiefly of coppers from the poor.
Up to the time of his death in January 1902, the Rev. A. D. Wagner, to whom the buildings belonged and who endowed the place, gave a liberal subscription which ceased on his death.
There are no day schools connected with the parish, but what was possible with the very small staff was done through the Sunday Schools. The very much out-of-date buildings belonging to the parish were also used for the Girls' Club, Mothers' Meetings, Classes, etc.
Rummage Sales were held from time to time, whenever enough articles had been received. The proceeds going to the General and Poor Funds. These sales were managed by Miss Bruce of Buckingham Road. Articles of clothing, furniture, etc., could be gratefully received, and sent to the Bread Street Church Rooms (Caretaker, 40, Bread Street), or, if desired, will be collected, on receipt of a post-card to Miss Bruce. If articles are to be collected it will greatly facilitate matters if the nature of them is mentioned, and whether a boy can carry them, or will a truck be required.
The Blessed Sacrament was celebrated daily at 7 a.m., and Evensong at 8 p.m. on week days (Sundays, 7 p.m.).
At the end of 1914 the church was in need of money for the following items.
£50 to balance expenditure for the year on the General Church Account for lighting, heating, cleaning, wages, repairs, etc.
£20 for Sunday School treats, including material and making of children's underclothing, prizes at Christmas.
£100 for various necessary repairs to buildings, such as new flooring in the Bread Street Room, and repairs to roofs, painting, etc.
£25 for new church chairs to replace those falling to pieces.
Subscriptions towards making up balance of Assistant Curates' stipend.
Many of the vestments are getting almost past repair, and will shortly require replacing.
Information from the Brighton and Hove Parochial Gazetteer November 1914. This was a publication which started in November 1914 and ceased publication about 1925.
