St Thomas' Church, Bath Row, is a former

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

parish church in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

History

It was built as a

Commissioners' church A Commissioners' church, also known as a Waterloo church and Million Act church, is an Anglicanism, Anglican church in England or Wales built with money voted by Parliament of the United Kingdom, Parliament as a result of the (58 Geo. 3. ...

. The foundation stone of the church was laid by

Folliott Cornewall Folliott Herbert Walker Cornewall (bapt. 9 May 1754 – 5 September 1831) was an English bishop of three sees. Life Folliott (or Folliot) Herbert Cornewall was baptised in Ludlow on 9 May 1754, the second surviving son of Captain Frederick Corn ...

Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary (officer), head of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Worcester, Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title can be traced back to the foundation of the diocese in the ...

, on 22 October 1826 and the church was built to designs of the architect

Thomas Rickman Thomas Rickman (8 June 17764 January 1841) was an English architect and architectural antiquary who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival. He is particularly remembered for his ''Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture'' ...

at a cost of £14,220 () and consecrated by Cornewall on 29 October 1829. It was for a time the largest church in Birmingham, seating 2,600. During the Chartist riots of 1839, crowds took railings from around the churchyard to use as pikes. Part of the parish was taken to form the parish of St Asaph's when this was consecrated in 1868. It was restored in 1893 under the supervision of the architect

Frank Barlow Osborn Frank Barlow Osborn FRIBA (June 1840 - 6 April 1907) was an English architect practicing in Birmingham. Life He was articled to Charles Edge before transferring to Samuel Sanders Teulon. He established his own practice in 1864 and formed a part ...

when the old high-back pews and pew platforms were removed, the church was cleaned and renovated, and the organ restored by

Walter James Bird Walter James Bird (10 January 1863 – 9 December 1953) was an organ builder based in Birmingham, England. Life He was born in Birmingham on 10 January 1863, the son of Thomas and Sarah Bird and christened on 1 February in St. Thomas' Church, ...

of Birmingham, all at a cost of £1,200 (). On the night of 11 December 1940, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, all but the tower and classical west portico was destroyed by German bombs. The parish was united with Immanuel Church, which had closed in 1939, and Immanuel Church was reopened. The remaining portico and tower have been preserved and are now part of St Thomas' Peace Garden.

Rectors

*William Marsh 1829–1842 *Edward Bird 1842–1847 (formerly rector of Tattenhall, Cheshire) *George S. Bull 1847–1864 (formerly incumbent at

St Matthew's Church, Duddeston and Nechells St Matthew's Church, Duddeston and Nechells is a Grade II listed parish church in the Church of England in Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West M ...

) *Charles Thomas Wilkinson 1864–1870 (formerly incumbent at Attercliffe, Sheffield, afterwards Vicar of St Andrew's Church, Plymouth) *Thomas D. Halsted 1870–1888 (formerly Vicar of St Paul's Church, Greenwich, afterwards Vicar of Little Hereford, Tenbury) *F. S. Webster 1888–1898 *Walter George Whicker 1898–1910 *W. J. Sheppard 1910–1919 *C. T. Aston 1919 *J. Bell 1920–1929 (formerly vicar of St Paul's Leyton and St John's Walthamstow, afterwards Vicar of St Mary's Church, Harrogate) *Douglas Barton

Organ

A new organ was installed by Bishop of London and opened on 24 November 1837 by

George Hollins George Hollins (16 March 1809 - 16 December 1841) was an organist and composer who lived in Birmingham, West Midlands. Life He was born on 16 March 1809, the son of William Hollins (1763-1843) architect and sculptor, and Catherine Holebrooke (17 ...

. It was rebuilt and enlarged in 1861 by Mr Bosward when it was equipped with three manuals (choir manual of 8 or 9 stops prepared for) with 12 stops on the Great, 10 on the Swell and 4 on the pedal (1 prepared for). The organ was renovated again in 1893 when three new stops were added by

of Cregoe Street, Birmingham.

Organists

*John Chapman 1829 – 1864 (formerly organist of

St Martin in the Bull Ring St Martin in the Bull Ring is a Church of England parish church in the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is the original parish church of Birmingham and stands between the Bull Ring Shopping Centre and the markets. The church is ...

) *Alfred J. Sutton 1865–1870 *John Pearce 1870–1882 (formerly organist of

St Paul's Church, Birmingham St Paul's is a Church of England church in the Georgian St Paul's Square in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, England. History The Grade I listed church was designed by Roger Eykyn of Wolverhampton. Building started in 1777, and the chur ...

) *Paul Smith 1882–1888 *Alfred Ashdown Box 1888–1928

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Thomas' Church, Birmingham Churches bombed by the Luftwaffe in Birmingham, West Midlands Churches completed in 1829

Commissioners' church buildings Destroyed churches in England Organizations disestablished in 1940 Grade II listed churches in Birmingham Thomas Rickman buildings