I learned from my recently-purchased copy of Michael Yelton's second book on some of the lost Anglo-Catholic churches of London, More Empty Tabernacles, that St Saviour's caught fire in 2007 (caused by a cooker, according to Paul Talling's brilliant derelictlondon.com). It's a listed building, so can't be demolished, but nobody has the money to do anything else with it, so the shell sits within a ring of new houses on the edge of Bartlett Park, surrounded by high green fences, a monument to - well, something or other, but hardly to the thousands of souls who worshipped there across the years.
Photo from londonchurchbuildings.wordpress.com
A zombie building, not a church, not a pleasingly melancholia-inducing ruin, not a site full of future promise, a living/dead building - how sad.
ReplyDeleteI think its a beautiful building that was once the heart beat of a community and still could be . Father Bartlett is spoken about by many his legacy for serving the community could and should live on , this church building should have had insurance if it was in use so why it hasn't been restored is probably a political one .
ReplyDeleteThe east end could do with a place to celebrate people who did wonderful things for the community and be used to bring people together in a positive way to honour them like Will Crooks who was the first Mayor of Poplar, the fourth Labour MP, and worked tirelessly to change conditions for the poor. He became so well-regarded that his funeral in 1921 was attended by thousands and filmed for cinema news.
If we celebrated these people who made a difference to many in their time it may well inspire others to do the same . I wonder if Father Bartlett is laid to rest in the grounds of his beloved church as i know he bought land in the East London cemetery and had a statue erected to honour his parents .
Thank you for your comment, Nicky. It would be wonderful if St Saviour's could be put to some good use rather than just being left to fall apart. I'm not sure Father Bartlett is buried in the church - I have a vague memory of having seen his grave in one of the big London cemeteries, though I'm not sure. Someone should write something about him, as he had such an impact on Poplar all those years ago, as a lot of those great Anglo-Catholic priests did.
DeleteMy mum said Father Bartlett is buried in St Saviours plot in Plaistow cemetery. It is a plot he purchased for all of his parishioners to be buried in, which includes my Great Grandparents
DeleteI appear in that photograph and have a copy of the original. I am the young boy aged about five years at the right had end standing next to my father. Next to my father is Fr. Pestana who returned to the West Indies.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! The photo here isn't of great quality as it comes from a copy I took when I was on placement at All Saints' in Poplar and did some digging into the history of the parish. They have a print in the archive there, too.
DeleteHello, I was wondering if you had any knowledge of Father Bartlett and the property Old Tree in Hoath Kent? My family bought the property in 1959 and we lived there for a number of years. Any information you might have would be very welcome. Paul O’Brien-Hill
DeleteSorry, no, I don't. He's a figure I'm interested in, but other than a very few details about his work in the East End, I don't know anything about him. There is a park named after him now so I wonder if there is any kind of history service or museum in Tower Hamlets they might be able to tell you more.
DeleteHi my grandparents worked at old tree in Hoath and I have some photos of the house and father Bartlett and the camp
DeleteHi all, My Mum lived in Bygrove Street, poplar. She had attended St Saviour's church. Father Bartlett was the priest at the time. He had come from wealth and served the community for over 50 years. He had helped my mums family during WW11. Kung Fu Sue
ReplyDeleteHi I have a photo of father Bartlett , as my dad and grandparents knew him , from the trios they took children on in 1930’s to Kent
DeleteCould you upload the photo so my dad could see( he’s 95 and lived in poplar )
DeleteI hope everybody who needs to can contact one another! There's also the Local History & Archive service for Tower Hamlets which may have more information about Fr Bartlett: https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/leisure_and_culture/local_history/local_history__archives/local_history__archives.aspx.
ReplyDeleteJust amazing finding St Saviours at last and to know how People from Poplar still remember this great man Father Bartlett and also Miss Trustler I lived at 68 Northumbria Street opposite that beautiful neglected church that gave us so much the door always open it was a wonderfull chidhood I never want to miss,bless all those who still remember and always be proud of being a Cockney !
ReplyDeleteI was at the coronation street party in 1953 Anf father Bartlett was there. I was only 9yrs old but remember him showing us kids his rings. One day we all got nicked for nicking fruit off a stool in Chrisp St market. I was only 11 snd thought i would ho to jail. So i went into St Saviours with a lucky pebble that i carried. The doors were open so in i went. The place was empty and i prayed to God...please don't send me to jail. Lol we all got probstion.
ReplyDeleteI livef nearcthe churvh at 10a Arcadia St. Long gone but it was a prefab built by the yanks after familues got bombed out during the war.
Danny Collingwood
Father Bartlett is buried in Highgate Cemetery. The remains of the church has now been converted into luxury apartments!
ReplyDeleteSee - https://stsaviourscollection.co.uk/
Danny Collingwood I also went to the coronation party. I have a photo somewhere-if I can find it, I’ll put it on here. Do you also remember throwing stones at me and my mum every time you saw us walking home from St. Saviour’s? I was terrified of you!
ReplyDelete