Postcard of the month - #22 - March 2002 |
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London Wesleyan East End Mission |
| In 1888, the Wesleyan Church decided that they would like to undertake social welfare work amongst the poor of the East End, especially in the parishes of Shadwell and St Georges. They already had Chapels throughout the East End and chose St Georges Chapel in Cable Street to begin their social welfare work. |
| The "Wesley-Anns", as they were
called in the East End, were, fortunately, in position to help the local community during
the Great Dock Strike of 1889. They provided food for dockworkers and their families as
well as places for dockworkers to hold strike meetings. This link between the people of
the East End and the East End Mission has been maintained for over a century. Also in 1889 the East End Missions Work expanded when they took over the Seamen’s Chapel in Commercial Road, renaming it the "Stepney Temple". In 1892 the East End Mission took over the whole of the Commercial Road site and planned to redevelop it. This they did and on July 20th 1907, the East End Mission, Commercial Road was opened. Here was the Stepney Central Hall capable of seating 2000 people, as well as classrooms, a medical mission, schoolrooms and shops that fronted Commercial Road and living accommodation for its workers. During the First World War, they revived their communal kitchen first used during the Great Dock Strike and again in the Second World War. In the Blitz they worked among the bombed ruins helping the injured and provided tremendous support for the local community. Many of the East End Missions were damaged by enemy action and the Stepney Central Hall received a direct hit destroying most of it. The East End Mission will always have a soft spot in the hearts of those East End Children who benefited from their work. They will never forget the "penny pictures" on a winter’s night when both the projector and the projectionist were in the audience and the film broke. The lights would go on and the children would cheer at the top of their voices. Nor will they forget the day trips to Southend-on-Sea: some of the children had never seen the sea nor been on a train before. It was seen as a great adventure by all the children and an annual treat not to be missed. During the summer months in the 1950s, they took 15,000 children on these day trips. They also held summer camps were children could experience the countryside under canvas and breathe "real" fresh air. Written in one of their publications is a wonderful story that sums
up the cockney sense of humour and the "Wesley-Anns". During the
Lord’s Prayer, while the adults said: "Lead us not into temptation". |
