A History of St. Mary’s Parish Church, Balham
From its formation as a Proprietary Chapel to the present day.
5 July 1800
A meeting was held at the Wheatsheaf Tavern in Upper Tooting to consider erecting
a chapel between Tooting and ‘Balaam’.
1805
Agreement was finally reached to erect the Proprietary Chapel in Balaam at an estimated
cost of £3000.
24 April 1808
The Chapel opened for worship with Rev’d Henry John Symons as the first Minister.
The Ministers duties were: That Divine Services shall be performed in the Chapel
twice on every Sunday and every Christmas Day and Good Friday and also upon every
Fast Day Thanksgiving Day and other days as appointed by Government to be kept holy.
The Chapel building was a simple rectangle, the width of the present nave with a
gallery on three sides. There were box pews at ground and gallery levels. The organ
was on the gallery at the West End of the chapel. A pediment supported by 4 Tuscan
columns faced the High Road. A roof level turret contained the bell.
1824
The two transepts were added to increase the capacity of the Chapel. The new transepts
also extended the galleries.
30 March 1851
The ecclesiastical census records a morning congregation of 654 amounting to 58%
occupancy of the available seats.
24 May 1855, Trinity Sunday
The newly named St. Mary’s District Chapel was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester,
and the parish was created.
The new parish was formed from the north-west corner of the ancient Parish of Streatham
during a period of new parishes being created. The first vicar was the Rev’d Richard
Bellamy, who had been the minister at the Chapel since January 1848. He was to be
paid from the income from Pew Rent and Surplice Fees. The churchwardens were responsible
for collecting the rent and paying wages. There were no other funds allocated for
maintenance or contingencies. Within the first year the church was in debt.
1857
Land in Balham New Road was given to the church to enable an Infant School to be
formed. It moved to its present site adjacent to the church in 1859.
1877
Following reorganisation St Mary’s Church moved from the Diocese of Winchester to
the newly formed Diocese of Rochester.
13 July 1879
Rev’d Bellamy died. He had ministered in Balham for over 30 years. Rev’d Thomas
Bates was appointed on 25 September.
22 July 1882
The Bishop of Rochester consecrated the newly built chancel. It would be many years
before it was completed to the splendour we see today.
November 1883
As Balham expanded, construction commenced on St. John’s Bedford Hill following
the erection of an earlier temporary building.
1885
The previously planned vestries were finally built, at an estimated cost of £500.
A bazaar had to be held to raise the required funds.
1891
The arms of the horseshoe gallery were removed and the box pews were replaced with
open seats. The transept galleries remained.
1903
A new west front with clock tower, belfry, domed baptistery and lobbies facing the
High Road were completed, giving the church its present appearance.
6 February 1911
Canon Bates died, having been diagnosed with cancer the previous August. Rev’d Dan
Bryant was Inducted on 2 June.
December 1914
By the end of the year 116 names were recorded on the Roll of Honour setup to record
the names of the lost volunteers from the parish.
6 February 1920
Stained glass windows were installed in each transept as a memorial to parishioners
killed during WWI.
29 April 1923
Intruders light a fire in the crypt. Fortunately it was discovered and quickly extinguished.
Six local boys were later prosecuted.
1937
The church had a very active Sports & Social Club around this time. Eric Goatham's
scrapbook of Balham in this period is available at www.teresastree.co.uk/balham/. Eileen Dye is trying to identify
everyone in the picture which can be found here.
1941
The church only suffered minor damage during World War II. Two incendiaries landed
on the north transept roof and the balcony window was destroyed.
18 December 1946
Rev’d Dan Bryant dies. Rev’d Philip Morell Smith was appointed in May the following
year.
6 July 1952
Consecration of the family chapel as a memorial to Rev’d Bryant. Dry rot was discovered
during the works.
1954
Rev’d Smith resigned. (He was first vicar of St Mary’s not to die whilst in post.)
The incumbency passed to the Rev’d Philip Ernest Duval in Jan 1955.
1959
St Mary’s School 100th anniversary. A stained glass window depicting
the school as seen from the drive was installed in the nave. (The present window
is a 1967 copy.)
1960
22 feet (7 metres) of ground was removed from the front of the church to allow for
the widening of Balham High Road.
January 1966
Rev’d Duval left the parish. The Rev’d John Wilfred Paul was inducted on 18th
February.
Spring 1973
Pews were removed to create the Narthex in the area beneath the remaining gallery.
A glass screen was added later.
30 January 1983
The parishes of St Mary and St John were merged, doubling the area of the parish.
1986
The Rev’d John Paul left after 22 years in Balham. He was replaced the following
year by the Rev’d Theo Hull.
1990
In conjunction with the neighbouring Parish of Holy Trinity, Tooting a Mission Deacon
was appointed to assist with the work in the two parishes.
1993
Rev’d Theo Hull left following a period of ill health. Rev’d Dorothy Nicholson was
to take up her post eighteen months later. An overnight fire destroyed the narthex
and baptistery. The remainder of the church suffered smoke damage.
2001
Following fundraising, the rebuilding works began. Over the next few years the exterior
of the church was restored, the narthex recreated, a new chapel formed and gallery
rooms constructed.
21 & 22 May 2005
A celebration was held to mark the 150th anniverary of the consecration
and forming of the parish. Gallery rooms were dedicated by the Bishop of Southwark
during the celebrations. October - The Rev’d Dorothy Nicholson retired from the
Parish.
December 2006
The Rev’d Wilma Roest was Licensed as Priest in Charge on the Festival Of St. Nicholas
of Myra.
The future
We look forward to making further progress on our vision for St. Mary’s with:
- Restoration of the chancel
- a nave altar at the chancel steps
- more flexible worship area by removal of the pews
- completion of the garden area with new access into the church
- Improved links with our community through the use of the new facilities
If you wish to know more detail on the history of St. Mary’s Church we recommend
David Young’s, The Church on the High Road which is available from the parish office.