Churches of the British Isles

The former St Paul's Church, East Ham, is on Burges Road, at the south-eastern corner of the junction with Watson Avenue and Leigh Avenue. Despite appearing somewhat dilapidated in 2010 the church remained open at the time. The site was farmland in the 1800s but increasing housing in the 1890s and 1900s meant the building of a mission church here in 1908. The present permanent building was erected in 1932-33 and extensive restoration was carried out in 2002.

St Barnabas Parish Church Manor Park sits on Browning Road, opposite the entrance to Shelley Avenue. It began with an iron building in 1897. The first part of a permanent church opened in 1900, being completed in 1906 and 1909. This was one of the first churches designed by (Sir) Ninian Comper - using red brick in a perpendicular style. A separate parish was formed in 1901. In 1946 the altar was brought into the nave for closer engagement with the congregation.

Manor Park Christian Centre is on the eastern side of High Street North, opposite Sherrard Road. It was founded as Manor Park Tabernacle after its members had formerly met in a room in Carlyle Road, then in the 'Gospel Shop', Romford Road (1890-93), and Little Ilford Chapel (1893-98). In 1898 an iron building was erected on High Street North, and in 1906 the present building was completed. By 2010 the Emmanuel Christian Fellowship was meeting here.

Manor Park Congregational Church is on High Street North, at the north-west corner with Strone Road in Manor Park. It began as Little Ilford Church, formed in 1897 and with a small iron building on Coleridge Avenue, opposite. The present building was completed in 1904, seating 750 with an adjoining hall. The building work almost crippled the congregation - only the exuberant work of its minister saved them. By 2013 it was the Church of God UK Pentecostal Church.

Plashet Cemetery is accessed from the western side of High Street North. It was opened in 1896 and, like East Ham Cemetery, it is managed by the United Synagogue. Related to the same United Synagogue was the former Upton Park District Synagogue on Tudor Road which originated around 1920, after starting off in temporary premises on Katherine Road. The Tudor Road building was erected in 1923, extended in 1939, but more recently has closed (see links).

The former East Avenue Presbyterian Church is on the northern side of East Avenue in East Ham. An iron church was erected here in 1900, although this was quickly replaced in 1903 by the present building following the refusal of the congregation to put up with a mission-style central hall. Halls were added in 1905. By 1909 the membership was 424, rising in the 1920s to 600. In 1941 the church was joined by the failed Trinity Presbyterian Church, Maryland Point.

Sibley Grove (Welsh Congregational) Church formerly sat on the northern side of Sibley Grove, off High Street North, with the junction with East Avenue forming a v-shape around it. It was formed in 1901 by Congregationalists from King's Cross. In 1945 the iron building was sold to the London Welsh Methodists as Sibley Road Welsh Methodist Church. Some members came from Cumberland Road Gospel Hall (see links). This was later closed and the iron church removed.

East Ham Baptist Church stands on the southern side of Plashet Grove, opposite the entrance to Shrewsbury Road in East Ham. A temporary iron building at the corner of Katherine Road and Victoria Avenue a little to the south of here housed the first congregation in 1895. The present building was completed in 1901, in a thousand-seater sanctuary called Plashet Grove Church. Bonny Downs Baptist Church was begun from here (see links).

Full Gospel Hall (Assemblies of God), Plashet Grove, is at the north-eastern corner with Whitfield Road. The building was erected on what was the former Fry Estate as the Elizabeth Fry Memorial (Primitive Methodist) Church in 1889, after the congregation had met since 1886 in the adjoining manse - Newgate Villa, in allusion to Fry's prison work. At the Methodist union of 1932 the building was excess to requirements and was sold to the Assemblies of God.

All photos on this page by P L Kessler (from 2010-2011).