CHRIST CHURCH, BEXLEYHEATH

Parish registers & administrative records

PA23C/1 Records of Incumbent: Registers

PA23C/2 Records of Incumbent: Licences

PA23C/3 Records of Incumbent: Property and Income

PA23C/5 Records of Churchwardens: Accounts

PA23C/6 Records of Churchwardens: Property

PA23C/7 Records of Churchwardens: Miscellaneous

PA23C/8 Records of the Parochial Church Council

PA23C/11 Records of Overseers: Rates

PA23C/22 Records of Surveyors: Miscellaneous

PA23C/24 Records of Special Committees

PA23C/25 Charity and School Records

PA23C/27 Tithe Records

PA23C/28 Miscellaneous Records

The records were deposited by the Church in December 1990 (except PA32C/5/2/2 which was donated by Mrs N H Coleman in 1986) and have been catalogued by Mr Malcolm Barr-Hamilton.

A chapel-of-ease to the parish church of St Mary's, Bexley, was built for the fast-growing population of Bexleyheath and consecrated in 1836. This stood on the south side of the Broadway adjacent to what is now Oaklands Road. Until 1844 baptisms at the Chapel were entered in the registers of St Mary's Church. A burial ground adjacent to the Chapel was consecrated in 1842. This soon became full and was closed for burials in 1882, the present Bexleyheath cemetery having been opened in 1879. For burials in the latter enquirers are advised to use the registers in the Local Authority records held here which give more detailed information than the Church copies. The Chapel was licensed for marriages in 1846.

Although the Chapel of Ease had been enlarged in 1852 the population was increasing so rapidly that work began on the building of the present Christ Church in 1872 and it was consecrated in 1877.