ROCHESTER AND SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN CHURCH TRUST

The minutes of the Chapter of College of Saint Saviour (1904 - 1936) include arrangements relating to sermons, rules, library and common room, staffing including appointments of wardens, secretary and resignations, the Chaplain of Guy's Hospital, Associates of the College, finance, summer camps, courses of lectures, retreats and quiet days. The book also includes annual meetings and reports (1927 - 1936) with Warden's and Treasurer's reports mentioning staff and the work of the College.

The records of Saint Olave (1817 - 1949) consist of minute books (1891 - 1918) including churchwardens' arrangements relating to the erection of 'a stand on the tower to enable the Vestrymen to view the Jubilee Procession' of Queen Victoria in 1897 (DS/CT/02/001) and Vestry Meetings of inhabitants of the parish recording the annual elections of churchwardens (DS/CT/02/004); legal papers, correspondence and accounts concerning the removal of remains from the Flemish Burial Ground to Saint John, Southwark and sale of the ground to the London and Greenwich Railway Company (1832 - 1843), including a letter of 20 July 1842 recording that 'one application was made from Mrs Fowler [Maria Fowler, widow of Samuel, of Paradise Street, Saint Marylebone] through her daughter to remove the remains of her husband - the nature of her application (for it seems the internment was a recent one) so much affected her as to cause an hysterical fit in the church...to say the least of it was very uncomfortable to witness'; account books (1871 - 1931); Fund papers, amalgamation of parishes, and the closure of Saint Olave (1900 - 1949); and photographs of monument to those formerly buried at Saint Olave (1920 - 1930).

The records of All Saints, North Peckham include endowment fund correspondence and related papers (1948 - 1962), and deeds for conveyance of trust properties at Harpenden Road and Ulverstone Street, Lambeth, Rock Terrace, Rose Terrace, Sumner Road near Crab Tree Shot Road, Camberwell, and Eastbury Grove, Hammersmith.

The records of the Diocesan Registry including accounts relating to sequestrations (the taking over by the bishop of vacated benefices (church offices which provide a living) (1842 - 1950), indexes to files not in this collection (1900 - 1940) and Diocesan Magazines (1962 - 1963).

College of Saint Saviour DS/CT/01

Saint Olave, Southwark DS/CT/02

All Saints, North Peckham DS/CT/03

Diocesan Registry DS/CT/04

<p>For further records of Saint Olave, Tooley Street, Bermondsey, Southwark see the parish collection held at London Metropolitan Archives (reference P71/OLA).</p>

B97/153

The records in this collection were kept by the Rochester and Southwark Diocesan Trust and they relate to the College of Saint Saviour and Saint Olave, Southwark and All Saints, Camberwell.

College of Saint Saviour

The College served the Diocese of Southwark and its major object was the provision and maintenance of priests carrying out mission work in South London. Members conducted Retreats and Quiet Days, preaching on special occasions and on emergency duty (when there was a lack of clergy) in parish churches and taking courses of sermons. In the 1920s the College was located at Carshalton. In 1936 the amalgamation of the trusts of the College of Saint Saviour and the Wilberforce Trust was proposed.

The College Chapter meetings were held monthly and consisted of the Sub-Warden, Bursar, Chapter Clerk and usually five others. The Chapter was also attended sometimes by the Bishop of Southwark (as a visitor) and the Archdeacon of Southwark (Warden).

Saint Olave, Southwark

Saint Olave, Tooley Street, Southwark had stood on its site since before 1205, and the church had been dedicated to Saint Olaf, King of Norway who fought The Danes at London Bridge in the 11th century.

An Act of Parliament (3 William IV (1833) 'for making a railway from London to Greenwich' was passed. The London and Greenwich Railway Company bought the Flemish Burial Ground adjacent to Saint Olave. In 1842 - 1843, the remains of those buried in the Flemish Burial Ground were removed from Saint Olave to Saint John, Southwark.

In 1900 Saint Olave, Saint John Horsleydown and Saint Thomas were transferred from Southwark to the newly created Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey, one of 28 Metropolitan Boroughs created by the London Government Act 1899.

By the early 20th century there had been a major reduction in population in the parish and lowering of parish rates. In addition the church had become dilapidated and 'unsafe to hold Divine Services'. In 1904, prior to the creation of the Diocese of Southwark, the Bishop of Rochester appointed a Commission to consider the problems at Saint Olave Parish and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners agreed for the abolition of the church and Rectory Rates by producing a Bill in Parliament. A Rectory Rate Committee was established by the Rectory Act Trustees to monitor developments.

In 1916 a faculty was granted by the Bishop for the closure of Saint Olave and the continuation of services at the Chapter House in Southwark Cathedral. In 1917 it was proposed that the northern part of the parish of Saint Olave would be incorporated into the parish of Saint John Horsleydown and the southern part would be added to the parish of Saint Paul, Bermondsey. In 1918 the parishes of Saint Olave and Saint John Horsleydown were amalgamated, and the church and graveyard site and Rectory House in Thomas Street were sold. In 1921 the church building was made redundant and was later demolished.

All Saints, North Peckham

All Saints Church in Camberwell Deanery, began in July 1866 when five adults and twelve children met in a private house in nearby Choumert Road in Peckham. The congregation grew rapidly and work began on the church building at Blenheim Grove, Peckham in 1870. The building was designed by H E Coe, architect and was completed in 1872.