New Parochial Institution,, Notting Hill, London

A new Parochial Institution is being erected in George-street, Oxford-street, for the parish church of Saint Mark, North Audley-street, from designs by Mr Withers, architect; it will comprise industrial and soup kitchens, workmen's club, mission room, parish and committee rooms, model lodgings for parish officers, art school, etc. The front next George Street will be of red bricks and will be six stories high. Messrs. M. Allen & Son, have the contract for £4,483. Mr. Laidler is clerk of works. The Marquis of Westminster gives the site. [Building News 16 August 1872 page 134]

The new Parochial Institution, George-street, for the parish church of S. Mark's, North Audley-street, is being constructed from designs by Mr. Withers, architect. It will comprise industrial and soup kitchens, workmen's club, mission-room, parish and committee rooms, model lodgings for parish officers,art school, &c. The front next George Street will be of red bricks, and will be six storeys high. Messrs. M. Allen & Son have the contract for £4,413. [Building News 30 August 1872 page 173]

The project was seemingly re-tendered in January 1873, Sharpington & Cole providing a revised estimate in the sum of £1,477. At this time the address was given as St James, Notting Hill. [Builder 25 January 1873 page 76 - tenders]. Further research required.

LONDON - On Wednesday the Marquis of Westminster presided at the formal opening of an institution, the establishment of which is understood to be the first attempt in this country to connect Church life with social life, through the medium of a Club, in such a way as to enlist the influence of the Church in support of the Club without patronising it or in any way compromising its independence. The institution is in George-street, North Audley Street, in the rear of St. Mark's Church, with which it has internal communication. On the site, which has a frontage of 55 feet with a depth of 64 feet, there has been erected in brick, with some stone mouldings, a lofty building with Gothic facade, which is relieved by two oriels embracing windows of the first and second floors. The building, designed by Mr. Withers, has cost £6,000. This new institution, which is a continuation of the block of industrial dwellings erected largely through the exertions of the Rev. J. W. Ayre, the vicar, contains a large number of rooms. In the basement is a kitchen, which it is intended to utilise, not only in connection with the Club, but in an effort to provide the poor with good and cheap midday meals. On the ground floor is a large room for mission services, mothers' meetings, and other purposes connected with Church work. On the first floor is a still larger room, a club-room, which is divisible by three movable partitions into four compartments—for papers, refreshments, bagatelle, &c. There are several smaller rooms, some of which it is hoped will he hired 'oy benefit clubs, while others are arranged in suites for occupation by persons employed in the work of the Church and the schools ; and at the top are two large rooms, lighted from the roof, suitable for class-rooms. There are three equally prominent entrances in the facade, and one of these is reserved exclusively for the Club-rooms, which will be quite isolated by the internal arrangements; and the other two entrances give access to the church rooms and those allotted to tenants. [Building News 11 July 1873 page 49]

CHURCH LIFE AND CLUB LIFE.—Yesterday the Marquis of Westminster presided at the formal opening of an institution the establishment of which is understood to be the first attempt in this country to connect Church life with social life, through the medium of a Club, in such a way as to enlist the influence of the Church in support of the Club without patronizing it or in any way compromising its independence. The institution is in George Street, North Audley Street, in the rear of St, Mark's Church, with which it has internal communication. The Marquis of Westminster offered the ground at a low rent, to be held in trust for the benefit of the parish and neighbourhood making it a condition that there should be erected a building to contain rooms for mission purposes, for the use of working men, as well as for parochial, sanitary, provident, and other civilizing objects. On the site offered, which has a frontage of 55 feet with a depth of 64 feet, there has been erected in brick, with some stone mouldings, a lofty building with Gothic facade, which is relieved by two oriels embracing windows of the first and second floors. The building, designed by Mr Withers, has cost £6,000, of which £1,000 has yet to be raised. The subscriptions include six of £250, one of £200, fourteen of £100, ten of £50, twenty-four of £30 or £25, four of £20, thirty of £10, and £35 in sums under £10, which list shows that the working men of the neighbourhood have some liberal friends. The new institution, which is a continuation of the block of industrial dwellings erected largely through the exertions of the Rev. J. W. Ayre, the vicar, contains a large number of rooms. In the basement is a kitchen which it is intended to utilize, not only in connexion with the Club, but in an effort to provide the poor with good and cheap mid-day meals. On the ground floor is a large room for mission services, mothers' meetings and other purposes connected with Church work. On the first floor a still larger room, a club room, which is divisible by three moveable partitions into four compartments—for papers, refreshments, bagatelle, etc. There are several smaller rooms, some of which it is hoped will be hired by benefit clubs, while others are arranged in suites for occupation by persons employed in the work of the Church and the schools; and at the top are two large rooms, lighted from the top, suitable for class rooms. It is hoped that the receipts from tenants, from the Club, and from the letting of rooms will meet the annual charge upon the building, including the nominal rent payable to the Marquis of Westminster. There are three equally prominent entrances in the facade, and one of these is reserved exclusively for the Club rooms, which will be quite isolated by the internal arrangements; and the other two entrances give access to the church rooms and those allotted to tenants. [Times 10 July 1873 page 12]

Reference    Building News 2 August 1872 page 93 – tenders
Reference    Building News 30 August 1872 page 173
Reference    Builder 25 January 1873 page 76
Reference    Building News 11 July 1873 page 49
Reference    Times 10 July 1873 page 12