Description:E.R. Mason writes about the establishment of St Thomas's Church:
In 1825 the following brief note appeared in the Gazette:
October 10th 1825. “The local commissioners for the building of Churches in this town met on Saturday morning last to decide, from among the various designs and estimates submitted to the, upon a plan for the erection of a new church intended to be built at Holloway Head, when, we understand, the one made choice of was furnished by Messrs. Rickman & Hutchinson, under whose superintendence the work will therefore be carried into execution.”
It appears that the Commissioners had made provision for Church accommodation in the outlying districts of the North and South, and they were now turning their attention westward, where the growth of the town had called into existence a new district between Holloway Head and Five Ways.
This growing district was a considerable distance from any Church, and to meet the spiritual needs of the residents, the Commissioners in 1825 acquired certain garden land for the building of St Thomas’ Church. It was planned and designed to be the largest and most substantial Church in the town, and provided accommodation for 2,125 people. The cost of the erection, which amounted in all to £14,222.13.10 (being £572.18.7 less than the original estimate), was defrayed entirely out of the Commissioner’s Fund, and it is interesting to note that this was the last of the Churches in Birmingham to be provided for out of the Parliamentary Grant.
The Foundation Stone of the Church was laid by the Bishop of Worcester on October 22nd, 1826 and three years afterwards the building was completed, being consecrated on October 22nd 1829.
The following account of the Opening Ceremony appeared in the Gazette on October 26th 1829:
“On Thursday last St. Thomas’ Church at Holloway Head in this town was consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocese, assisted by his Registrar and the Archdeacon of Coventry and Stafford. A number of respectable inhabitants, including the several Church and Chapel Wardens, assembled between nine and ten o’clock at the Church, whence they proceeded to St Martin’s Rectory where the Bishop, the newly appointed minister of St Thomas’ (Rev W Marsh) and the clergy of the town and immediate neighbourhood had been entertained to breakfast. Being joined by the clergy and two of the local Commissioners, James Taylor Esq., and William Hampton Esq., the procession returned to St Thomas’ Church and the Ceremony immediately commenced according to the prescribed form. The Service was read by the Rev. Thomas Moseley, Rector of St Martin’s and an appropriate discourse was delivered from the pulpit by the Right Rev. Prelate. On the congregation retiring, collections were made at the doors and upwards of £30 was collected. The Sacrament was afterwards administered to the clergy and others, and at the termination of the service the Bishop proceeded to consecrate the adjoining burial ground.”
It should be noted that although St Thomas’ Church was consecrated in 1829, it was not until 1834 that it was constituted a distinct Parish, when the under mentioned extensive district was assigned to it by an Order in Council:
“The boundary commences at the toll gate at Five Ways on the turnpike road leading from Birmingham to Hagley, and proceeds thence in a north easterly direction down the centre of said turnpike road, along Islington, Broad Street, to the top of Suffolk Street, and thence in a south easterly direction down the centre of Suffolk Street, and there adjoining to the Parish of Edgbaston and then branches out to the said street called Bristol Street in a Westerly direction by the boundary separating the parishes of Birmingham and Edgbaston to a certain bridge over the Worcester Canal near to a public road called Wheeley’s Lane, and from the said bridge along that part of the road leading up Islington Row to the other turnpike gate erected across the said road and in connection with the said gate at which the boundary of the parish of St Thomas begins, which lies within the parish of Birmingham.”