AdminHistory | The charity was set up on 24 July 1992 as a charitable company limited by guarantee and as a registered charity number 1023032. The main objective of the charity was to ensure the long-term preservation of St Matthias Church, Poplar, 'a Grade I listed building of exceptional architectural and historical interest'. The charity has fundraised and put on events to support its activities. Peter Vincent was listed as one of the Directors in 2016.
Built on the site of the East India Companys almshouse (which had been founded in 1628 on Poplar High Street), the foundation of Poplar Chapel was laid out in 1639, but was not constructed until 1652-54, for the hamlet of Poplar and Blackwall. Known as Poplar Chapel, it was closely modelled on the Broadway Chapel, Westminster (1635-38) which combined Gothic and Classical elements on its exterior. The almshouses were rebuilt in 1798-1806 as separate groups of buildings, to the north and south of the then rectilinear open space, as shown in historical maps (Ordnance Survey of 1867-70). The almshouses were Poplars principal private charitable foundation, originally founded to provide for disabled East India Company seaman. In 1866, eight years after the transfer of the East India Companys property to the Crown, the almshouses were demolished and Poplar Church was consecrated as St Matthias, with its own district within the parish of All Saints being established. The site then became the grounds for the Poplar Recreation Ground in 1866-67. Extensive restoration of the church followed, with external and internal changes undertaken.
St Matthias Church survived the Blitz of the Second World War, with only minor damages. In 1976, the church finally closed its doors due to the declining number of worshippers. The church endured vandalism where monuments were stolen as architectural salvage and the stained glass windows were smashed. The church remained derelict and unused until it was converted into a community centre in 1993. Its restoration programme was conducted and funded by English Heritage and the London Dockland Development Corporation in 1990-91, and it is now maintained by the St Matthias Conservation Trust. It sits in the St Matthias Church, Poplar Conservation Area which was designated in February 1986.
Source: 'St Matthias Church, Poplar Conservation Area Character Appraisals and Management Guidelines', October 2007, London Borough of Tower Hamlets. [https://democracy.towerhamlets.gov.uk/documents/s6965/Conservation%20Areas%20Appx%20B10%20St%20Matthias%20 Church.pdf, last accessed 20/10/2021] |