St Cleopas Church, Toxteth, Liverpool

It has taken some time to obtain a photograph of the church however I was sent a copy of a sketch, rumours of which had been circulating. Somehow, someone heard that I wanted a copy and one day it just arrived - thank you. A photo has since come to hand, but I cannot ignore the sketch

In 1865 William Peek laid the foundation stone of a new church in the district of St John the Baptist, to be called St Cleopas. The church was established from 1866 until 1973, when it was demolished. A full history of this church has been written and a copy was given to me by the vicar when I visited the Parish some years ago. It has now been transcribed. This is HERE but is as yet largely uncorrected.

Around 1900 George Lunn became Vicar of St Cleopas, Toxteth Park. He was educated at Clifford's College, before going on to Wharfedale College. His first curacy was at All Saints, Vauxhall, which was described as 'a poor and almost dilapidated dockside parish'. There he led a very fine Men's Bible Class. He then moved in 1898 to a second curacy at St Chrysostom's, Everton, before being appointed to the living of St Mary Magdalene, Liverpool, a notoriously difficult parish.

St Cleopas in 1907. Mill Street (with people on) runs left to right, Beresford Road runs away, far right

When George Lunn took over at St Cleopas he inherited a thriving parish of some 11,000, where he saw much encouragement, especially in the rapid development of a Men's Bible Class of some 273 members. There were two churches in the parish, plus a Mission Room and a large day school with 800 scholars, two curates, two Scripture Readers, and two Bible women.

George Lunn took a particular interest in the Boys' Brigade, attending their annual camp, the St Cleopas Company was the largest in Liverpool. He also took a keen interest in missionary work, at home and overseas. He was Secretary of the C. of E. Christian Endeavour, and Hon. Sec of the Liverpool Auxiliary of the Protestant Reformation Society. He was also a member of the Executive of the Church of England Temperance Society.

A correspondent remembers the church well and has kindly sent me the following notes.

"The main gate was on the corner facing the Beresford pub, the main entrance into the church faced the Mission hall in Beresford Road. There were other gates, the retaining wall between school yard and church had a gate with three steps leading up to an entrance in the west wing which was used for the school kids. On special occasions the boys paraded in the boys playground and then marched into the church. There was another small door and a gate on the corner of Munro Street and Mill Street, this led into the vicar's vestry. Another small door was accessed by the main gate and directly in line with the gate, it was down a couple of stairs which was the vestment room for the choir boys."

On the bottom left of the picture at the top of the page, you can just make out the roof and buttresses of the school (hover your cursor)

St Cleopas school was in Beresford road just below the church.

Today a new school is on the site, surrounded by blue railings you can see this in the Beresford Road files). Some of the original stones of the church wall still remain close to the new school and around the new vicarage.

The building marked on the maps as 'Hall', opposite the church, and towards the river, was the St. Cleopas Parish Hall and Mission. The congregation later used it for worship, after the original church was demolished, however it is not the original Church of St. Cleopas. This was still in use as a day nursery and church in late 2003.

In November 2004 the old building was inaccessible and appeared closed. In fact it was under demolition. A new St Cleopas Church now occupies the site, as of May 2005.