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St
Silas was low church evangelical, as indeed were most of the Anglican churches in Toxteth. Its (second?) vicar from 1873 until his death in 1908, was
Canon Herbert Woodward. He was
formerly vicar of St. Clement’s (1856/7 – 73), and was one of the leading evangelical churchman of his day.
He was much involved in the contemporary anti-Catholic and anti-Ritualist movements. St. Silas was
probably an Orange Lodge Church; certainly large numbers of Orange Lodge members and supporters were included amongst the thousands of Protestants who attended Woodward's funeral.
The church was damaged by
enemy action on 19 October 1940 and did not re-open until 6 December
1942. In the intervening period, baptisms were performed in the Mission
Hall and marriages solemnized in other local churches. St Silas
closed in 1952 and was demolished in 1954, the parish being amalgamated with
that of St. Philemon.
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St. Silas was erected during 1864 and consecrated in September 1865,
seating 1081 (Gores 1938). It stood on the corner of High Park Street and St. Silas Street. School buildings stood behind, in Pengwern Street. The church is known to have had both a tower and spire.
The photo clearly shows Dovey Street and
the only possible orientation means that the gable end on the
RHS past the church, belongs to the original St Silas School.
LINK
to St Silas churches around the world.
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