IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 P82/ALB
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: SAINT ALBAN THE MARTYR, HOLBORN: BROOKE STREET, CAMDEN
Date(s): 1848-1949
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 2.07 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Parish of St Alban the Martyr, Holborn | Church of England
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The church of Saint Alban the Martyr is situated on Baldwin Gardens, off Grays Inn Road. It was constructed in 1863, designed by William Butterfield. The church building was severely damaged by enemy action in 1941; but was reconstructed to the designs of Adrian Gilbert Scott. The new church building was consecrated in 1961. The parish was united with that of Saint Peter's, Saffron Hill, in 1952. The area served by the church was poor and densely populated, and various missions and charitable programmes were established by the clergy and congregation; particularly curate Arthur Henry Stanton (1839-1913).
Reverend Alexander Heriot Mackonochie, 1825-1887, was ordained as perpetual curate at St Alban the Martyr in January 1862. He introduced various 'ritualistic', catholic elements to services, which prompted strict protestant John Martin to launch a lawsuit against him in 1867. The trial took place in the Court of Arches under the Church Discipline Act of 1840. Mackonochie was charged with elevating the host above his head, using a mixed chalice and altar lights, censing things and persons, and kneeling during the prayer of consecration. He was found guilty and suspended from office for three months. However, he did not cease the practices and in March 1874 a new lawsuit was brought by the Church Association, which resulted in a six-week suspension; while in June 1878 he was suspended for three years. Further proceedings in 1882 were halted by his resignation. More proceedings were launched against him in his new church and he resigned after only a year; returning to Saint Alban's as a freelance assistant. (Source of information: Rosemary Mitchell, 'Mackonochie, Alexander Heriot (1825-1887)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.)
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of the parish of Saint Alban the Martyr, Holborn, including historical account of parish by Reverend Mackonochie; testimonials of support for Reverend Mackonochie; papers relating to the legal case of Martin v. Mackonochie; papers of the Mackonochie Testimonials and Memorial Fund Committee including correspondence with architects regarding construction of memorial chapel; papers of Reverend E F Russell; papers of curate Arthur Henry Stanton; journal of work conducted by Mackonochie at St George's Mission of St Saviour and Cross, Wellclose Square, Stepney.
Minutes of annual vestry meetings; day books; letter books and correspondence; registers of church services; financial accounts; registers of communions made; correspondence, estimates and accounts relating to renovation and restoration of church; volumes containing letters of sympathy on destruction of the church by bombs, 1941; scrapbooks of newspaper cuttings, letters, documents and photographs; legal papers relating to church property; catalogue of the library; papers relating to charities in Holborn; papers relating to Saint Alban's School; papers of church societies and clubs; photographs; orders of service and tickets; inventories; sermons and printed appeals.
No registers held.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Records catalogued as one series: P82/ALB-1: Parish Records.
Conditions governing access:
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright for these records rests with the depositor.
Physical characteristics:
Fit.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Records deposited by the Vicar in the London County Record Office, County Hall, SE1, 25 July 1957.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
See also A/GSA (Guild of St Albans).
Publication note:
For an account of the work and incumbency of Reverend A H Mackonochie at St Alban's, see Martyr of Ritualism by Michael Reynolds (Faber and Faber, London, 1965). Extensive use was made of the records listed here in the book.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: March to April 2010.