Smethwick Holy Trinity
"Smethwick, the largest and most populous part of Harborne parish, is now divided into two ecclesiastical districts and has two churches.
North Harborne Church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a neat cruciform structure in the lancet Gothic style, with a lofty spire, erected in 1838. It stands on an eminence in the northern part of Smethwick. The vicarage is in the patronage of the Dean & Chapter of Lichfield, and incumbency of
the Rev TG Simcox, MA."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William
White, Sheffield, 1851)
Church History
Holy Trinity, Smethwick, also known as North Harborne was built in 1837 in Trinity Street and consecrated in 1838 to serve the growing population of north Smethwick. The parish of North Harborne was created in 1842 from part of Harborne parish.
The original church, designed by Thomas Johnson of Lichfield was a cruciform structure of Tixall stone, in the Early English style, with a west gallery and a west tower and spire containing one bell.
Most of the church was rebuilt on a larger scale in 1887-89 to designs by Francis Bacon of Newbury, although the original tower and spire were retained. It consists of a chancel, north vestry, aisled nave and south porch. The eight windows in the nave were installed as a memorial to Laura Hewitson in 1934.
A curious feature of the church is an outdoor pulpit in the churchyard erected in 1913 for open-air services of the Brotherhood, a men's organisation founded by the Rev JH Newsham, vicar of Holy Trinity from 1912-1914.
Church Records
Church of England Registers
The register of Smethwick Holy Trinity commences in 1838. The original registers for the period 1838-1977 (Bapts), 1839-1995 (Mar) & 1839-1973 (Bur) are deposited at Sandwell Archives.
Nonconformist Church Registers
Records of Nonconformist churches in Smethwick can be found on the Smethwick page.
[Last updated: 7th July 2001, Mike Harbach. © 2001]
