GENUKI: Wolverhampton St John

Wolverhampton St John

"St John's Church, a very handsome fabric, with a lofty spire, stands on the south west side of the town, in a spacious burial ground, encompassed by a double row of trees and a square of houses. The Act of Parliament for its erection was obtained in 1755, but the damage the building sustained by a fire in 1758, greatly retarded its completion, which was not entirely acomplished, with the raising of the steeple, till 1776. The interior, however, was so far finished in 1760, that the edifice was consecrated in that year.
The living is a vicarage, in the alternate patronage of the Bishop of Lichfield and the Earl of Stamford, and incumbency of the Rev Humphrey Poultney, MA, who is assisted by the Rev P Whitcombe, curate."

[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]

Bibliography
Church History
Church Records

Bibliography

'A History of St John's Church, Wolverhampton'
by John Stephen Roper
Published 1958, by JS Roper, Woodsetton.

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Church History

The ecclesiastical parish of St John was formed on 10th March 1849.
The church was originally erected as a chapel of ease to St Peter's.

St John's church was built of stone, in the Italian style, and consists of a nave, aisles, and a tower with a lofty spire containing a clock and one bell. The alter piece is a painting representing the descent of Christ from the Cross by Joseph Barney, a native of Wolverhampton, who was painter in fruit and flowers to King George IV. The organ was originally built by Renatus Harris for Temple Church, London, and afterwards stood for over half a century in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, from where it was removed to St John's.

A view of St John's Church.

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Church Records

Church of England Registers
The register of St John, Wolverhampton, commences in 1838.
The registers prior to 1840 are incorporated in those of St Peter, Wolverhampton.
The original registers for the period 1840-1931 (Bapts), 1838-1971 (Mar) & 1839-1992 (Bur) are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
Wolverhampton Archives holds microfilm of the deposited registers.

Nonconformist Church Registers
Records of Nonconformist churches in Wolverhampton can be found on the Wolverhampton page.