The Actors' Church Union

[Gareth Davies]

This (very poor quality) photo is a photo of a photo of the Actors' Church Union roll of honour/memroial. The Rector of St Paul's Covent Garden (The Actors' Church) has no idea where it originally stood nor what may have happened to it. I have searched in my extensive library for any hints but I have drawn a complete blank. Theatre Chaplaincy UK (the modern version of the ACU) found this photo in their archive (which I think is no more than a couple of shoe boxes) and this is all they had.

I suspect that, sadly, the memorial is long gone but there might be a small chance that it is sitting in a corner of a church store gathering dust.

 

[DavidOwen]

Gareth

Could it be the one in Westminster Abbey (IWM don't have a photo) Actors Church Union- Funeral Pall | War Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

David

[Gareth Davies]

No, that one is a hearse cloth. It was used to cover the coffin of the Unknown Warrior (which I suspect lots of us weren't aware of).

 

 

Edited 11 September , 2023 by Gareth Davies

[DavidOwen]

I hadn't scrolled far enough down!

I see that the A.C.U. had a memorial childrens hostel fund - I wonder if it may have somehow been connected to that? If indeed it became a brick and mortar structure. I cannot find it listed in IWM or on War Memorials online.

Image courtesy FMP from The Hamilton Advertiser 8 June 1918

 

Also it is a bit post war but there is this archive - The Rector may like to know about it too if they don't already Actors Church Union | The National Archives

Would you believe the Australian Archives via Trove are proving helpful? At least I think they are! 

This from The Kalgoorlie Miner 25 July 1953 - if it refers to the UK hostel - however so far no original location. Image/s courtesy Trove.

Back to FMP for this one - in 1926 the Childrens' Hostel was in Hammersmith - exact location not stated. The Citizen 15th November 1926

 

 

[DavidOwen]

Then I found this:

The hostel was originally located at 81 Sinclair Road,  W Kensington W14 - The Stage 20 September 1928 (Courtesy FMP)

 

Sadly the original building appears to have been replaced by flats Flat 7 81 Sinclair Road London W14 0NR - Property Details | Homipi

Prior to being acquired by the ACU it was previously a hostel for homeless and delinquent girls - 1921 census courtesy FMP.

 

The ACU opened their hostel in 1923/24 according to their AGM reported in the Stage 22 May 1924

The Stage 22 May 1924 Page 12 | findmypast.co.uk 

 

 

 

[DavidOwen]

So far I haven't been able to ascertain when the hostel may have moved / closed but a charity which may have been linked closed in 2017 - funds transferring to the Theatre Chaplaincy Charity overview, ACTORS' CHURCH UNION CHILDRENS CHARITY - 207315-1, Register of Charities - The Charity Commission

[Gareth Davies]

Thanks David.

[DavidOwen]

Another article the wording of which makes me think the memorial may have been at the hostel. From Birmingham Daily Post 6 November 1918. Courtesy FMP.

Slightly complicated by the addition of a second hostel (whereabouts unknown) by 1931. But reinforces the thought that such a (portable?) memorial may have been located at the original site as it was "in memory of the 300 who died". The Banbury Advertiser 22 October 1931. Courtesy FMP.

[DavidOwen]

Might be worth asking these folks if they know anything about the Sinclair Road hostel? War Memorial - The Hammersmith Society

[Gareth Davies]

2 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

Then I found this:

The hostel was originally located at 81 Sinclair Road,  W Kensington W14 - The Stage 20 September 1928 (Courtesy FMP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the house/flats on the left now.

[Gareth Davies]

10 minutes ago, DavidOwen said:

Might be worth asking these folks if they know anything about the Sinclair Road hostel? War Memorial - The Hammersmith Society

Will do!

 

[DavidOwen]

This is the local church History - St Matthew's Church (stmatthew-w14.co.uk)

[Gareth Davies]

I have also emailed the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council to see if they have an archive. And I have asked the same of The Stage.

Edited 11 September , 2023 by Gareth Davies

[DavidOwen]

24 minutes ago, Gareth Davies said:

I have also emailed the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council to see if they have an archive. And I have asked the same of The Stage.

Well done. (The Stage may indeed have the letter in its' files that clinches our other puzzle)

[DavidOwen]

Gareth

Following some tangential snooping I have determined the hostel closed in 1958. This article from The Stage has the name of a Chaplain who may be known to the present Rector and if still around may have useful information?

(Image courtesy FMP)

The Stage 29 April 1999

[Gareth Davies]

Good find, thank you.

[DavidOwen]

Gareth

I have found the original location for the shrine in the photograph - St Anne's church in Soho. Sadly it does not appear on either IWM or War Memorials online as being there now. The last paragraph of the article confirms it was destined for the children's hostel. What became of it in 1958 when the hostel closed is yet to be determined. Please feel free to share any and all of this with the current Rector.

Images courtesy of FMP from The Stage 20 March 1919

 

[DavidOwen]

This advert appeared in The Stage 18 December 1958 - it could refer to the second hostel which was run by the Union - a possibility that the memorial was moved from the closed hostel to the still open one? (Courtesy FMP) Again no hits on either memorial search site.

59 Bryanston Street now houses the offices of The Gas Council, now British Gas. British Gas - Wikipedia They moved there in 1968 - however the original properties have been demolished by the looks of it so any chance of the memorial remaining there are very very slim.

 

By the way - the original hostel had its own chapel so I suspect that would be where the memorial may have been located at the time (the chapel is mentioned in the Stage article referred to in the letter by Canon Bill Hall above)

[DavidOwen]

Thinking aloud - might it be worth suggesting to the current Rector that they write a letter to The Stage for publication using the photo and reference to the hostel to ask if anyone has any information on the current whereabouts of the shrine?

[Gareth Davies]

Excellent sleuthing. Thank you.

I think that's a great idea. I will make contact with St Anne's and also let the Theatre Chaplaincy what we (you!) have discovered.

 

[DavidOwen]

A fun quest especially when it is raining!

By Rector I was referring to the St Paul's Rector (Theatre Chaplaincy) rather than St Anne's which I suspect was just used for the dedication service?

[Gareth Davies]

St Anne's was destroyed in 1940 which may be the answer to the memorial's demise.

1 minute ago, DavidOwen said:

A fun quest especially when it is raining!

By Rector I was referring to the St Paul's Rector (Theatre Chaplaincy) rather than St Anne's which I suspect was just used for the dedication service?

I will write to The Theatre Chaplaincy and St Paul's Covent Garden.

I wonder why they used St Anne's rather than St Paul's for the service?

[DavidOwen]

4 minutes ago, Gareth Davies said:

St Anne's was destroyed in 1940 which may be the answer to the memorial's demise.

I will write to The Theatre Chaplaincy and St Paul's Covent Garden.

I wonder why they used St Anne's rather than St Paul's for the service?

By then I suspect the shrine in question would have been housed in the chapel at the hostel?

St Anne's is located close to both Shaftesbury Avenue and Wardour Street so was in the locale of the theatre district - might it be larger than St Pauls' thus allowing for a larger attendance? I cannot see any direct link to the then Bishop of Willesden. Other than that I do not know.

[Gareth Davies]

It looks smaller to me.

I have now read the article properly and all the way to the end. Are we assuming that it was in the Sinclair Road hostel?

[DavidOwen]

Yes, that was the original one. Of course we cannot guarantee that it remains a supposition at this time.