St Augustine Church

Romford Recorder (19th March 1993)

The church of St Augustine of Canterbury, in Birkbeck Road, Rush Green, was gutted by fire after a likely electrical fault.

With an organ that was “burned beyond repair” and a treasured statue of St Augustine that had been broken in half by falling timber, it looked grim for the church.

But stoic Father Bryan Whittaker said it would be “business as usual” for the congregation on Sunday. Services would take place in the church hall and the vicarage until the damage could be repaired

Essex Record Office

The parish of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Romford, originated as a mission of St. Andrew, Romford. According to a note in D/P 580/1/17 the first services were held in September 1946. A church was erected in 1948 at the corner of Birkbeck Road and Rush Green Road, and dedicated in February 1949. A conventional district was formed in 1953. A new church was dedicated in December 1958 and destroyed by fire in March 1993. In 1969 Augustine's became a separate parish, formed out of St. Andrew Romford, St. Peter and St. Paul Dagenham and Holy Cross Hornchurch.
The parish is also commonly known as St. Augustine Rush Green.

Romford: Religious History

The church of St. Augustine, Rush Green, Birkbeck Road, originated in 1946 as a mission of St. Andrew, Romford. In 1948 a hut was erected at the corner of Birkbeck and Rush Green Roads, and in 1953 a conventional district was formed. A dual-purpose church was built in 1958, and a hall was added in 1965. A separate parish, taken from the parishes of St. Andrew, Romford, St. Peter and St. Paul, Dagenham, and Holy Cross, Hornchurch, was formed in 1969. The advowson of the vicarage was vested in the bishop of Chelmsford.

Our 60th Anniversary

(9th December 2018)

The 9th December 2018 was our 60th anniversary of the consecration of the Church. Ann Jennings baked an amazing cake model of our Church for the celebration and we held a display of old photographs and documents in the Church Hall after the service.

We wish to thank everyone who has shared in our history and look forward to celebrating our 70th anniversary in 2028. Click on the picture for more details.