Group    From 1886  To 1989

Leysian Mission

Categories: Religion, Social Welfare

From Wesley's Chapel and from Kay:

The Leys School was opened in Cambridge in 1875; just two years after non-Anglicans were admitted to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It was intended to be "the Methodist Eton". The Leysian Mission was founded by the Old Boys of The Leys School at a General Meeting in the Mission House, Bishopsgate Street, on October 7th 1885. They were concerned about the social and housing conditions in the East End of London.

The Wesleyan London Mission gave them premises at 199 Whitecross Street, rent free, which were used from April 1886, for a Sunday School, a Boys' Brigade, a Girls' Parlour, etc. New, larger, premises were built in Errol Street and opened on Sunday 23 April 1890 with 200 Sunday School children in the Hall. Here the same activities continued and were expanded with a brass band.

By 1902 the Sunday School had nearly 700 children registered, with an average attendance of 480. Again larger premises were required and the Mission moved into grand purpose-built premises in Old Street. Here was a large hall seating 2,000, a small hall, club rooms for men and women, boys and girls, a gymnasium, classrooms and vestries with natural light and ventilation. The Queen Victoria Hall was opened by the, soon to be, King George V and Queen Mary on July 11th 1904.

The post-WW2 Welfare State changed the Mission's purpose so the buildings were sold and it merged with Wesley's Chapel in 1989. Throughout links with the Leys School have been maintained. A Wesley scholarship offers a number of children from the city the opportunity to attend as boarders at the Leys School in Cambridge. There are an annual Cricket Match, regular visits (in both directions) and special events.

"Leys" comes from the name of the Cambridge estate in Trumpington Road bought by Robert Sayle (department store creator and philanthropist) in 1865 to build the school.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Leysian Mission

Commemorated ati

Leysian - 1

This stone was laid by Rev. W. F. Moulton DD, October 29th 1889. W. H. Boney ...

Read More

Leysian - 2

This stone was laid by Mrs E. S. Whelpton, October 29th 1889.

Read More

Leysian - 3

The stone is somewhat damaged which means the G of Holman's name is uncertain.

Read More

Leysian - 4

This stone was laid by Thomas Walker Esq. JP, October 29th 1889.

Read More

Leysian Mission - Marshall

Mission founded 1887 Buildings erected 1903 This column was fixed by Sir Hor...

Read More

Show all 8

Other Subjects

William Horne

William Horne

Lay brother at London Charterhouse. Executed at Tyburn.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
Father Basil Jellicoe

Father Basil Jellicoe

Anglican vicar.  Born Sussex, his father being a cousin of Lord Jellicoe. Worked in the slums of Somers Town, north London in the 1920s. He set up the St Pancras House Improvement Society and persu...

Person, Religion, Social Welfare

3 memorials
Rt. Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, CD, MBE, Bishop of Dover

Rt. Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, CD, MBE, Bishop of Dover

Rose Josephine Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE KHC is an Anglican prelate, who serves as Suffragan Bishop of Dover in the diocese of Canterbury – deputising for the archbishop – since 2019: she is the first b...

Person, Race Issues, Religion, Jamaica

1 memorial
Lady Anne Agnes Erskine

Lady Anne Agnes Erskine

Born Edinbugh, eldest daughter of the Earl of Buchan. There is a story about her coming across an outdoor gathering at Moorfields at which Rowland Hill (see Surrey Chapel) was preaching and him pic...

Person, Religion, Scotland

1 memorial
Henry Adlington

Henry Adlington

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial

Previously viewed

C. Verrent

C. Verrent

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Alexander

Alexander

First name unknown. Architect active in 1891.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
W. G. Gillham

W. G. Gillham

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial