St. Peter’s was consecrated on St. Peter’s Day, June 29, 1867, by the Bishop of London, Dr. Tait, now Archbishop of Canterbury. It was build and presented to the district by Chas. J. Freake, Esq., of Cromwell House, who is its patron, and the pulpit was the special gift of Mrs. Freake. The parsonage is also built on ground given by Mr. Freake. The district is composed of the area between the Fulham and the Brompton-roads, including Elm-place, and in about the centre of which the church stands, being at present only very sparsely populated. This church, like many others in the suburbs, was built in anticipation of future population, and meanwhile draws its congregation mainly from beyond. It is, however, a large one, there being present at the ordinary Sunday morning service over a thousand persons; but, almost without exception, of the upper class. Strictly speaking, there is not a poor person to be seen in it. There are few free sittings to mention; and such as go by that name at the remote end from the chancel appear ready to let as occasion may offer. Not that all the other sittings are taken; for although the body of the church appears tolerably full, there are not 700 sittings really let—scarcely one-half the number provided. We cannot, therefore, understand why the verger guards all that part of the church so jealously, and when a stranger asks for a seat higher up tells him with some peremptoriness that he cannot go. If, however, the Vicar has no poor people within his church walls, the Rev. Gerald Blunt, Vicar of Chelsea, has lately made him a present of 2,300, who border on his district, to care for. This sacred trust the rev. gentleman is setting himself to fulfil with zeal and diligence.
We must confess to some surprise, considering the evident social character of the congregation, that the collections and offertory yield comparatively so little. There are boxes at the doors for offerings towards church expenses, and the highest sum received from this source in one day, in 1870, was 4_l._ 19s. 5d., and that was on Easter-day. But, taking the year through, it does not average one pound per week. There is something in this more than ordinarily sad, for the people that go in and out at those doors count their income not by hundreds, but by thousands. The offertory is a more direct appeal, but it only yielded in the year 184_l._ 16s. 9s. Altogether, including subscriptions (less commission for collecting them), there was only 357_l._ 16s. 6d. raised for church expenses. For the poor of the district, by offertories and private donations, there was raised 144_l._ 1s. 6d. This sum was disbursed in various outlays for the relief and comfort of the needy poor. But how small the amount compared with the ability to do! There is a day-school in Arthur street, connected with the church, for the support of which from all sources, private subscriptions, collection after sermon, &c., there was raised 305_l._ 19s. 11½d. Collections in church for other than local purposes amounted to 121_l._ 6s., including 60_l._ 13s. for the Bishop of London’s Fund, and for the Chelsea Dispensary and Victoria Hospital for sick children 60_l._ 13s. The whole, therefore, of the visible liberality of this wealthy congregation is at present summed up in the figures 985_l._ 1s. 2½d. per annum. We trust that an era of larger heartedness will speedily dawn. Congregations, as well as individuals, require to learn the art and luxury of giving. It should not be passed without notice that Mrs. Byng, assisted by a few young ladies of the congregation, has established a Sunday-school and mothers’ meetings, which are in good working, although as yet in their infancy. There are also an evening sewing class, night-school and a clothing club, superintended and directed by Mrs. Byng.