The story of Luton’s St Paul's Church erected in 1890

This photograph, taken in the 1980s, shows St Paul’s Church, which once sat between Hibbert Street and Arthur Street. The image is taken from Mike Allen’s wonderful book, World’s End, which offers a detailed social history of the New Town area of Luton.

​Erected in 1890 with seating accommodation of 700, it was built to meet the needs of a growing district. However, when the first vicar arrived in 1895, he found an incomplete church as the result of the poverty of the neighbourhood.

In response, the community rallied round to ensure that the church was eventually fit to meet the needs of worshipers. In 1900, a two-day bazaar was held at the town hall to pay for an organ which had been installed in the building, but not yet paid for.

The event succeeded in bringing in the £260 needed to clear the debt, with visitors enjoying a ‘curiosity show’, ‘shooting gallery’ and musical sketches alongside more traditional stalls and refreshments. A newspaper report from 1906 details how more cash was raised for choir stalls through events including a ‘washing competition’, ‘smelling contest’, and ‘hat trimming competition’.

Despite the enterprising spirit of the church and its parishioners, the building's intended spire was never erected, which would have cost an estimated £2-3,000.

After serving the community for decades, the roof of the building became so badly damaged during the great storm of 1987 that it was deemed too expensive to repair. Church of England officials decided that it would be more economic to demolish the old church and church hall, redeploy the sites, and build a smaller, multi-purpose building incorporating a combined church and hall.

The new St Paul’s - which cost £500,000 - stands in New Town Street and was consecrated by the Bishop of St Albans in 1991. The bell from the old church was moved to the site of the new church.