This church, in the parish of St. George's in the East, near the London Docks, has been built by the St. George's Mission, after ten years' preparatory labour. A temporary iron chapel was first erected in Calvert-street, where the services of the Church were daily held until more than a hundred communicants were gathered together; schools for boys, girls, and infants were established; and a club for working men was formed, with evening classes, lectures, social and musical entertainments, a penny bank, and various other charities, for this district of about 8000 souls. The sisters of the Mission teach in the schools, visit and relieve the poor, and take charge of an industrial school for training young girls for service. They also manage a penitentiary in the country, for the recovery of fallen women and girls from the east of London. In addition to these local charities the Mission has established a convalescent' home, for those who had recovered from cholera, at Seaford, in Sussex, which is still maintained for the benefit of the parish' and mission district. The mission chapel of St. Saviour's, Wellclose-square, has also been maintained for nearly ten years in connection with the same mission, with its schools and other charities. Besides a club for working men, a boys' institute and club, with a drum-and-fife band, has been opened in this portion of the mission; and it is hoped that another church will be built, so as to form a second ecclesiastical district out of the parish of St. George's. All these important and useful missionary works have been maintained for ten years, without any endowment, by charitable contributions; and, though great difficulties have had to be surmounted, yet the various works have been sustained. A district taken from St. George's and Shadwell parishes has now been permanently attached to St. Peter's, and an endowment provided by the Ecclesiastical Commission; but of course this will be quite insufficient to maintain so many institutions, which must still be dependent upon charitable help. It is also in contemplation to build a house for the clergy, another for the sisters and their industrial school; as well as school-buildings for the daily schools, as soon as the necessary funds can be raised. The Incumbent of the new parish is the Rev. C. F. Lowder, by whom St. George's Mission was commenced.
St. Peter's Church is built in the style of the later First Pointed Gothic, being faced externally with yellow stock bricks, relieved with stone dressings; and internally with red bricks, having bands and patterns of black bricks. The columns of the main arches are of blue Pennant stone. The plan consists of a lofty nave, 68 ft. by 27 ft., with clerestory lights. It is at present four bays in length; the three western have notch and south aisles, 10 ft. wide. The west walls are temporary, with provision for an extension, and a north-west tower and slated spire. Eastwards of the nave are transepts north and south, connected with it by lofty arches piercing the clerestory. The chancel is 35 ft. long by 22 ft. wide, with two trefoiled windows in the east end, surmounted by a shafted wheel window about 17 ft. diameter. The chapel on the south aide of the chancel is 35 ft. by 16 ft., with an open, high-pitched span roof, having a three-light east window, and large quatrefoil side-lights. The organ chamber is on the north side of the chancel. There are a lower and upper sacristy, connected by an internal stone staircase. In the transept gables are cusped wheel windows; the other windows are mostly single lights with trefoiled heads. The floors are laid with encaustic tiles in patterns. The chancel will be fitted with returned oak stalls. The altar is of carved and, pierced panels, gilt. It is intended to erect a reredos formed of alabaster and other marbles, with a sculpture of the Crucifixion. It is proposed, also, to put up a rood screen, and to fill the windows with stained glass. The architect is Mr. F. H. Pownall, of Gower-street.
Source: The Illustrated London News, Vol. LIV, Saturday, January 30, 1869, p.113