The Building
An article in the Weekly News dated 15th March 1890 stated
that it had been decided to build a new church at Hamstead
to replace the temporary church building at the corner of
Spouthouse Lane and Hamstead Road. This small church was
built in 1865 and was intended to last no longer than
eleven years.
There were a few dissenters about the location - some felt the church was too far from the centre of Hamstead village. There is a steep hill up to the church. There were steps from the Old Walsall Road up to a door on that side of church which helped a bit. The steps are now gone unfortunately.
Dr.Legge, Bishop of Lichfield, came for the dedication on 28th September 1892. In 1894 St.Paul's church became a parish church.
The Interior
There is a marble reredos behnd the alter. It was a gift from Mrs F.O Ellis. The Ellis family gave many gifts to the church. Rev. Ellis was the first curate of St Paul's. A wooden pulpit with steps was as gift from St.Mary's church in Handsworth. The stone font was also a gift. The church was originally lit with oil lamps and fitted out with wooden chairs. In 1922 oak pews replaced the chairs, the pews given by Mr and Mrs Woodhall in memory of their daughter.
Stained glass windows were soon put in at the east end. The first one, above the altar, is of the crucifixion and was a gift from Lady Bateman Scott in 1894. Another window was paid for with donataions from members of the congregation. Further windows were installed in later years. One was given in memory of Mr Walter Allen, for many years the Headmaster of St.Paul's School. Parents and children made a half mile of pennies to pay for it. The picture is the Old Testament story of the child Samuel.
More recent changes
There was a need for a toilet, kitchens and meetings rooms. And so in 1980 these were built incorporating the small porch and re-using the large wooden doors with ornate hinges at the altered frontage. At about this time the font was moved from its position near the entrance of the church to the centre aisle at the rear fo the building, and several pews at the back of the church were removed. This created an open space for the baptismal families, and was later carpeted.
In 1992, to celebrate the church's centenary, murals showing scenes from the life of St.Paul were painted around the upper walls of the nave. Many members of the congregation had their portraits included in the first century scenes.