World War Two

The Second World War brought enormous change to St Marylebone. The SOE (Special Operations Executive) was based in Baker Street, the Telemark Raids were planned in Chiltern Court above Baker Street Underground Station and many Regency and Victorian properties were destroyed by enemy bombing raids.

The parish church was very badly affected by shrapnel and the roof so extensively damaged that it had to be taken off. A barrage balloon slipped its moorings on Primrose Hill and came to rest by wrapping its mooring chains around the church tower and cupola! All of the Regency painted glass was blown out and the 18th century parish church (by then a Chapel of Ease) was so badly shaken that it had to be demolished.

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Change and Restoration

The parish church was closed for a number of years until restoration works were complete. The full repair and redecoration was completed in 1949. When the windows were reglazed, fragments of the original coloured glass were incorporated in the new windows. Shrapnel damage to the east side of the church is still visible, today. Many interesting memorial tablets, some from the previous churches, are placed around the church building to remember the people and events which have formed the history of St Marylebone.

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The 1950s

In the 1950s, the parish was united with the adjoining parish of Holy Trinity to become the parish of St Marylebone with Holy Trinity, St Marylebone. The baptismal font was at the opposite end of this chapel and the painting of the Holy Family, by Benjamin West, the second President of the Royal Academy of Arts, was placed above it. Subsequently the chapel, painting, and font were moved to their present position at the side of the church, which is now known as the Holy Family Chapel. The Browning room, together with a small kitchen area became used for meetings and social activities. Several items of Browning furniture were kept in this room but have unfortunately been stolen over the years.

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A Video To Remember

There is a memorial window in the Parish Church to commemorate civilian losses in air raids during the Second World War. Here is a video to remember and commemorate St Marylebone’s Parishioners, relatives and others who were killed and survived in the Great and Second World War.

Watch here