On 6 June 2026, St John Walworth held its first parish history day. As part of racial justice and inclusion work at St John’s, The Revd Ben Vertannes and the working group have been exploring the parish history that shapes their community. Working with the Walworth Society, Southwark Archives, and artists now based in its former school building, congregation members and local residents were invited to explore photographs and archives and share memories of St John’s, its school and the surrounding streets to help create a timeline of moments that have shaped both church and neighbourhood life.
Weisi Dennis, Racial Justice Officer writes:
Attending St John’s parish history day felt like a genuine homecoming in many unexpected ways. This was not least because of the warmth of the welcome, which I’m sure was felt by everyone who attended.
Having got to know parishioners and Father Ben over the past year and having been invited to speak from the pulpit about our diocesan Anti-Racism Charter, it was wonderful to connect what I’d already known about the parish with tangible memories and lived experience. One small but delightful example: a previous conversation with Fr Ben had taken place in the Chaplin Café, and during the history day I discovered that Charlie Chaplin’s parents were married at St John’s in the late 19th century. What a lovely local connection that suddenly brought the parish’s wider cultural significance into focus!
Michael Paterson, an avid local historian and long-standing member of the congregation, delivered a masterful talk on the parish’s history. Even as someone who lives some 20 miles away in Surrey and has no direct personal connection to Walworth, I found myself drawn in by the many landmarks and stories he shared. I was surprised to learn not only that Walworth was once part of Surrey, but also that the Surrey Zoological Gardens were once located here – a nationally-known attraction that included giraffes and other exotic animals – before its eventual closure in the mid-19th century, and the transfer of some of its animals to the now more well-known Regent’s Park Zoo from the second half of the 19th century.
The story of Walworth’s changing demographics was particularly fascinating. The population rose dramatically during the 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting wider industrialisation. In the post-war decades, the population remained substantial, with large housing estates such as the Heygate Estate built to accommodate residents, alongside long-standing institutions like the parish school.
While browsing the exhibition, I met Anne Felton, who was lingering over the display about the school. It turned out she was featured in one of the photographs – dressed as an angel in a nativity play around 1960! Encounters like this gave the day a deeply personal dimension, as history became something not just recorded, but joyfully remembered and generously-shared.
A key aim of the day was to gather these “living memories”, and it certainly succeeded in sparking conversation. Many parishioners and residents I met told ‘back in the day…’ stories, recalling when the church was always open for schoolchildren attending weekly Mass, as well as for the wider public. These reflections naturally led into conversations about the social and cultural shifts that have reshaped the role of the parish church, as being once central to civic life, offering both spiritual and practical support within a very localised community. The parish school has since closed (in 2021), reflecting more recent demographic shifts. The demolition of the Heygate Estate and ongoing redevelopment of the Aylesbury Estate has made way for new developments such as Elephant Park. Walking through Elephant Park and Castle Square on my way to the event from Elephant & Castle station, I was struck by its design features; the integration of greenery and water features felt, in a surprising way, reminiscent of Singapore, where I’m originally from. There was a brief sense of disorientation – and I thought, ‘where am I’ – before turning onto Larcom Street and being greeted by familiar faces putting up marquees. Suddenly, I was grounded again – this was home, in the way that church communities so often are.
This sense of continuity amid change stayed with me throughout the day. I met Leonard Sourie, who first came to St John’s when living just around the corner on Browning Street, and who still attends Sunday service here faithfully despite now living in West Dulwich, travelling to get here on a two-bus journey each Sunday. Looking ahead at a ‘future memories’ table focused on the 2030s, Leonard shared his hope that we would see more young people coming forward to serve.
And indeed, the ‘younger and more diverse’ demographic is not absent from the area; the opposite is true, and evident. One only needs to look at the surrounding shops and food stalls to see the vibrancy of the local community. St John’s remains, as it always has been, well-placed to serve its parish. At the same time, the nature of that service is evolving. The former school building is by a not-for-profit workspace provider, Hotel Elephant, and we heard from Emily Woodhouse, one of its directors, about the flourishing arts scene developing on the church’s doorstep. These overlapping spaces offer new opportunities for connection, mission, and community-building, amidst a landscape that represents arts, culture, youth and heritage in one physical space.
As Michael noted in his talk, the development of public transport fundamentally changed how people relate to place. For the first time, people no longer had to live within walking distance of their work. Without today’s transport networks, my own work for the diocese from East Surrey (where home now is) would simply not be possible. Interestingly, a century ago Walworth itself was part of Surrey, but not in any way that would have made a commute such as my own feasible! Leonard’s continued connection to St John’s is a living example of how these changes enable people to remain rooted in a ‘home’ parish even after moving away. And rather than lament the shifting nature of parish life, there is much here to embrace. The fact that around 120 people, many from beyond the parish boundaries, gathered to celebrate local history demonstrates the continued relevance and potential of church spaces when imaginatively used.
The day concluded with a ‘dreaming session’ led by Fr Ben, inviting participants to share their hopes for the church courtyard, a space usually kept locked (as a legacy of it having been an overflow playground when used as such for the now-closed school). Current concerns about security and anti-social behaviour also came into play, balanced alongside a desire to reclaim the space for public use. One idea was to ‘green’ the space to create a welcoming oasis, opening it for wider community use, and exploring limited hire opportunities.
Whatever lies ahead, I am confident that any development will be thoughtful, historically-rooted, and shaped through genuine consultation. Shared memory is a powerful thing – it gives us language, connection, and a sense of belonging. It also enables us to articulate hopes for the future, and this day created space for both. As someone not originally from London (I am Singaporean woman finding her way into this story) I felt deeply included in these conversations about the past and future of a place that means so much to so many. I’m grateful to Fr Ben for his leadership in creating these spaces, and I look forward with prayerful anticipation to what lies ahead for St John’s in the decades to come. My hope is that these kinds of initiatives continue to make ‘truth-telling’ meaningful at a local level, rooted in shared memory (including difficult histories), attentive to present realities and open to a future shaped by unity in diversity.
Amidst the busyness I managed to get a photo with Matilda; she is pictured here with a cherished family heirloom scarf linking her to her Sierra Leonean heritage, no doubt the threads of her own story that tie her and the community to a rich tapestry of personal, family… and now, church histories and stories too.
Would you like support or resources for undertaking ‘truth’/ storytelling in your parish?
Contact Weisi for a conversation to explore how the diocese can support you in this work. Email [email protected]
