Union of Benefices Act 1860

The Union of Benefices Act was a necessary piece of legislation to reduce the number of parish churches in the City of London as the residential population declined in the second half of the 19th century.

Churches affected were

Church Fate Year United with
All Hallows Bread Street Demolished 1876 St Mary-le-Bow
All-Hallows-the-Great Tower demolished first; then main body 1876/1894 St Michael Paternoster Royal
All Hallows Lombard Street Demolished 1938 St Edmund the King and Martyr
All Hallows Staining Demolished 1870 St Olave Hart Street
Holy Trinity Gough Square Demolished 1906 St Bride, Fleet Street
Holy Trinity, Minories Closed(destroyed 1940) 1899 St Botolph's Aldgate
St Alphage London Wall Demolished 1924 St Mary Aldermanbury
St Antholin, Budge Row Demolished 1875 St Mary Aldermary
St Benet Gracechurch Demolished 1867 All Hallows Lombard Street
St Dionis Backchurch Demolished 1878 All Hallows Lombard Street
St George Botolph Lane Demolished 1901-04 St Mary-at-Hill
St James Duke's Place Demolished 1874 St Katherine Cree
St Katherine Coleman Demolished 1926 St Olave Hart Street
St Martin Outwich Demolished 1874 St Helen's Bishopsgate
St Mary Somerset Demolished 1872 St Nicholas Cole Abbey
St. Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street Caught fire, subsequently pulled down 1887 St Martin Ludgate
St Matthew Friday Street Demolished 1885 St Vedast alias Foster
St Michael Bassishaw Demolished 1900 St Lawrence Jewry
St Michael Queenhithe Demolished 1875 St James Garlickhythe
St Michael Wood Street Demolished 1895 St Alban, Wood Street
St Mildred, Poultry Demolished 1872 St Olave Jewry
St Olave Jewry Demolished 1888-91 St Margaret Lothbury
St Peter Le Poer Demolished 1907 St Michael, Cornhill

As churchyards were emptied for construction projects, such as the new railway stations, many remains were exhumed and re-interred in the City of London Cemetery.

This Act was amended by the Union of Benefices Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict c 23).

Famous quotes containing the words union and/or act:

    “The union of hands and hearts.”
    —Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)

    “I am the only actor.
    It is difficult for one woman
    to act out a whole play.
    The play is my life,
    my solo act.”
    —Anne Sexton (1928–1974)