St Jude's Church, Birmingham

The parish was formed in August 1846^[2] from parts of the parishes of St Martin in the Bull Ring and St Philip's. Building of the church started in Hill Street in 1850 when Henry Pepys, Bishop of Worcester laid the foundation stone on 14 August. He subsequently consecrated the church on 26 July 1851.^[3] The building was of brick in the Early English style designed by Orford and Nash, consisting of a chancel, nave and aisles.

In 1861, the church opened St Jude's Schools, also on Hill Street.^[4]

A restoration project was undertaken in 1879.

In 1905, the Society of the Precious Blood was started when Mother Millicent Mary SPB (formerly Millicent Taylor)^[5] took her vows in the church.^[6]

Depopulation of the city centre resulted in declining attendance. The church eventually closed and was subsequently demolished in 1971. The site on Hill Street is now occupied by the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre, built in 1975.

The church was equipped with a pipe organ by Edward James Bossward dating from 1867. It was opened on 19 May 1867 and had 13 stops. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.^[7]

For over 40 years, until the church closed in 1971, the organist was Lawrence Briggs, grandfather of the organist and composer David Briggs.^[8] Upon closure, the organ was transferred to Clayesmore School in Dorset, and then moved to St Michael and All Angels Church, Exeter in 2013.