It is important to be aware that St Mary of Eton is not the name of an obscure saint but reflects the importance that the world famous Eton College has had on our church’s development.

The 19th Century saw huge changes in Britain’s fortunes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. However, with the huge increase in the Nation’s Wealth, there were areas as there are today, that suffered in producing that wealth. Hackney overall was a prosperous neighbourhood but South Hackney, known as the Wick, was considered as ‘The Sink’. The social deprivation in this area was marked.

The Victorians developed a social conscience, which went hand in hand with their Christian beliefs, to improve the plight of the disadvantaged. Oxford University developed its activity in Poplar and a number of other public schools followed suit. In 1880, William How, Bishop of Bedford, persuaded the masters and boys of Eton College to establish a mission and support a priest in a district of his choosing. His choice was Hackney Wick.  This area was officially part of the Parish of St Augustine in Victoria Park but was cut off from the rest of the parish by the arches under the railway.

The connection with Eton College took various forms. Most importantly, they raised funds to pay the stipends of the clergy, which at one time was as many as 5 in the mission. Until the end of World War 1, the clergy were exclusively Old Etonians. Though this may be seen as ‘jobs for the boys’, the advantage to the parish came from their social connections and their ability to raise vital funds for the mission and its various projects. Without that link, there is doubt as to whether the mission would have survived in all its many activities for as long as it did.

The first ‘church’ in Hackney Wick was a converted undertaker’s shop where the first mission service was held on the 17th October 1880. Hackney Wick gained parochial status in 1893. William Marlborough Carter was the first mission priest and despite initial resentment and hostility to him, he won over the local population, as he was a man who never lost his temper, but more importantly he was a good footballer. When it became known that he was one of the founders of West Bromwich Albion Football Club, opposition to him faded.

The site of the Eton Mission where the present buildings are located was acquired in 1880. The first building to be erected was the Mission Hall in 1884. Church going at this time was seen as a female activity and prejudice from the men was very strong. The working men’s club moved to the site in 1887. The architect of St Mary of Eton was George Bodley, a former pupil of Sir George Scott. His layout imitated on a small scale the layout of Eton College. Princess Christian who also laid similar stones in central Hackney laid the foundation stone on 7th June 1890. The church took 2 years to build and in June 1892, the new church with the dedication of St Mary of Eton was consecrated.

There have inevitably been changes to the local infrastructure over the years but this was accelerated when London was awarded the hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games. The church underwent a major refurbishment in 2013/14 with some buildings demolished, some refurbished with the development of residential flats at the site of the old church hall resulting in a well-planned ‘campus’ with a new vicarage. The church and organ have been restored and St Mary of Eton provides a magnificent venue for worship, music and social activities.

The 59 Club remains an important memory for many of the older residents. It was a Youth Club, open to all whether or not they attended church. It was founded by Rev John Oates and opened in January 1959 by Cliff Richard, who became its vice-president. It fulfilled a social need and attracted both national and international interest which reached a peak in 1962 when Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden visited the club.

The organ at St Mary of Eton is one of the finest organs of its kind in London, was built in 1965 by Grant Degens and Rippin (later Bradbeer) and is part of the organ reform movement whereby new organs were built in the style of older organs of the 17th/18th Century – builders and musicians stationed in Europe during both world wars came back to the UK having seen older organs like what Bach himself played and sought to re-create them here with modern additions (hence the more common term Neoclassical). As a result we have an organ here that is quite capable of playing music up to the 18th Century but, due to additions by the builder, can also easily play music of the 19th/20th/21st Century too.