The church opened in 1862. The original church or little chapel built in 1854 then became the RC primary school and was at the rear of the "new church". We pupils from St. John's School (1946-1952) together with the pupils from here would be marched each day to take lunch in the upstairs vestry of Salem Chapel, Warren Road. At this time Mr. Michael Larkins was their Headmaster and the environmental conditions within the school were no better than those at St. John's. On paper a cosy ecumenical arrangement. However, in practice, I have to say that there were sectarian rivalries between us C of E and the RC pupils during the lunch hour which sometimes went a little beyond name calling.