The church originated as the mission church of the Good Shepherd. It opened in a temporary building in 1894 as a mission church of St. Mary’s, Handsworth. The current building was designed by the architect William Bidlake in the Arts and Crafts style. Work started in 1907 and the building was completed in 1908. The church was dedicated in 1910 and it was consecrated in 1914 when a parish was assigned from St Mary’s and St James’.
The Mission Church was built on the corner of Church Lane, Grove Road and College Road. The architect was Thomson Plevins of Waterloo Street, Birmingham, and the Church, which was built of brick in the early English style, included a chancel, entrance porch and vestry, and seated 260 people. It was heated with a hot water system. The builder was John Mallin of West Bromwich and the work was completed in 1894.
As there was insufficient space for expansion on the site surrounding the Mission Church, land was purchased in Oxhill Road to build a new church. The foundation stone of St Andrew’s Church was lain on Saturday, 19 October 1907 by the Rt Hon the Earl of Dartmouth. The architect of the new church was William Henry Bidlake, and the church was consecrated on Saturday, 30 January 1909 by the Rt Rev Charles Gore, the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Birmingham.
Read an account of the full history of St Andrew’s Church written in July 1993
A list of past Clergy with association to the Parish of St Andrew