The British Empire and its effect on Plymouth

Crabtree Mission

Percy Luscombe was a chorister at Crabtree Mission and many members of the family from the Laira Inn and Crabtree Inn were almost certainly attendees every Sunday and it would have provided an important part of their spiritual life. Thomas Luscombe's father Thomas also lived in Lower Crabtree with his wife Elizabeth. These were the first Luscombes to make the trek from Sheepstor to the new opportunities on the outskirts of Plymouth with all the railway construction, China Clay and quarrying work.
It was in 1872 that the Vicar of Eggbuckland, Rev Edgar Turner, decided that provision needed to be made for the spiritual needs of parishioners in the old hamlet of Crabtree, about a mile away from Laira. A mission church was to be built there and on 13th January, 1873 the War Department made a free grant of land for the building of a school/chapel and a year later granted £50 towards the cost of construction.
Other significant subscribers were Mrs Erving Clark (Efford Manor) £115, Mr John Elliot (Leigham) £50, Rev Turner, £50 and the Church Building Society, £30. Work was carried out with little delay with the building completed and ready for opening on 11th November, 1874. The cost appears to have been £793.17s.10d. The building was described as plain but very substantial. The Architect was Mr AG Clifton and the builder Mr Thos Hosking of St Budeaux.
The Mission Church was never consecrated, being built for a double purpose of school and chapel. It was Licensed on 10th October, 1874 by the Bishop for the administration of Holy Communion on condition that the eastern portion was used solely for divine service. From 1901, it was used only for religious purposes and there was a service every Sunday evening.
When opened, there remained a debt of £200 for building costs and to help clear this, a sale of work was held at the Royal Hotel. Plymouth on 12th & 13the July, 1876 which raised just over £30 and later a sale of work at Crabtree realised a further £21. Just when the debt was cleared is not known but a further £12.10s.6d was made available for the purchase of a harmonium organ, removed from the Freemasons’ Hall in 1878.
With the building of St Mary’s Laira and its Consecration on 2nd July, 1914, the use of the Crabtree Mission Church ended.
On 8th August, 1914, the building was “commandeered in the King’s name” and occupied by 143 men of the East Lancashire Regiment.
It is understood that the building was subsequently used as a store of some description until the 1950.s and was finally demolished in 1971 at the beginning of the road widening programme.
Its location was fairly close to where the petrol filling station is now situated, across from the railway lines, looking over to Saltram.

Percy Luscombe Article | Empire in Your Backyard: Plymouth Article