Catalogue description Records of the ecclesiastical parish of ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, DERITEND

The records listed below were formerly described in an unclassified catalogue as DRO 1. A small quantity of records of St John, Deritend had been wrongly catalogued as records of St John and St Basil, Deritend and these have now been catalogued as records of St John's parish. The old reference numbers are given in brackets at the end of each entry and a conspectus of old and new shelf marks is given at the end of the list.

Church of England, Deritend, St John the Baptist's Parish, Birmingham

deposited by the Diocesan Registrar, June 1940 and by the Priest-in-Charge, St Basil's Church Centre, 6 February 1976

The church of St John the Baptist was originally founded in the second half of the fourteenth century. An agreement of 1381 permitted the parishioners of Aston who lived in Deritend and Bordesley to appoint a chaplain at their own cost to perform services in the recently built chapel. The inhabitants of Deritend and Bordesley were still required to attend services at the parish church of St Peter and St Paul at Christmas, Easter and other specified times. The inhabitants continued to elect their own chaplain until 1890, when a parish was formed out of Aston. The patronage of the chapel was transferred by Act of Parliament to the Bishop, the vicar of Aston and three trustees and the benefice became a vicarage.

The fourteenth-century chapel on the south side of Deritend High Street was demolished and completely rebuilt in 1736 and this was restored between 1881 and 1891. In 1938 the parish and benefice united with those of St Basil, Deritend, forming the new benefice of St John and St Basil, and St Basil's became the parish church. The site of St John's was sold to the City Council and it was demolished by 1961.

• View Record