In 1964, Revd Shui Ying Lee was sent from Hong Kong by Bishop Ronald Hall to minister to Chinese residents of London. St Martin’s offered the use of the Dick Sheppard Memorial Chapel to Lee, who started the church’s first Chinese-language services. Today, the Chinese congregation is thriving, with services attended by around 100 people and supported by children’s, youth, and fellowship groups.
The Crypt
Church crypts are for the internment of the dead. St Martin’s was the first parish to repurpose its crypt for social use. The many activities taking place in it over the last 100 years have made it one of the liveliest places in the city.
Dick Sheppard first opened the crypt to soldiers during the First World War. Afterwards, he kept it open around the clock. The space welcomed anyone in need, from people without a home to revellers who had missed the last bus.
In following decades, the crypt remained a vital refuge particularly for those with nowhere else to go. In 1933 alone, 48,555 men, 6,395 women, and 41 children slept there. The vaults were also used for meetings and gatherings.
During the Second World War, the crypt became an air-raid shelter. After the war it once again filled with clubs and community groups, including the Joan and Darby Club, the East and West Club, the Folk Club, and the PM Boys’ Club.
A café had operated in the crypt from at least the mid-twentieth century, but from 1987 the space was specifically developed as a commercial venture. Today, business activities coexist alongside the chapel and other community spaces.