Year	What Was Happening ?
« 1880	At St John's	In & Around Stratford	In The Church	In The World
1881	Raymond Percy Pelly becomes vicar of St John's.	St James, Forest Gate, becomes a separate parish out Stratford and Forest Gate. Parish church is at southern end of St James Road. Population of Stratford: 38,606		Chester A. Arthur becomes US president on assassination of James Garfield. The first Boer War breaks out. The first stereo system is patented in Germany by Clement Ader. London's Natural History Museum opens.
1882		Ward Road Mission opened	The Suffragan See of Colchester is re-established after being in abeyance since Tudor times. The first suffragan bishop, Alfred Blomfield, takes over the spiritual oversight of Essex under the diocesan.	England and Australia begin cricket contest known as the Ashes Italy, Austria and Germany form the triple alliance. Passage of The Married Women's Property Act grants British women the right to own their own property.
1883	Arthur Durrant became Curate at St John's. St Stephen Mission Church, Cedars Road opened in iron building.	Hubert Massey Whittell, ornithologist, born in Stratford.		'Treasure Island' by R. L. Stevenson is published. First skyscraper built in Chicago
1884	The Choir Vestry added.	Plans to convert a local wheelwright's shop into a theatre are rejected by the West Ham Local Board as unsafe and improper. There was also objection from the clergy of the district, led by the Rev Pelly, their petition argues 'that a theatre would not tend to the moral elevation of the people of the neighbourhood; that it would injuriously affect a respectable home for young ladies nearby; and that probably a low class of drama would be provided, so that it would become the resort of the lowest classes'. Despite these objections licence was granted by Stratford Magistrates on the grounds that 'it was easier to keep control over a licensed permanent theatre'. The Theatre Royal Stratford East opened on 17th December.		The first steam cable tramway starts running in Highgate.
1885	The Chancel added as a memorial to Sir Antonio Brady. Arthur Durrant marries Alice Pelly, Daughter of Rev Raymond Percy Pelly. Arthur Durrant leaves St John's for St Mary, Plaistow (Later at St Peter, Upton Cross & Vicar of Holy Trinity, Leverstock Green (for 36 years!))			Robert Salisbury becomes Prime Minister Death of General Gordon at Khartoum. Gottlieb Daimler in Germany patents the first motor cycle. Louis Pasteur administers the first successful treatment for rabies. Grover Cleveland is elected as US president.
1886	Rev John Gerald Marshall, BA, was curate at St Johns Post office Trade Directory	West Ham becomes a Metropolitan Borough. The Boundary Commission makes minor alterations to Middlesex/Essex boundaries in preparation for formation of County of London.		The first classified personals are run in 'The Times'. Unemployed men riot in Oxford Street and Pall Mall.
1887	West gallery removed.	Population of Stratford: 36,455 Population of Stratford Marsh: 9,710		Queen Victoria celebrates Golden Jubilee (50 years) The American Exhibition opens at West Brompton, offering up 'Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show'.
1888	Holy Trinity Mission Church, Oxford Road founded in connection with Trinity College, Oxford	London becomes a County, London County Council takes over from the Metropolitan Board Of Works, West Ham Borough moves from Essex to London. Stratford Town Hall opened 642 women workers go on strike at the Bryant & May Match Company in Bow over working conditions.		Vincent Van Gogh cuts off his ear in Arles in the south of France. 'Jack the Ripper' murders at least 5 women in Whitechapel. The Kodak box camera is patented by George Eastman. Karl Benz sells the first petrol-driven car manufactured in his new factory.
1889 »	Thomas Stephens becomes vicar of St John's