A Victorian chapel within a hospital, which was once encased in a large waterproof container and relocated to a different site, is celebrating its 150th year.

St Christopher’s Chapel is situated in Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in Bloomsbury, where it began serving young patients in 1852 under the name Hospital for Sick Children.

The chapel was inaugurated in 1875, and its elaborate decorations garnered much admiration; playwright Oscar Wilde described it as “the most delightful private chapel in London.”

During the expansion of the hospital’s facilities, the chapel was placed on a concrete base and methodically moved over three days using a hydraulic system before being secured at its current place within the Variety Club Building in 1990.

Former patients and their families have been reminiscing about their experiences in the chapel.

When Maxwell was born in June 2024, doctors discovered a mass on his liver, which was ultimately diagnosed as cancerous.

His mother Claire expressed how she felt drawn to the chapel during her time at GOSH for his treatment.

She shared, “In times of despair, you seek light and solace; I couldn’t bring my baby home as planned, and my mother, who passed away in 2021, was deeply religious and prayed.

“So, I found solace in the chapel. It is a sanctuary of tranquility. It felt like an escape from the hospital, and my family and I began to visit it regularly.”

Claire further remarked, “Our major aspiration was to bring Maxwell to the chapel. Achieving the small milestone of getting him off the IV long enough to go there was monumental.

“Whenever friends or family visited, I made sure to take them to the chapel.

“It is such a stunning and remarkable place that greatly enhanced our time at GOSH, for which I am incredibly grateful.”

Maxwell was baptized in the chapel just two days after ringing the bell at GOSH, a signal marking the conclusion of his cancer treatment.

Family, friends, nurses, and hospital staff gathered to celebrate Max’s christening.

Anne Dellows, who hails from Hackney, was a patient at GOSH in August 1951 for treatment of burns on her feet.

At the age of six, she frequently visited the chapel for lessons and prayers and has clear memories of her experiences there.

This year, Anne returned to the chapel, 74 years after her last visit.

She recounted, “As soon as I stepped through the chapel door, I was immediately transported back to being six years old.

“It felt exactly the same. I entered the stunning golden room, which had remained unchanged.

“Seeing it again stirred up a lot of emotions; I’ve had such a wonderful life, and returning at 80 was something I never anticipated.”

The chapel also houses the Children’s Book of Remembrance, which documents the names and ages of every young individual who has passed away at GOSH on a specific day.

This book plays a significant role in the chapel’s annual Time to Remember event, which brings together grieving families to commemorate a child who has died.