The parish of St John the Evangelist was originally a chapelry created from St. Giles-Camberwell parish; the church was built in 1865 on green fields, called Goose Green. The move of the Crystal Palace to neighbouring Sydenham in 1854 and the ensuing railway connection enabled rapid growth of the South London suburb and the need for churches. W. J. Strickland became the reverend of the church and organized educational and cultural events which are documented here in this collection of ephemeral items. The events advertised for and described in newspaper cuttings are for musical performances with readings of edificatory stories interspersed, ‘Penny Readings’, all introduced by Mr. William J. Noad, the manager of a steamship company who may have been the collector of this collection. All neatly printed on paper of various colours with some printed in colours.