St Augustine, Kilburn, was built for the Revd Richard Carr Kirkpatrick. A committed Tractarian, Kirkpatrick had been a chaplain of St Peter’s Home, for the Lancasters’, and became Curate of Kilburn Parish Church. A new vicar of uncompromisingly low-church views presented the Curate with a problem. This he solved in an equally uncompromising manor: he left! Many wealthy parishoners supported him and left with him. He formed a separate ‘District’, where high-church liturgy and piety could continue.

Pearson was considered for the commission due to the strong recommendation of Lancaster. The building committee also considered Street, Brooks and Withers, but Pearson was granted the commission.

Pearson began work designing the church by June 1870. The site was obtained a month later. By the end of 1870, the main features had been designed.

A temporary iron church was constructed, but in July 1871 the foundation stone was laid. To mark the occasion, there was a grand procession, in which the architect, the building committee and the contractors all marched along, apparently singing, ‘We march, we march to victory!’