In 1862, a local land developer called James Bailey granted a lease to the Rev. Woodhouse and the Trustees of Cambridge Road Chapel to build an ‘iron church’ for Church of England worship. A tin tabernacle called St James was built in 1863 as a temporary church. It became part of the “Free Church of England” but by 1875 it had passed to the Congregational Church. In 1894 it was taken over by a Christian group who renamed it Cambridge Hall. It was also used for wider community use but was due to close in 1939.

In 1948 it was leased to the Willesden Sea Cadets Unit and renamed the Lord Lloyd Memorial Hall. During the 1950s and 1960s they fitted it out fit to represent a naval ship and it became Training Ship Bicester. The “ships chapel” is fitted out with remains of a set from the 1964 film “Beckett”.