EVESHAM.

OAT STREET 

UNITARIAN CHAPEL

(Formerly Presbyterian Meeting House)

    IN 1696, and earlier, a Congregation  of Protestant Dissenters used a barn and an adjoining room behind a house in High Street (now No.17) 

as a meeting house, and the freehold was bought by the Trustees in 1701.   

The first minister was the Rev. John Higgs. The present chapel was opened in 1737, and the old buildings sold in,  

the following year. 

Modern note: Still open, not much change.

In 1875 the gallery was removed, an organ chamber built and a new organ purchased. Re­opening Services were held on April 11, 1875.

MINISTERS

JOHN HIGGS probably before.1714-1728    

FRANCIS BLACKMORE 1728-1730 

PAUL CARDALE. 1733-1775   

DAVID JONES ----1783

HENRY PROCTER 1783-1788     

CHARLES LLOYD, LL.D. 1788-1790

BENJAMIN KINGSBURY 1790-1701  

BENJAMIN DAVIS 1791-1811 

PETER CHARLES ---1816     

THOMAS DAVIS 1816-1818                 

WILLIAM WILLIAMS, Student 20 weeks supply. 

JOHN EVANS 1818-1819

TIMOTHY DAVIS  1819-1854

JOHN CALBRAITH LUNN,  F.R.A.S. 1854-1863.

JOHN GORDON 1863-1872

CHARLES HENRY WELLBELOVED 1873-1875

JOHN COLLINS ODGERS, B.A. 1876-1878

BENJAMIN LEPARD GREEN 1879-1882

MICHAEL SMITH DUNBAR, M.A. 1883-1893

RUDOLF DAVIS, B.A. 1893-1904

KIDDERMINSTER.

NEW MEETING, CHURCH STREET.

    THIS meeting house was opened on the 18th.  October, 1782.  The Congregation was founded by a number of members of the Old Meeting who left it for doctrinal reasons some months before. The old square pews were taken. away in 1870 and modern ones put in their place.       

In 1879 a chancel was built and, a new organ provided; the vestry was also taken down and enlarged.  A few years later still more important alterations were made at a cost

of about £2,600.

The chapel was lengthened and an entrance vestibule added, with vestries and stone staircases to the galleries.- A new ceiling and new roof were put in as well as new windows.   

The schoolrooms were also enlarged.

Modern note: Still open  

The pulpit from which Richard: Baxter used to preach in the Parish Church now stands in the New Meeting Vestry.  It is made of wood, beautifully carved, and bears the date 1621.

MINISTERS.

GEORGE OSBORN 1782-1784    

ROBERT GENTLEMAN  1784-1795  

WILLIAM SEVERN 1797-1806   

JOHN LANE 1807-1809      

J. B. SMITH 1810-1812    

RICHARD FRY 1813-1816

JOHN TAYLOR  1836-1841 

MATTHEW GIBSON  1842-1854   

EDWARD PARRY 1855-1869

ABRAHAM LUNN 1870-1873

WILLIAM HENRY FISH, B.A.  1874-1876

WILLIAM EDWARD MELLONE  1876-1880

WILLIAM CAREY WALTERS  1880-1887

JAMES HALL  1888-1890

EVAN DAVID PRIESTLEY EVANS 1890-1904

KINGSWOOD.

KINGSWOOD CHAPEL, HOLLYWOOD.

  THE original chapel is believed to have been built shortly after the passing of the Five Mile Act, 1665. 

It was destroyed by fire during the Sacheverell riots, 1715.  It was rebuilt and again destroyed in the Priestley riots of 1791.  The present chapel was built in 1792, on a different site. This chapel has never borne a sectarian name, and is known far and wide by its local name of "Kingswood Chapel " simply.  

It is a Presbyterian foundation without a doctrinal trust.  A burial ground adjoins the chapel, and here are the graves of some well-known Birmingham citizens, including several mayors, and the late Dr.Crosskey. The names of the earliest ministers are forgotten from about 1670-1766.

Modern note: Still there (minus the ivy) and open.  

MINISTERS.

Names lost 1670-1766     

DAVID LEWIS 1766-1783    

GEORGE LEWIS (Assistant) 1785  

JOHN HOBSON 1787-1791    

JOHN TINGCOMBE  1792-1795   

THOMAS MOORE 1795-1809 

REES LLOYD 1810-1839      

THOMAS EVANS 1839-1848   

WILLIAM MOUNTFORD, Ph. D. 1848-1850  

WILLIAM BOWEN, M.A. 1851-1857

JOSEPH HEYWOOD 1857-1865

JOHN BIRK'S  1866-1870

JAMES TAPLIN 1870-1882

LINDSEY TAPLIN. M.A. 1883-1887

JOSEPH HARDINGE MATTHEWS 1888-

 LYE.

UNITARIAN CHAPEL, HIGH STREET.

FROM 1790 to 1792 the Rev. James Scott

conducted services in licensed dwelling houses on what was known as the Lye Waste. 

A Unitarian Chapel was opened on the 

5th January, 1806, and this was the first place of worship ever built in Lye.  

The present Chapel was opened on the 

10th December, 1861, and was erected on a piece of land adjoining the old one.

Modern note: Building still there, 

closed 1990's  

MINISTERS.

JAMES SCOTT 1790-1827     

WILLIAM BOWEN, M.A. 1828-1850  

WILLIAM COCHRANE 1850-1866

JAMES KEDWARDS 1866-1877 

THOMAS BENNETT BROADRICK 1877-1879

THOMAS PIPE  1880-1891 Went to Lower Fazeley Street, Birmingham.

ISAAC WRIGLEY, B.A.  1891-  

OLDBURY.

UNITARIAN MEETING HOUSE, BIRMINGHAM STREET.

    THE first Meeting House was built in 1708.   In 1715 the mob set it on fire while the minister was preaching.  It was re-built for about £300 and opened on the 12th July,1807.

In 1862 and 1889 considerable sums of money were spent in alterations and improvements.

The Oldbury Lecture was founded in memory of the ministers who were ejected from their livings in 1662; it was delivered every year for more than a century and was discontinued in 1864.

 Modern note: Congregation meet at the 

The Barlow's Home Community Centre. Building demolished  

[It is much to be regretted that the death of the Rev. H. McKean took place before his photograph could be taken,

and it will therefore not be found among those of his fellow ministers in the earlier part of this book].

MINISTERS.

JOHN BRADFORD 1772-1775    

WILLIAM PROCTER 1776-1807    

HERBERT JENKINS 1807-1808      

JAMES FORDYCE (Supply) 1808-1810  

SAMUEL GRIFFITHS  1811-1812

TIMOTHY DAVIS  1812-1845

WILLIAM McKEAN 1845-1869

HENRY McKEAN 1858-1904

From 1700 to 1697 * the Ministers of the 

Old Meeting, Birmingham, also had charge of

this Congregation.

* original error.

SHREWSBURY.

FREE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 

HIGH STREET,  

    THE Rev. John Bryan and the Rev.  Francis Tallents were ejected from their livings in 1662; the first from St. Chad's, and the second from St. Mary's, and were chosen by the Presbyterian Dissenter as their Ministers in 1673.  The first Meeting House was opened in 1691.  It was pulled down in the riots on the night of July 6th, 1715.  In January, 1798, the poet Coleridge preached for some Sundays as a candidate for the office of assistant to Mr. Rowe. 

In 1839-1840, the Chapel was almost entirely rebuilt, as it was considered to be unsafe.  It was restored and enlarged in 1885, and has recently been further enlarged and greatly beautified.  

Modern note: Still open

Charles Darwin was a member of the Congregation in early life, and a constant worshipper.  

A tablet to his memory is placed on the Chapel wall near the organ, and is shown in the illustration opposite. (above) 

MINISTERS.

Colleagues:-                   

JOHN BRYAN, M.A. 1673-1699       

FRANCIS TALLENTS, M.A.1673-1708    

Mr. Tallents' Assistants:-                                                   

JAMES OWEN  1700-1706  

SAMUEL BENION, M.D. 1706-1708  

Colleagues:-                         

JOHN GYLES, M.D   1708-1730

JOHN REYNOLDS    1708-1718  

Dr. Gyles' Assistant.-       

CHARLES BERRY  1721-1741     

JOB ORTON           1741-1766    

Mr. Orton's Assistants:-                                                  

FRANCIS BOULT    1743-1746      

MOSES CARTER     1746-1747    

JOSEPH FOWNES.  1748-1789  

Mr. Fownes, Assistants:-

BENJAMIN STAPP  1766-1767

RALPH HARRISON 1769-1771

JOSEPH SMITH .   1774-1781

PENDLEBURY HOUGHTON 1781-1787

JOHN ROWE  1787-1798

Mr. Rowe's Assistant:- ARTHUR AIKIN  1793-1795

GEORGE AUGUSTUS CASE   1798-1831

RICHARD ASTLEY   1831-1854

JAMES RIDDELL McKEE.   1854-1873

EDWARD MYERS, F.G.S.   1873-1897

JAMES CHRISTOPHER STREET 1897-

STOURBRIDGE.

PRESBYTERIAN CHAPEL, 

HIGH STREET

     THE Congregation was founded about 1697, by Philip Foley, Esq., of Prestwood, and his Chaplain, the Rev. James Flower. 

In 1715 a spirit of enmity broke out against Dissenters in the Midlands, and during a riot in Stourbridge the furniture of the Chapel was destroyed by fire. The present Chapel was opened on July 5th, 1788, the centenary of the passing of the Toleration Act.  The pews were new, but the wainscotting of the building is that of the old Chapel. 

There are few other Chapels which have retained so exactly the characteristics of the old eighteenth century Meeting Houses.

Modern note: Still open, interior unchanged apart from in 1913 a new organ was built, 

the front pipes were placed on top of the screen and a detached console replaced the front pew on the left, below the pulpit.

 MINISTERS.

GEORGE FLOWER  1698-1733

JOHN EDGE 1734-1777

BENJAMIN CARPENTER 1778-1795

HERBERT JENKINS   1796-1806    

BENJAMIN CARPENTER 1807-1816*

JAMES SCOTT   1807-1816*            

* Co-Ministers of Stourbridge and Netherend.   

THOMAS WARREN  1817-1821

ALEXANDER PATERSON 1822-1827* 

JAMES SCOTT (d. 1827)     1822-1827*

* Co-Ministers of Stourbridge and Netherend.

ALEXANDER PATERSON, M.A. 1822-1852  

 ALFRED WILLIAM WORTHINGTON  1852,1855

 JOHN DENBY, B.A.   1855-1858               

 ROBERT HENRY GIBSON, B.A. 1858-1860 

 DAVID MAGINNIS 1862-1884        

 ARTHUR WILLIAM TIMMIS  1884-1901

 ARTHUR HERMANN THOMAS B.A. 1902-  

TAMWORTH.

UNITARIAN CHAPEL, COLEHILL.

      THIS Chapel was built in Colehill in 1724.  It was restored in 1879-80, both inside and outside, at a cost of about £525.  A new organ was placed in the building through the help of Mr. Birks, who took the responsibility of raising the money to pay for it.  

The Minister of this chapel gives a portion of his time to the one at Atherstone, preaching here during a part of the year, which, at present, is fixed at once a month.

Modern note: Congregation still meet here.

The building is sheared with a

forces club.

MINISTERS.

EDMUND TAYLOR 1695-1702  

HENRY ROUGHLEY 1704-1708  

JONAH MALKIN 1731-1766   

JOHN BYNG 1768-1827        

JOHN OWEN 1821-1837        

WILLIAM PARKINSON 1837-1857  

THOMAS BOWRING 1857-1862        

CHARLES FREDERICK BISS 1864-1866

JOHN DEAN1868-1878

RICHARD ELLIOTT BIRKS 1879-1882

WILLIAM ROBINSON 1883-1885

FREDERICK TEASDALE REED 1885-1887

JOHN HOWARD 1887-1901

FREDERICK WALTER EMMS 1901-

WALSALL,

UNITARIAN FREE CHURCH, 

STAFFORD STREET.  

        THE original Presbyterian meeting house was situated off the High Street, and was destroyed in a riot early in the 18th century.  After being rebuilt it was damaged in 1743 when John Wesley first visited Walsall, and again in 1751.  

In 1827 the present building in Stafford Street was opened, and was then called Christ's Chapel. 

A house in Rushall Street belongs to the Congregation.  It was licensed for public worship in 1737 when occupied by

Mr.Warner (see below). It is now let as a shop.

Modern note: Congregation meet at Hatherton

United Reformed Church, presume building gone.

MINISTERS.

JOHN GODLY    1710- 

JAMES WARNER.---1741    

JOHN DOBSON 1741-1743      

JOHN WINTER                                

DAVID JONES ---1762

NOAH JONES 1762-1784        

THOMAS EBENEZER BEASLEY 1786-1789        

BENJAMIN DAVIS 1789-1790

THOMAS MOORE 1790-1794

THOMAS BOWEN 1794-1820                

ABRAHAM MANLEY 1820- 1822

THOMAS BOWEN (2ndtime) 1823-1838                                        

WILLIAM McKEAN 1838-1845

JAMES CAUTY SMITH 1851-1852

EDWARD MYERS, F.G.S. 1852-1860 Went to Birmingham.

JOHN OMER SQUIER  1861-1867  

Chapel closed.

WILLIAM WYNN ROBINSON 1871-1875

PETER DEAN l876-1901

WILLIAM FREDERIC TURLAND 1902-1904

WARWICK.

UNITARIAN CHAPEL, 

HIGH STREET. 

      A PRESBYTERIAN Congregation existed here about 1660, but little is known about the first meeting house.  The present Chapel was built in 1780.  It was enlarged in 1863 by the addition of a chancel, communion rails, reading desk, etc., and a present was made of an organ.

At the ordination service of the Rev. William Field (see  below), the sermon was preached by Dr. Priestley, who went over to Warwick on the previous day to preach the Sunday school sermon

Modern note: Congregation still meeting here

MINISTERS.

JOHN WILSON 1691-1695

JOSEPH CARPENTER 1715-1744    

JAMES KETTLE  1746-1785  

BENJAMIN KINGSBURY 1786-1789 Went to Evesham.  

WILLIAM FIELD 1789-1843  Also at Kenilworth. 

HENRY ASHTON MEESON, M.D. 1843-1845       

THOMAS LETHBRIDGE MARSHALL 1846-1852

DANIEL DAVIES JEREMY, M.A. 1853-1860  Also at Kenilworth.

PERCY BAKEWELL, B.A. 1861-1862

JOHN WILLIAM LAKE 1862-1893

BENJAMIN KIRKMAN GRAY 1894-1897

ALFRED MÜLLER HOLDEN  1898-

WEST BROMWICH.

LODGE ROAD CHURCH.

   AS the first step towards the founding of this Church a piece of ground was bought in 1871, and about £350 was promised towards the cost of the ground and the building.  The Church was opened on the 26th April, 1875, and cost about £1,400.  Services had been previously conducted. by Mr. Harrison in St. George's Hall under the auspices of the Midland Christian Union.

He became the minister of the Church in 1876, and continued in that post till June, 1895, when he was appointed Missionary Agent for the Union. 

Modern note: 

Congregation no longer meet

Building used by a Pentecostal Church

MINISTERS.  

JOHN HARRISON 1874-1895        

EDWARD WILLIAM LUMMIS, M.A 1895-1898

FREDERICK AUGUSTUS HOMER 1898-1902

ELLISON A. VOYSEY, M.A. 1902-

WHITCHURCH.

CHURCH OF THE SAVIOUR, HIGHGATE.

  THE founder of this Congregation was the Rev.W. Carey Walters, who left the Baptists at Greenend after a short ministry in 1877.  An Iron Church was built and opened for public worship in August of the same year.  

It was called the Free Christian Church till 1893, when the new name was adopted in accordance with the wishes of Mr.and Mrs.Gresty, who made a present of the site with some; adjoining property. 

The Schoolhouse behind the church was opened in 1880.  The Rev. G. Eyre Evans mentioned below has done good service to the Midlands by the publication, in 1899, of his "History of the Congregations on the Roll of the Midland Christian Union."  

MINISTERS.

WILLIAM CAREY WALTERS 1877-1879

FREDERICK SYDNEY MORRIS 1880-

ALFRED LANCASTER  1881-1882

WALTER REYNOLDS, B.A. 1883-1884

OWEN JAMES JONES  1885-1887

GEORGE EYRE EVANS 1889-1897

WILLIAM FREDERIC TURLAND 1897-1902

CHARLES DAVIES BADLAND, M.A 1902-

WOLVERHAMPTON.

ALL SOULS' CHURCH, 

BATH ROAD.  

THE first Meeting House was in John Street, and was conveyed on October 20th, 1701.  The Congregation was turned out by litigation in 1817, and assembled in a hired schoolroom until 1831.  Snow Hill Chapel was opened for public worship on November 18th, 1831, and sold in December, 1898; 

Services were afterwards held in the iron schoolroom.  

The present building, All Souls' Church, was formally opened on September 7th, 1902.

Modern note: Congregation meet at The Friends Meeting House. This building was burnt down, 

it's replacement still exists but used by another denomination.

MINISTERS.

JOHN STREET.

JOHN STUBBS 1701-1740            

PHILLIP HOLLAND 1745-1754

JOHN COLE 1759-1781

SAMUEL GRIFFITHS 1782-1804

NICHOLAS SHATTOCK  1804-1811

JOHN SMALL 1811-1812

JOHN STEWARD 1814-

SNOW HILL.                      

JOSEPH PEARSON, trustee, preached in         

the morning, and neighbouring ministers in the

evening, in hired schoolroom 1817-1830

STEPHENSON HUNTER 1830-1860

THOMAS HUGH MARSHALL SCOTT, M.A. 1861-1864

CHARLES FREDERICK BISS 1865-1870

EDWARD MYERS, F.G.S. 1870-1873

WILLIAM AGAR 1874-1877

WILLIAM BIRKS 1878-1882

Closed  1883-1885

GEORGE HENRY SMITH 1886-1892

LEOPOLD GEORGE HARRIS CROOK 1892-1895

JOHN HARRISON 1895-1898

Interregnum about 15 months to May, 1900.

 BATH ROAD.

 Supplies  May 1900-March, 1901