!Wr,- ;->:-!: >,'W%- '>■ ,C>^^r•?J--K; m M-X' '■;-,. m^^^ m: lyj^v . '"'1' '.'-vrr'.' -tiV- . ^Z :.' '■' ^: ^' -'•-i^:>^|^?f•v^^.,■K .,;^3;(f;y;c;-fe;/:■;- mmwm m ■if ; :,' ^f5 Kir I"; .■'' "I, • tii:^;iK M .,; J...... ; THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES l-.^ f- _1 a < I O o a: o a. lij (- X MEMOEIALS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE AND BURIAL GROUND, BIRMIKeHAM. COPIED, COLLECTED, AND ILLUSTKATED BY CATHERINE BUTTON BEALE. BIRMINGHAM: PRINTED FOR THE SUBSCRIBERS BY WHITE AND IMKE. 1882. ^DA IN MEMORY OF MY CHILDREN, AND OTHEE LOVED ONES, WHOSE REMAINS LIE IN THE OLD MEETING HOUSE BURIAL GROUND. AUGiLISH LOCAIi NAMES OF SUBSCRIBERS. Abhcroft, J. C, Llewellyn Place, Upper Mary Street, Balsall Heath. AsHFORD, Mrs. Eliza, 3, Speedwell Road, Elgbaston. Avert, Thomas, Mayor, Churcli Koa'l, Edgbaston. Bache, Rev Kestish, Hagley. Baker, Alfred, The Bracken, Augustas Road, Edgbaston (2 copies). Baker, Dasiel, Albany Cottage, Tindall Street, BalsaU Heath. Baker, Thosias, Mayor of Manchester. Baldwis, J. B., Broad Meadow, King's Norton. Beale, C. G., 51, Carpenter Road, Edgbaston. Beale, .Tames S., 32, Holland Park, London, W. Beale, William Johs, Bryntirion Bontddu, Dolgelly (4 copies). Beale, W. Phipso.v, 3, Victoria Street, London, S.W. Bedford, Miss. M. A., 70, Pershore Road. Best, Charles, Spring Cottage, Wellington Road (2 copies). BicKLET, Thomas, Five Lands, Moseley. BicKLET, William, Trafalgar Cottage, Trafalgar Road, Moseley. Biggs, Ambrose (J. P.), Groveley, King's Norton. Bill, George, 26, Wills Street, Lozells. Bourne, Hekry, Lanadowne, Nether Whitacre. Bragg, Johx, Hamstead Mount, Handsworth. Brooks, Johs, 23, Carpenter Road, Edgbaston. BURBF,RT, Mrs., Summer Lodge, Kenilworth. Caddick, Edward, Wellington Koad, Edgbaston. Carter, John, 20, Francis Road, Edgbaston. Chirm, Joseph, 44, Waterloo Street, Birmingham. Clarke. W. J., Carlyle Works, Aston lioad. Clifford, Arthur, Beechcroft, Westboume Road, Edgbaston. Cobb, Edward, 6, Lansdown Place East, Bath. Cooper, Joseph, Hasrings Villa, Birchtield. CoppocK, John M., The Laurels, Bristol Road (2 copies). Covingtok, W. H., Five Ways, Edgbaston. Critchlow, W. Arthur, Cheshunt, Kingwood Road, Moseley. Cromiton, DiCKi.y.soN W., 40, Harbome Road. Crompton, John W., Kivington, near Chorlcy, Lancashire. Cross, John, 101, Mott Street, Birmingham (2 copies). Crosskey, Rev. H. W., LL.D., 28, George Road, Edgbaston. Dance, Joseph H., Corporation AMiarf, Sheepcotc Street. Davis, William, 37 and 38, Sun Street West (2 copies). Deakin, Mrs C. W. S., Gri£Sn's Hill, near Birmingham. Dixon, George, (J. P.), 42, Augustus Road, Edgbaston. Doidge, W. 6., 2, Woodstock Road, Jloseley. Downi.ng, Arthur, Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath (10 copies). Edmonds, George, Tenby Street North. Elmu.nds, Reuben, 197, King Edward's Road, Birmingham. Edwards, Councillor C. H., Driffold, Sutton CoMficld (2 copies). Etans, J. P., 21, Waverley Street, Nottingham. Faulkner, Juurs, 11, Elvetham Road, Kdgbaston. Fitter, M. A., Jun., 6, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham. Forre-steb, Alfred H., 1, Summer Hill Terrace, Birmingham. Gallimore, Philip, Church Road, Moseley. Gargort, Miss, 41, Bull Street, Birmingham. Gibson, Denston, 93, New Street, Birmingham. Gibson, James, 8 and 10, Mill Street, Liverpool. GiTTlNS, J. H., 187, Albert Road, Aston. Goodrick, Alderman (J. P.), 11, George Road, Edgbaston. Greenwat, S., 2S, Whecley's Road, E'dgbaaton. Grew, F. W., 8i), Pershore Road (3 copies). Griffiths, Edwin, M.D., Grove House, VauihaU. Griffiths, Edwin, Grey Place, Bristol Road. Hadlet, Felix, Eyre Street, Birmingham. Hadley Felix, Jun., Eyre Street, Spring Hill, Birmingham (2 copies). Hasding, Charles, 32, Waterloo Street. Harding, W. Sextus, Harbome Hill (2 copies). Hawkes, Henry, (J.P.), H.M. Coroner, Northfield. Hawkes, Miss, 222, Hagley Road. Heath, John J., 68, Great Charles Street. Herford, Edward, (J. P.), Coroner of Manchester (26, Great John Street). Hinks, James, Richmond Hill, Edgbaston. HiPwooD, Benjamin, 20, .\lbion Street, Birmingham. HoDGKiN's, Miss, 160, Bristol Street, Birmingham. Hoffman, Dr., Home Office, London. Holder, John, H., 73, Hurst Street. Birmingham. Hunt, George, Hopefield, Alleyn Park, West Dnlwich. Loudon, S.E. HuTTON, Miss M., 4, Clifton Terrace, Stourbridge. Hurros, Willi.am, Ward End HalL Jackson, Walter, 3, Hockley Hill, Birmingham. James, Miss, 283, Hagley Road, Edgbaston. Jeavons, Thom.vs, is, Park Street, Birmingham. Johnson, Councillor G. J., 36, Waterloo Street, Birmingham (2 copies). Jolly, Mrs., 40, Calthorpe Road. JosF-s, J. A., Doe Bank, Sutton Coldfield. Kemp, William, Adderley Street, Birmingham. Kenrick, G. H., Maple Bank, Edgbaston. Kknrick, J. Arthur, (J. P.), Berrow Court, Edgbaston. Keskick, Timothy, (J.P.), Maple Bank, Edgbaston. Lawrence, Miss Ellen A., London. Lawrence, P. H. , Old Square, Lin'roln's Inn, l>on'Joa. Leadiikater, Alfred, Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield. Lee, E. Henry, IS, Newhall Street, Birmingham. Lee, Miss Ellen F., Kinfare, near Stourbridge. Lee, The Misses, Redcliff, Kinfare, near Stourbridge Lee, T. Grosvknob, 18, Newhall Street, Birmingham. Lee, Mrs. W. H., 6, Croft Terract-, Tenby, S.W. Library, Birmingham, Tnion Street. Library, CiitRCH of the Me.s.«iah. Library, Dr. Wiluams's, Grafton Street (Gower Street), London, W.C. Library, Reference, Birmingham. Litchfield, Mrs. S., 40. Church Road, Aston. LccKCocK, Mrs. Howard, Oak Hill, Edgbaston. NAMES OF SUBSCEIBEES. Manton, J. S., The Elms, Harborne Road. Martin, MissS., 19, Frederick Road, Edgbaston. Martineau, Councillor TnoMAs, (J. P.), Calthorpc^Road, Edgbaston. Maktinkau, Councillor R. F., 18, Highfidd Road, Edgbaston (3 copies). Martin'eah, David, 4, South Road, Claphara Park, London, S.W Martineat, Miss Su.SAX, 18, Highfield Road, Edgbaiton. Martinkait, Miss Jane S., 18, Highfield Road, Edgbaston (2 copies). Mathews, Mrs. G. S., 32, Augustus Road, Edgbaston. Mathew.s, William, Waterloo Street, Birmingham. Maukice, Miss Maria Wyke, Wellington Road, Dudley. McXiscH, William, 26, High Street, Belfast. Mills, Mrs., Frederick Road, Edgbaston. Natlor, Miss An.s'a J., The Knoll. Altrincham. Needham, E. Moore, The Cedars, Belpcr, Derbyshire. New, Herbert, 20, Carpenter Road, Edgbaston. Osborne, Ciiari.e.s, Etruria House, Alcester Road, Moseley. O.sLER, Alfred C. , 44, Wheeley's Road, Edgbaston. OsLER, A. Follett, F. R.S., South Bank, Harborne Road. OsLER, Henry F., Ferndale, Edgbaston. Page, Mrs. Han.naii, The Oaks, Selly Oak, near Birmingham. Paytok, Henry, (J. P.), Eversley, Somerset Road, Edgbaston. Pemberton, Mrs., Thornhill House, Handsworth. Pemberton, Oliver, (J.P.), Edgbaston House, Edgbaston. Pemberton, T. Edoar, 2, Norfolk Road, Edgbaston. Peyton, Abel, Oakhurst, Church Road, Edgbaston. Peyton, Richard, Southficld, Church Road, Edgbaston. Phipson, a. B., The Ivies, Metchley Lane, Harborne. Phipson, Mrs., Westbourno, Edgbaston. Pickering, John, Park Hill, Moseley (3 copies). Plante, H. H., Fair View, Wyldo Green. Postans, G., George Road, Edgbaston. Peoud, Mrs., Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield. Rabone, John, Ponderell House, Hamstead Road, Handsworth. Redfekn, Joseph, Selly Park. Reid, Miss, 27, Heath Street, Hampstead, London, N.W. Richards, S. Wall, Great Hampton Street Works, Birmingham. Rickards, Charles, 24, Chad Road, Edgbaston. Ridoway, Joseph, Head Master of Baylies' Charity School, Dudley. Rowland, J. H., Neath. Russr.LL, James, M.D., 59, Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston. Russell, Miss, 59, Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston. Rtland, F., 16, Chad Road, Edgbaston. Rtland, Miss, Barford Hill, Warwick (2 copies). Saroant, Mrs. Henry, 66, Belsize Park Gardens, London. Sharp, William, 397, Bristol Road. Smith, Brooke, Holloway Ileaii, Birmingham. Smith, Howard S., 37, Bennett's Hill. Smith, Miss, 255, Hagley Road. Smith, Mrs. Brooke, 51, Frederick Road, Edgbaston. Smith, W. C. H. Al.ston, 25, Cannon Street, Birmingham. Stannus, IU'oh HurroN, 118, Kennington Park Road, London, S.E. Stone, J. H., 4, St. Paul's Square, Birmingham. Stvch, John, 189, Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham. Sumner, John, Cromwell Hou.se, Church Road, Moseley. Sutton, William, 101, Bristol Street, Birmingham (2 copies). Talbot, John Artiiui:, Milford, Newtown, Montgomeryshire. Talbot, W. H., Kiddenuinster. Tanoye Brothehs, Cornwall Works, Birmingham. Taylor, Franklin, Claremont Road, Handsworth. Taylor, John, 23, Dorset Square, London, N.W. Taylor. Thomas, F.R.C.S., Sutton Coldfield. Thomason, Yeoville, 40, Bennett's Hill. Titley, Edward, Gravelly Hill. Ti.MMiNs, Sam., tJ.P.), Elvetham Lodge, Birmingham (4 copies). Towers, Miss Clara, 79, Rann Street, Birmingham. Townley, Edward, 75, Bull Street, Birmingham. TiiAiE.s, Miss Jane, 1, Mile End, Countess Weir, Exeter. Tku.^tees of Old Meeting House (G copies). TwiNN, G. R., 179, Bradford Street, Birmingham. Tyndall, Edward, Lant, King's Norton, near Birmingham. Tynuall, Henry Witton, 49, George Road, Edgbaston. Udale, Matthew, 54, Gnafton Ro.ad, Camp Hill, Birmingham. Whitfield, Miss Maria, Carlyle Road, Edgbaston (2 copies). Whitfield, Samuel, Leamington (2 copies). Whitfield, S. B., 208, Hagley Road. WiGGiN, Henry, M.P., Metchley Grange, Harborne. Willmott. H. , 30, Northwood Street, Birmingham. Wills, Alfred (Q.C.), Esher, near London. Wills, A. W., Wylde Green. Wilson, Lady, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge. Woolley, Miss Jane E., Heathfield, King's Heath (2 copies). Wootton, Edward, Beaufort Road, Edgbaston. Wright, Rev. Benjamin, Chester Road. Yates, Mrs. James, 64, Avenue Road, London, N.W. C () N T E N T S PASS Frontispiece. Preface. A Short History of Puritanism ......... 1 Plan of Land and Streets (1689 1 ....■•••■ 29 View of First Chapel . . . • . • ■ . • • .29 History of the Old Meeting .......•• "9 Vrcw of Lower Meeting House . . . . . • • .30 View of Gateway ........••• "1 View of Interior of Chapel ...... . ... 39 Ministers of the Old Meeting House ........ 43 Ministers Buried in the Graveyard . ......•■ 51 Memorial Boards in Vestries .....■■■■ 64 Chapel Wardens ........••• 66 Officers for 1881 .......•••■ 6' Low Bailiffs and Mayors (Unitarian) . ... ..... 58 Plan of the Floor of the Ch.vpel ........ 58 Plan of the Galleries ......-•••• 68 View of the Schools .......... 69 History of the Schools ... ... ... .59 List of Sermons Preached on Behalf of the Schools ...... 61 Graveyard, with Plan (1881) ...--••■• View of Lecture Room and (i rave yard. Tablets and Gravestones. 192 in number. Plan of Graveyard (1824). List of the Names Recorded on the Tablets and Gravestonrb. 62 PREFACE. [HE drawings of tlie tablets and gravestones in the Old Meeting House and burial ground, made some years ago, were not originally intended for publication. The probability of the property being taken from the Trustees by Act of Parliament, to enlarge New Street Station, was the chief motive for an endeavour to preserve the records and memorials of the old place, for use when it should have passed away. Many of the stones have crumbled to dust, and have been removed, but the inscriptions on those which remain have been copied as faithfully as the verj- dilapidated state of some of them would allow. When it became evident that we could no longer keep our chapel, many friends solicited me to have the drawings printed, and feeling that a history of tlic chapel should accompany them, I exhausted every means to make it as complete as possible. I have drawn chiefly from " Wreford's History of Presbyterian Noncon- formity in Birmingham, " " Mutton's History of Birmingham," and other sources, and I feel under deep obligation to Mr. Joseph Hill, whose very valuable notes on the early histoi-j- of the chapel have enabled me to lay before the public information hitherto unknown. In these days of civil and religious freedom, the struggles of our ancestors for the liberty we now enjoy arc too apt to be forgotten. Feeling it to be important that the young people should be taught to realise liow dearly their present privileges and freedom have been bought, I have, by way of introduction to the chapel history, compiled a short accoimt of Puritanism. The narrative is taken from various sources, particularly from "Neal's History of the Puritans." I have traced the connection of Birmingham and of as many of our Birmingham families as I could with those eventful times. A list of Low Bailifls is added, as the majority of them lie in the graveyard ; the names of Mayors (Unitarian) are also added, some of whose ancestors lie in the burial ground. The two plans of the graveyard will be found to differ ; the older one (which Messrs. Harding and Son kindly allowed me to copy) represents the position of the vaults and graves, and contains the names of many old families, the tablets and gravestones to whose memory have long since perished. Among them will be found the ancient family of Colmore, who have held a good position in Birmingham for centuries, and are at the present time large landowners in the town. Colmore Row, Ann Street, Great Colmore Street, and Newhall Street are named after them, the latter street after New Hall (erected in the reign of James the First), the residence of Charles Colmore, Esq. [1764] . An ancestor of this family lived at Na 1 in the High Street in the reign of Henry the Eighth. The present representatives of the family in Birmingham are Thomas Milnes Colmore, Esq., barrister; the Kcv. \V. II. Colmore, M.A., vicar of St. Mary's, Moseley ; and Quintus Charles Colmore, Esq., solicitor. The plan of itiHl shows the position of all the mural tablets and gravestones ; sonic of the latter originally stood upright ; tliey do not now always cover the graves they represent. All that is interesting has been extracted from the Minute Books, the earliest of which bears date 1771. My thanks are due to Sain. Timmins, Esq., J. P., F.S.A. , for his kind advice and help; sJso to other kind friends who have given me much valuable information. CATHERINE HUTTON BEALE. Hightield, Chester Road, near Birmingham, September, 1881. A SHORT HISTORY OF PURITANISM. [HE religioas liistory of our forefatliers must necessarily bo inLxecl up with the history of kings and queens. All the persecutions, heart-burnings, and mis(;ry that we read of in religious history, are the result of Acts of Parliament to regulate doctrine, dress of clergy, &c. Instead of religion being a private matter, it has always formed part of the State. The persecutions now going on in the church, against some of the clergj% for using certain dresses and ceremonies, must remind every one of the persecutions in Queen Elizabeth's reign ; only, then it was for neglecting to use the popish habits, as they were called ; now, it is for using them. In looking back upon the history of the chiu-ch in this country, we find that there ha.« always been a section of the people who were opposed to the Pope, and had a desire for .some- thing purer and holier tlian the religion of Eome ; they wei-e in the minority, as all reformers are : hence the continued struggle for hundreds of years. We of the present day owe a debt of gratitude to our Puritan forefathers; and when we read of tlieir sufferings for conscience sake, we ought to feel thankful that our lot is cast in better and happier times. Our present religious liberty Is the fruit of their Nonconformity. The term Puritan was not used till (iueen Elizabeth's time (15G4); it was then a nauR- nl reproach, derived from the Cathari, or Puritani of the third eontury after Christ ; the name expressed a desire for a [Jiu-er form of worship. A Puritan, therefore, was a man of severe morals : a Calvinist in doctrine, and a Noncon- formist to tlie ceremonies and discipline of the church, though he did not totally separate fi'om it. The Unitarians, or, more properly speaking, Arians, who sulTered before and after the Eeformation, will be noticed in this history chronologicaUy, and tlu-ir names Avill be fomid in italics. The following sketch of Puritanism must necessarily be very brief ; volumes have been written on the subject, the details of whicli would be thought dry and uninteresting by the general reader. The object of this history is to connect Puritanism with that Nonconformity which led to the building of our first chapel in Birmingham. In tracing the origin and early history of Protestant Nonconformity, it is necessary to go back to a period long before Nonconformity assumed a decided form, and to account for the rise and progre.ss of that separation from tlu' Established Church which still exists. To set this in a projx'r light, we must look back upon the sad state of religion before the Eeformation, and consider the motives which induced Henry VUl. to throw ofl' the yoke of Eome. It was a bold attempt, when all the powers of the earth were against him. Any real amendment of the doctrines of the Eomish Churcli, beyond what was necessary to secm-e his own supremacy, and those vast revenues of the church which he grasped, he failed to accomplish. We must now begin with the period when William the Conquei-or gained possession of tlu- crown of England, by the assistance of the see of Eome, and King John, having afterwards sold it during his wars witli the Barons, the rights and j)rivileges of the English clergy were delivered up into the hands of tin- pope, who taxed them at his pleasure, and in ]irocoss of time di-ained 2 HISTORY OF I'lUlTAXlS.M. the kingdom ; for besides all his other dues, arising from first-friiit*^, Peter-pence, &c., he extorted large sums of money from llie clergy for their preferment in the Church. The richest bishoprics Avere given to foreigners who had never seen English soil. This awakened the resentment of the legislature, and in the twenty-fifth year of lulward III. an act was passed called the Statute of Provisors — to establish "That the king, and other lortls, shall present unto benefices of their own, or their ancestor's foundation, and not the i5ishop of Pome." Still the power of the court of Rome ran very high; and though in tlie Seventh of Richard 11. the power of nomination to benefices, Avithout the king's license, was taken away, the court still idaimed the benefit of confirmations : the archbishops of Canterbury and York might still by virtue of Bulls from Rome assemble the clergy of their several provinces, at what time and i)lace they thought lit, without leave obtained from the crown ; and all the canons and constitutions concluded upon in those synods were binding, without any further ratification from the king; so that the power of the church was independent of the civil government. This being represented to the Parliament of the Sixteenth of Richard 11., they passed the statute commonly called Praimunire, by which it was enacted, " That if any did purchase translations to benefices, processes, sentences of excommunication, bulls, or any other instruments from the court of Rome, against the king or his crown ; or whoever brought them into England, or did receive and execute them, they were declared to be out of the king's protection, and should forfeit their goods and chattels to the king, and should be attached by their bodies, if they may be found, and brought before the king and council, to answer the cases aforesaid ; or that the process should be made against them, by prcemunire facias, in manner as it is ordained in other statutes of provisors, and other which do sue in any other court in derogation of the regality of the king." * From this time the archbishops called no more convocations by their sole authority, but by Hcense from the king ; their synods being formed by writ, or precept from the crown, directed to the archbishops, to assemble their clergy, in order to consult upon such afiairs as His Majesty should lay before them. Hut still their canons were binding, though confirmed by no authority but their own, till the Act of Submission of the Clergy took place. About this time arose the famous John WicklifTe, or de Wyclif, the " morning star of the Reformation," who flourished in the latter end of the reign of Edward EH. and the beginning of Richard 11., about one hundred and thirty years before the Reformation of Luther. Wiclifl'e was born about the year 1324, in a ]iai-ish of the same name, in the North Riding of York- shire, on the banks of the Tees. He first entered Queen's College, Oxford, but soon removed to Merton College, and distinguished himself by his diligence and success in the branches of study then pursued. Because of his great abilities, he was chosen master of Balliol College in lo61, and four years later. Warden of Canterbury Hall, from which, however, he was rejected by the regulars in 1366. In 1372 he took the degree of D.D., and read public lectures with great success, by which means he frequently exposed the impositions of the friars. On account of his high public reputation, he was sent 'to Bruges, 1374, as one of the commissioners to meet the Pope's Nuncios and treat with respect to provisors and other papal abuses. For his services the King presented him mth the rectory of Lutterworth. In 1377, by order of the Pope, he was cited to appear before a synod to answer the charge of heresy ; but nothing came of it. • Fuller's Church History, book iv., pa<;es 145-148. HISTORY OF PUEITAXLSM. 3 The insurrection by Wat Tyler in 1381 was partly attributed to the preachinjr of WiclifT's "poor priests," or itinerant preachers, who went about the country and preached to the people at fairs and markets. By this means there grew up a sect, to whom the name of Lollards was given, perhaps from " lollen," to sing with a subdued voice, or from Walter Lollard, a German. In consequence of WiclifTe having attacked the doctrines of transubstantiation, he was the next year con- demned as a teacher of heresy. The reformer now made some concessions, Ijut an order from the King obliged him to withdraw from the university. The remainder of his life he spent at Lutterworth, where he finished the translation of the Bible,* from the Latin or Vulgate into the common English tongue. Several years after his death, the Council of Constance condemned his writings, and ordered his body to be exhumed and burnt, which was done and the ashes thrown into the neighbouring brook. The clergy did not fail to profit by the contentions between the houses of York and Lancaster ; both parties courting their assistance, they made use uf their position to further the interests of the Catholic faith, as they called it. In the primitive times there were no capital proceedings against- heretics; the weapons of the church being only spiritual; but when it was found that ecclesiastical censures were not sufficient to kee]) men in a blind subjection to the pope, a decree was obtained in the fourth council of Lateran, a.d. 1215, "That all heretics should be delivered over to the civil magistrate to be burned." There was no occasion to put these sanguinary laws into execution till erty, and used at the baitlea of Marston Moor, Naschy, and Worcester, was destroyed with otlier funiily nlics at the liots in 1791. 1 ho Mutton family liT» always been on the side of lilicrty, and were Puriians in the time of Henry VIll., harioj; joined the Separatists under BiaLcp Hooper. Members of this family lie in the Old Meeting graveyard. 20 HISTOKY (»K I'lUllANiSM. lopping, nose-slitting; the wholesale niin of families on account of their religion, and all the villainies of the Star Chamber, and High Commission, with the mildness of the Commonwealth, the fierce intolerance of even republican presbyterianism, with the freedom of faith which Cromwell established, and his zealous care for a ministry, not of any particular dogmas but of a L'enuine and generous piety; — blind indeed must be the man who does not recognise in all its admirable proportions, the memory of one of the most ti-uly great men which any age or nation has produced." On the 21st March, 1G55, died the learned Archbishop Usher, born in Dublin, 1580. In 1G43 he was nominated one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, but did not appear among them. The Protector had a high esteem for this excellent prelate, and consulted him about proper measures for advancing the protestant interest at home and abroad. The Protector allowed him a pension, and at his deatli, did liim the honour of a public funeral and buried him in the chapel of Henry VII. partly at his own expense. It is a curious circumstance, that Archbishop Usher received his first elements of learning from two aunts who were both born blind, yet found out a method of teaching him to read English. These ladies had vast memories, and could repeat the greater part of the scriptures by heart, without mistake, In 1656 died the right reverend and pious Dr. Joseph Hall, Bishop of Norwich, whose practical works have been much esteemed by dissenters. During the Protectorate, the Eoyal Society was formed at Oxford. A short time before the Protector's death, the Independents ])etitioiied his highness for liberty to hold a synod, in order to publish to the world a uniform confession of their faith ; but the Protector did not live to see the fruit of this assembly, which was appointed to be held at the Savoy, on October 12th, 1658. The Protector's health was now declining, through excessive anxiety. He wore under his clothes a coat of mail, to protect him from assassination. The loss of a beloved daughter had a visible eflect upon liis health. Low fever set in, which turned to tertian ague and he died September 3rd, 1658, about tliree in the afternoon, the anniversary of the day on which he had triumphed in the battles of Dunbar and Worcester. Great doubt has been expressed about the disposal of his body. Some say it was buried in Naseby field, others that it was privately buried in King Henry "VT^L chapel, sometime before the public funeral, which took place November 23rd, with all imaginable grandeur and military pomp. The body was removed from Somerset House where it had lain in state to the Abbey Cliurch, Westminster, where a fine mausoleum was erected. After the king's restoration, the coflTm was taken out of the vault and draAvn upon a sledge to Tyburn, where the body was hung till sunset, and then buried under the gallows. Thus died the mighty Oliver Cromwell. He was born at Huntingdon, April 25th, 1599, and was descended from the family of Williams of Glamorgan, in Wales, which family assumed the name of Cromwell upon marrying a daughter of Cromwell, Earl of Essex, in the reign of Henry VHI. We now come to the interregnum extending from the death of Oliver Cromwell, to the restoration of King Charles 11., and the re-establishment of the Church of England. Upon the death of the Protector, all the discontented spirits who had been subdued by his administration, resumed their courage, and within the compass of one year, revived the confusions of the preceding ten. Eichard Cromwell being jjroclaimed Protector upon his father's death, received numerous addresses from all parts. The young Protector summoned a parliament to meet on 27th January, 1659. They did little bu.siness, the lower house UIS'KJKY or PURITANISM. 21 not being willing to acknowledge the upper, and the army was divided into two grand factions. The Presbyterians would have been content with Richard's government, but seeing no likelihood of restoring the covenant, or coming into power through the Rump Parliament, which was chiefly made up of enthusiasts and declared enemies to monarchy, they entered into a kind of confederacy with the royalists to restore the king and the old constitution. Richard Cromwell not possessing the power and talent of his father, with no ambition. either military or political, retired into private life. We now come to the dawn of the Restoration, of which General Monk has had the reputation of being the chief instrument. This gentleman was the son of Sir Thomas Monk, of Potheridge, in Devonshire, and served the king in the wars for some years, but, being taken prisoner, he changed sides, and acted for the parliament. He afterwards served Oliver Cromwell, and was by him left commander-in-chief of the forces in Scotland, whence he now marched into England, to restore the parhament. In the latter part of his life he was covetous, and guilty of most of the vices of the time. No man ever went beyond him in dissimulation and falsehood, as appears in this affair of the king's restoration. He took the abjuration oath under Oliver, and again this year. whereby he denied the title of king to Charles Stuart, and swore to be true to the Commonwealth ; and yet, in his first message to the king, by Sir John Grenville, he assures His Majesty that his heart has ever been faithful to him. Before relating the particulars of the Restoration, it will be proper to consider the abject state of the Church of England, and the religion of the young king. Neal says, " If CromweU had lived ten or twelve years longer, episcopacy might have been lost beyond recovery, for by that time tlie whole bench of bishops would have been dead, and there would have been none to consecrate or ordain for the future, unless they could have obtained a new conveyance from the Church of Rome, or admitted the validity of Presbyterian ordination." With regard to the king, his concern for the regular consecration of Protestant bishops was a mere farce, for if he were not a papist before this time, it is certain that he wa- reconciled secretly to the Church of Rome this year. Upon General Monk's coming to London, he became at once a zealous Presbyterian, and thought no more of the Independent churches, and received the sacrament at Mr. Calamy's church. The Presbyterian's were now in possession of the whole power of England ; the council of state, the chief officers of the army and navy, and the governors of the chief forts and garrisons were theirs ; their clergy were in possession of both universities, and of the best livings in the kingdom, and the more credulous of them believed that the presbytery would be the established form of government of the Church of England under King Charles 11. The Presbyterian ministers, who were cautioned by the Independents and others not to trust their new allies, the Episcopalians, too much, could neither see, hear, or believe, till it was too late. They prided themselves upon their superior influence, and from an ambitious desire of grasping all the merit and glory of the Restoration to themselves, they would sufler none to act openly with them, but desired the Episcopalians to be quiet for fear of the people, and leave the conducting this great affair in their hands. Baxter jrives the following reasons for their conduct : — " The Presbyterians were influenced by the covenant, by which, and by the oaths of allegiance to the king and his heirs, they apprehended themselves bound to do their utmost to restore the king, let the event be what it 22 HISTORY OF PURITANISM. will ; as the king had taken the covenant, they hoped he would remove the subscriptions, and leave the Common Prayer and ceremonies indifTerent. Some were less sanguine, knowinii the tempers of the prelates, and declared they expected to be silenced, imprisoned, and banished, l)ut would restore the king, because no foreseen ill consequence ought to hinder them from doincj their duty." Such was the position of the Presbyterians when the king was restored (1660) to the throne of his ancestors ; vre shall now see how he treated those who brought about his restoration. Upon the king's arrival at Whitehall, the liturgy was restored to His Majesty's chapel. The old sequestered clergy flocked in great numbers about the court ; each one took possession of the livino- from which he had been ejected, by which means some hundreds of Presbyterian clergy were dispossessed at once. The English hierarchy was now restored to its former pre-eminence, except the peerage of the bishops. The Puritan ministers have been considered by some historians as canting, icrnorant preachers, and enemies to learning, and yet these ministers, when they filled the university chairs, were the educators" of some of the most learned divines and eloquent preachers, such as Tillotsou, Stillingfleet, Bull, Barrow, Whitby, and others, who retained a high veneration for their learned tutors after they were ejected. The rehgion of the people has been called hypocritical, yet their dress and conversation was sober and virtuous ; their manner of living frugal ; there was hardly a bankruptcy to be heard of in a year ; and in such a case, the bankrupt had a mark of infamy set upon tiim, that he could never wipe off. Drunkenness, profane swearing, and all kinds of debauchery, were justly deemed infamous ; never were better laws made against vice, or more vigorously executed. The times which followed the Restoration were the reverse of all this ; the laws against vice were declared null ; the magistrates were changed ; debauchery and wickedness set in, and men set no bounds to their licentiousness. The king was at the head of all this. The more obscene the plays at the theatre, the better he liked them, and women actresses were now introduced for the first time. Nothing was to be seen at court but feasting, hard drinking, revelUng, and amorous intrigues. The people imitated the court, and the clergy, who had been sequestered for scandal, having taken possession of their livings, threw off all the restraints of their order. This year nearly all who had taken part in the execution of the late king were put to death in a most barbarous manner, the king witnessing the revolting scene at a short distance. Also this year Ann Hyde, daughter of Chancellor Hyde, married the Duke of York. Amid these disgraceful transactions, parliament proceeded to pass into a bill the king's " healing declaration " regarding religion. The Presbyterians were in high spirits, but they were soon made to feel their own folly in bringing back the Episcopalian Church. From this time, says Bishop Kennett, the Presbyterians began to prepare for the cry of persecution, and not without reason. Spies were sent into all the congregations of Presbyterians throughout England, to report if any minister preached against the degeneracy of the times, and many eminent and loyal Presbyterians were sent to prison. The Roman Catholics were openly countenanced, and their priests dispersed popish books about the court and city. Some Baptists, to the number of four hundred, were committed to Newgate, and many to other prisons. John Bunyan was apprehended at a meeting, and committed to prison. He was then indicted for " devilishly and perniciously abstaining from coming to church to hear IllSTO]tY OF rUIUTANlSM. 23 divine service, and as a common upholder of several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the king." He was kept in prison twelve and a half years. Above sixty dissenters were imprisoned at the same time. The ruin of the Presbyterians was now determined upon, only some pretexts were wanting to cover the design, such as should not reflect on His Majesty's declaration from Breda, which promised that no person should be molested purely for religion. They were insulted in the streets, and when singing in their homes were interrupted by blowing of horns, and throwing stones at the windows. 1661 began with new scenes of pleasure, occasioned by the king's marriage with the Infanta of Portugal. The parliament met in November, and the tendency of the king's speech was to make way for breaking through the Breda declaration. The government could not with decency attack the Presbyterians purely on account of their religion ; they were, therefore, to be charged with raising disturbances in the state ; nevertheless, on this base and dishonourable suggestion, the first penal law was passed against the Nonconformists ; it was called the Corporation Act. It provided " that no person could be legally elected to any office relating to the government of any city or corporation, unless within twelve months before he had received the sacrament according to the rites of the Cliurch of England ; unless he subscribed the declarations abjuring the solemn league and covenant, and the laAvfulness of taking up arms, upon any pretence whatever, against the king ; and shall take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy at the time that he takes the oath of office." Thus Nonconformists were turned out of all the magisterial offices, and, by the oath imposed, robbed of their rights as subjects. "We now come to the celebrated conference that was held at the Savoy Palace, for the purpose of making the liturgy more acceptable to dissentients. Baxter proposed a new liturgy; long disputes followed, the conference broke up without doing anything, and it Avas left to the convocation to make some alterations. Dr. Tenison, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbun,*. says " they made about six hundred small alterations or additions," and Bishop Burnet confessed that no alterations were made in favour of the Presbyterians, for it was resolved to gratify them in nothing. These alterations affected the Scots very much, and some were tried and executed for preaching against the change of church government. Towards the end of this year, the court and bishops, not content with their triumphs over the living Presbyterians, dug up the bodies of those who had been buried in Westminster Abbey, lest their dust should- mix with that of the Eoyalists. They had previously taken up the body of Cromwell and others, and now they disinterred, among other celebrities, the mother and sister of Oliver Cromwell. These bodies were all thrown into a pit dug for them in St. Margaret's churchyard. The court was now so extravagant, that, to procure ready money, it was resolved to sell the town of Dunkirk to the French for £500,000, and to reconcile the nation to the sale, the king promised to lay up the money in the Tower, but he soon broke his word, and squandered it among the creatures of his mistress, Barbara Villiers. We now come to a series of cruel acts of parliament. The first which occupied the government this spring (1662) was the passing of the Act of Uniformity, which provided " That every parson, vicar, and other minister whatsoever who now hath and enjoyeth any ecclesiastical benefice or promotion within this realm of England, or places aforesaid, shall, in the church, chapel, or place of public worship belonging to his said benefice or promotion. 2-1 HISTOHY OF PURITANISM. updu some Lord's day before the Feast of St. Bartholomew (August 24th), which shall be in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and sixty-two, openly, publicly, and solemnly read the morninfr iind evening prayer appointed to be read by and according to the same Book of Common Trayer, at the times thereby appointed, and after such reading thereof shall oi)enly and publicly, before the congregation there assembled, declare unfeigned assent and consent to the use of all things in the said book contained and prescribed in these words and no other: L A. 15., do hereby declare my unfeigned assent and consent to all and everything contained and prescribed in and by the book intituled 'The Book of Common Pi'ayer,' and administration of the saci'aments, and other rites and ceremonies of the i-hurch, according to the use of the Church of England ; together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung or said in churches, and the form or manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating of bishops, priests, and deacons." Further, ii was enacted that no ])erson should be permitted to preach or lecture in any part of England without being lirst licensed by the archbishop of the province, after having, in his presence, assented to the thirty-nine articles. It is right that the authors and promoters of this memorable act, which broke the peace of the church and established separation, should be recorded. Among the names we find mentioned, are the Earl of Clarendon, Dr. Sheldon, Bishop of London, Bishop Morley, and others. The Presbyterian ministers had only three months to consider what to do for themselves and their families, as the act was to come in force on the 24th of August. Some quitted the church previously, among whom was Baxter. At length the fatal St. Bartholomew's day came, wlii-n about two thousand incumbents \vi\ the church rather than comply with the terms of the Act of Uniformity. Bishop Burnet says it raised a grievous cry all over the nation, and Locke calls the divines " worthy, learned, and pious, who did not throw themselves out of service, but were forcibly ejected." Puring the reformation in Queen Elizabeth's time, not more than two hundred were deprived of their livings, and they were treated with mildness, and had some allowance out of their livings, whereas these were cast out without any means of support, and treated with great severity. Their places in the ministr}- were filled l>y many debauched and illiterate men. Sad was the state of the ejected ministers ; though they were as frugal as possible, they could scarcely live ; some existed on little more than brown bread and water, and many had but £8 or £10 a year to maintain a family upon, so that a piece of meat was rarely seen on their tables ; some had to follow the plough, others to cut tobacco, for a livelihood. The parliament increased the severities ol' the Nonconformists by the passing of the Conventicle Act, which provided that all persons above sixteen years of age present at any meeting for religious worship not in accordance with the usage of the Church of England, where five persons besides the family should be assembled, should for the first offence be fined £5, or be imprisoned three months ; for the second, £10, or six months ; and for the third, £100, or transportation for seven years. Before the passing of the Conventicle Act, the laity were courageous, and exhorted their ministers to preach till they went to prison ; but when it came home to themselves, and they had been once in jail, they began to be more cautious. So great was the severity of the times, that many were afraid to pray in their homes, or to ask a blessing at their meals, if Jive strangers were at table. HISTORY OF rL'iUTANISM. 25 The Quakers gloried in their sufferings, and were so resolute as to assemble openly at the Bull and Mouth, near Aldersgate, whence the soldiers and other officials dragged them to prison till Newgate was filled. During the plague some of the nonconforming ministers fdled the vacant pulpits in London, and as they were said to have employed the opportunity to disseminate sedition, there was passed, on October 31st, 1665, The Five Mile Act. This act forbade nonconforming ministers coming within five miles of any town sending members to parliament, or of any village in which they had ministered, under a penalty of £40, and six months' imprisonment in addition, if they refused to take the oath of non-resistance. The act also forbade their keeping a school. This act seemed the climax of intolerance. To deprive men of the means of subsistence implies more deliberate cruelty, though it does not excite so much horror, as fire and fagot. To show with what rigour the act was pressed, Mr. Philip Henry's house, at Broad Oak, on measurement was found to be just five miles and three score yards from Worthenbury parish ; but the odd yards did not prevent his having to leave his family for some time. Birmingham being exempt from the operation of the act, became a refuge for many of the ejected minbters. The profligacy of the nation had now reached such a pitch that we cannot wonder that the people looked upon the great fire which occurred this year (1666) as a judgment upon the nation. Among the Nonconformists who died this year were the Rev. Mr. Edward Calamy, B.D., the ejected minister of Aldermanbury, born in London, 1600. He was one of the Westminster Assembly, and was persecuted and imprisoned in Newgate. The .sight of the city of Loudon after the fire so affected him, being out of health at the time, that he never came out of his chamber again, but died within a month. This year was memorable for the fall of Chancellor Ilyde, the great persecutor of the Nonconformists. The Dissenters were now increasing very fast. Though the persecutions continued fiercely, the Nonconformists ventured to assemble in private ; informers were now become a terror to them, and the reproach of a civihsed nation. A second Conventicle Act was passed (1670), wliich reduced the penalty on hearers, but inflicted a fine on preachers, and those who lent their houses for such purposes. 1674. — The great John Milton died. At the Restoration his books were burnt, and he narrowly escaped imprisonment himself. 1680. — Died the famous Mr. Thomas Gouge, son of Dr. Gouge, of Blackfriars, and the ejected minister of St. Sepulchre's. He was a man of great piety and charity, and had printed eight thousand Bibles in the Welsh language, and annually visited Wales, inspecting the schools and instructing the people. He sustained great loss by the fire in London. 1685.— Charles H. died. Kimr James began his reign with a frank and open profession of his religion. The first Sunday after his accession, he went publicly to mass, and obhged Father Huddleston, who attended his brother in his last hours, to declare to the world that he died a Roman Catholic. His Majesty acted the part of an absolute sovereign from the first, and the penal laws were put in execution against dissenters from the Church of England. This revived the persecution, which had relaxed a little upon the late king's death. The meeting houses of Protestant dissenters were shut up, the old trade of informing revived and flourished; ministers were dragged from their pulpits, their houses ransacked from top to bottom, even the rooms of the sick were invaded. Ministers could neither travel on the road nor appear in public but in disguise. 26 HISTUKY OF VmilTANlSM. One of the first who got into trouble was the llev. Mr. Baxter, who was committed to the Kinfr's Bench prison for some passages in liis paraplirase on the New Testament reflecting on the order of diocesan Bishops. The wicked Judge Jeflries tried him, and called him a " snivelUng, canting, Presbyterian." Baxter was fined five hundred marks, and sentenced to lie in prison till he paid it, and to be bound over to be of good behaviour for seven years. The dissenters continued to assemble for worship, but in the most private manner. If then- houses joined, they had windows or holes in the walls, so that the preacher's voice might be heard in two or three houses at once. They had also private passages, and trap doors for the escape of the ministers. Notwithstanding all these precautions, spies crept in, and great sums of money were raised by the fines levied. The eyes of the clergy were now opened to the increase of popery, and their writing against the Eomish doctrines broke all understanding between the king and the Church of England. His Majesty now resolved to introduce a universal toleration, in despite of the church, and at their expense ; he reproached the clergy for their violent persecution of the dissenters. It being thought impracticable to obtain a legal toleration in the present state of the nation. His Majesty determined to attempt it by the dispensing power, by which the laws of England were given up into the hands of the king. His Majesty now began to pacify the Nonconformists. A dispensation, or license* office, was set up, where all who applied might have an indulgence, paying only fifty shillings for themselves and their famiUes. According to Calamy, King James, previously to his adopting these conciliating measures with the dissenters, such was his art and dupUcity, had tried aU the methods he could think of to win over the church to his designs, and twice offered, it is said, to make a sacrifice of aU the dissenters in the kingdom to them if they would have complied with him ; but failing in this attempt, he faced about to the Nonconformists. We must now see how the Protestants were getting on in France. Henry IV., after abjuring the Protestant faith, issued the celebrated Edict of Nantes (1598) as the Charter of Rights of the Protestants of France. From 1628 they lived peaceably and obediently to the Government, and were distinguished for the purity of their morals, and their active industry ; but King Louis hated them, because they dared to hold opinions different to his own. The final blow came. The King revoked the Edict (1685), and sent his dragoons among the people, with license to commit all kinds of excesses in case they did not conform. A hundred thousand familiesf escaped from France, and transferred their industry to Germany, England, and Holland. The affairs of the nation were now drawing to a crisis ; His Majesty's chief dependence was the army, which he was casting in a popish mould, and his daughter, the Princess Mary, the next heir to the throne, he tried to convert to Eome. The King now pubUshed a second declaration for liberty of conscience, and it is about this time that the Jirst regular Society of Dissenters in Birmingham began to be formed, under Mr. WilUam Turton.:|: * From Local Notes and Queries, signed "B.," we learn that the names of the houses in Birmingham licensed for preaching ia were those of Samuel Willis, John Wall, Joseph Robinson, Samuel Taylor, Samuel Dooley, John Hunt, William Fincher, Richard Yamold, Thomas Gibson, William Yarrington, William Weeley,. John Pemberton, and Richard Careless. + Mr. Gaston Martineau was oni) of the refugees. He settled at Norwich, and became the ancestor of a numerous family, among whom may be mentioned the celebrated Miss Harriet Martineau, and the Rev. James Martineau, D.D., LL.D., also the Martineau family of Edgbaston. Relations of this family lie in the Old Meeting graveyard. X The following curious letter contains the names of the three ministers mentioned on the brass in the Old Meeting House, Birmingham: — "Birmingham, 6 Nov. 1684. "As to the nonconformists, there is only five now resident in B'ham — Mr. Brian, Mr. Evans, Mr. Fincher, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. SpUsbury. We had some others, & one Dr. Long, but he's run away. We have others which come to or towne often, as one Sweetman, that lives 2 miles off, at Moseley, and one Turton, a very dangerous nonconformist, and it is said will suddanely be Resident in Birmingham. As for Mr. Osland, I am informed that he comes often in these parts. I know not the man ; I am told, he lives in Wor'shire, hard by Bewdley. "I rest yor Dutifull & affectionate son, Georoe Dodd.'' HISTORY OF PURITANISM. 27 Eighteen bishops and the chief of the clergy refused to publish the declaration, as it was founded on that dispensing powei- that appeared to them illegal, as it had done to the Parliament in 1672. The king was very angry with the bishops, and ordered them to be sent to the Tower. During their imprisonment, ten nonconformist ministers visited them, which much displeased the king, who sent for four of them, and reprimanded them. Their answer was, " That they could not but adhere to the bishops as men constant and firm to the Protestant faith." The bishops were tried on the 29th June in Westminster Hall, and after a trial of ten hours were acquitted, to the great joy of the people. We have now seen how the church party and Nonconformists acted together against the king. The low church party meant honestly, but there was another party in the church, afterwards known by the name of Non-Jurors and Jacobites, who, when the Prince of Orange had rescued them, would have sent him back again ; they became persecutors as of old. The nation had been some time looking to the Prince of Orange to deliver them from their Romish and arbitrary king. Prince William landed at Torbay, November 5th, 1688, with- out meeting the king's fleet, which was sent to intercept him. He was so well received that the king lost heart, and retired to Salisbury, with a small portion of his army, and finally to France. The wicked Judge Jeffries, about this time, was sent to the Tower, but died before his trial. Thus ended the short and unhappy reign of James U.., and the male line of the House of Stuart, a race of princes which has been the scourge of the nation, as they were opposed to all liberty, constitutional and reUgious. We now come to the reign of William and Mary, and the passing of the Act of Toleration, which led to the building of the majority of our oldest chapels in the kingdom. It was at first proposed in the House to be only a temporary Act, but this was rejected. It is entitled "An Act for exempting their Majesties', Protestant subjects, dissenting from the Church of England, from the penalties of certain laws therein-mentioned." It received the royal assent on Friday, May 24th, 1689 ; but the Corporation and Test Acts were not inserted in this Act. Those who denied the doctrine of the Trinity were also excepted. We have now brought the history of the Puritans, or Nonconformists, down to the time of the building of our first chapel in Birmingham — the history of which will form the subject of another chapter. We cannot do better than close this history with a record of the names of those Puritans whom Calamy has mentioned in connection with Birmingham, and to whom the present race of Dissenters in this town may justly look as the Fathers of Nonconformity. The first name we may mention is— "■Mr. Samuel Wills, a Puritan, and rector of St. Martin's for nearly twenty years, durmg the most eventful period of the seventeenth century. By his zeal and energy Mr. Wills contributed greatly to confirm the people of Birmingham in their love of truth and freedom, and his ejection from his living, which took place shortly before the passing of the Act of Uniformity, was the beginning of a series of persecutions, under which both the preachers and hearers of nonconforming doctrines in Birmingham suffered long and deeply. Mr. Wills preached for some time to a congregation at Coventry, from which persecution banished him. He died May 14th, 1684, aged 73." Thomas Bladon, vicar of Ah-ewas, Staffordshire. "He lived many years in Birmingham, and preached at many places thereabouts." TJiomas Wilshy, rector of Womborn, Staffordshire. " He lived either at or near Birming- ham, and had some trouble for preaching in those parts, especially from Sir Richard Holt," who resided at Aston HaU, near Birmingham. 28 HISTORY OF PURITANISM. Samuel Ilildersham, B.I)., Fellow of Emanuel College, Cambridge, was the only son of Mr. Arthur Hildersham, of Ashby, a divine of great worth. He was one of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. After his ejection he lived at Erdington, in the parish of Birmiiigham- Aston, where he died 1G74, aged 80. " He was a grave, peaceable, pious, learned divine," says Baxter. His friend Philip Henry adds, " Loving and charitable, an excellent preacher, an eminent expositor, and very much of a gentleman." He married the daughter of Sir Henry Goodyear, who was the patron of Michael Drayton. He ordered, by his will, this inscription upon his gravestone : — " Samuel Hildersham, B.D., rector of West Felton, in the county of Salop, 34 years, till August 24th, 16G2." 6'amuel Bryan, vicar of Allesley, Warwickshire, Fellow of Peter House, Cambridge. He was educated by his father. Dr. Bryan, who was ejected from Coventry." " He fixed at Birmingham. He was taken up for preaching the gospel, and hurried to gaol, where he remained six months with great patience and cheerfulness, not sparing to commit the same fault again as soon as his great Master gave him the opportunity." Tliomas Baldwin, Junior, vicar of Clent, Staffordshire (one of the names recorded on the brass in the Old Meeting House, Birmingham). " Some time after his ejectment he exercised his ministry among the dissenters at Birmingham, where he died. His name was long precious at both places." William Fincher, ejected from Wednesbury, Staffordshire (another of the names recorded on the brass in the Old Meeting House). "He was an heavenly, good man, and of a most sweet temper. He was also a solid, close, awakening preacher. He died at Birmingham." William Brookes, from Hintes, Staffbrdshire. " He removed to Birmingham, from which he went to preach at certain places where help was wanted." He died about 1670. Bell, vicar of Polesworth, Warwickshire. " After his ejection he spent his time in profitable conversation with Mr. S. Hildersham, who, with others, found a refuge at Erdington, near Birmintrham." Josiah Bassett. " A son of his, of the same name, was a nonconforming minister at Birmingham." He lived and died at Birmingham, but was minister at Cradley from 1705 to 1735. He probably rendered occasional assistance to the congregations at Birmingham. George Long, M.D., Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, ejected from Newcastle-under- Lyme. After his ejection he went to Leyden, and studied physic, but after his return, " his conscience put him upon preaching as his chief work." Having settled at Newcastle again, he was indicted for living in a corporate town, " and forced to remove when he had seven children, knowing not whither to go. Attempting to settle at Birmingham he was persecuted there also. He fled to Ireland. At the Revolution he returned to Newcastle, and renewed his labours, and died at Bristol 1712, aged 84." Samuel Fisher, M.A., rector of Thornton-in-the-Moor, Cheshire. " He was an ancient divine, an able preacher, and of a godly life. He lived many years at Birmingham, and died there." It appears that in 1673 the Presbyterians had a licensed place of worship in Birmingham, and that Mr. Samuel Fisher preached to them. He printed a sermon "On honouring the king," dated " From my study at Birmingham, March 10th, 1673." William Turton, M.A., the first minister of the Old Meeting House (and another of the names recorded on the brass), of whom more hereafter. Such were the men who carried on and confirmed the good work which probably had commenced prior to the civil wars. Um & Jr;,;,.^ '^V^vvhen \he chapel was e^ec^ed a^ 1689. NEW STREET C<5 ;2^ THE FIRST CHAPEL, •1 Old Meeting House. The f(r«h Nonconformist- Chapei.Bullf in Birmingham 1689, Destroyed in rhe nobs 1791. WfE have now arrived at an important era in the history of Nonconformity in Birmingham, wm viz., the building of our first chapel. 'T' It win be" seen in the history of the Puritans, that previous to the indulgence of James 11. there were houses in Birmingham licensed for pubUc worship, and a feeling of comparative safety from persecution had sprung up, which led to the purchase of land upon which to build a place of worship. Before entering on tlu- history of the first chapel, it may be well to describe its locality in the town. It will bi- seen from the annexed plan that tlu' names of streets were diflerent from what they are now, more i)articularly the street in which the present chapel is built, it having been known by three dillerent names. In 1687 the outskirts of Birmingham had reached some distance up Pinlold Street, formerly called Dudwall Lane (the main high road from the nuinor house of Birmingham to Dudley), and its lower part, afterwards called Dudley Street, and the small bye-street first called PhiUip Street (probably from Kobert Phillips, of Newton Eegis, who owned land in the street), afterwards caHed New Eow, and finally Old Meeting Street, was formed into a croft of land belonging to Joseph Carless, when it was cut up into building lots, and a right of way given out of New Street, through a place called Ashford's " IToredrove," into Ashford's croft. Another means of access to the laud was by a passage crossing the top of Lea's Lane into the market i)la.e. Tlie founders of the Meeting House were mainly resident in Edgbaston Street, Moor Street, Park Street, and Digbeth, and access from New Street was therefore of small importance. 30 HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. Tlae Presbyterians in Birmingham were a strong and important body, as we shall see by the names of the founders, and it is an indication of their spirit that they should, with so little delay, have selected and made arrangements (October 11th, 1G87) with Bobert Bridgens, carpenter, for the purchase of a piece of land, which formed a part of Carless' croft, on which to erect a chapel, and form a society on a lasting ba^^is, for the public exercise of their mode of worship. The land, as will be seen on the plan, was bounded on the north by land belonging to J. Robinson, on the south by that belonging to H. J. Davis, and on the west by that belonging to Abraham Whai'ton. There must have been a small graveyard attached to the chapel from the first, as one of the founders was buried there in 1G96. The chapel, finished in 1689, was a very plain-looking building, with gables, as will be seen from the engraving, nor was it sufficiently commodious, as we find soon after that pm •Pif 11 11 mw. * 'it Hlfr flBi w Lower Meeting House. as if appeared when conve^^ed ■nho a workshop the Nonconformists had so increased in numbers that one building was insufficient to hold them, and another chapel was erected, called the Lower Meeting House, in Deritend, which must have been frequently exposed to inundations from the river Rea. The Lower Meeting was a similar building to the Old or Higher Meeting (as it was called from its being on higher ground), having three gables. It sustained considerable injury in the Sacheverell riots. From a letter, dated Birmingham, Jidy 20th, 1715, we learn that it was the private property of a Mr. Russen. The early meeting houses were often the property of private individuals. The proprietor, to save the walls, promised the mob that the chapel should be used as a dwelling-house, which promise was not kept, for the chapel was repaired, and the Society continued to worship in it tiU their removal into Moor Street [New Meeting] in 1732. HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 31 ^^ CTB^ThV h >i > win 'r:x- The Lower Meeting House eventually became a workshop, and has been taken down some years ; the only indication of its former exist- ence is the gateway which led to it, over which is placed Meeting House Yard.* The first minister of the Lower Meeting House was Mr. SiUitoe, who married a daughter of the Eev. William Fincher, one of the ejected ministers, whose name is recorded on the brass in the Old Meeting House. He died early in life, probably about 1704. Mrs. Sillitoe died in 1732. The religious opinions of the first founders of the Old Meeting House were no doubt Trinitarian ; but having their minds free and unfettered from creeds, they became soon afterwards Arians, and finally Unit- arians. Li its historical position, the Old Meeting, past and present, may be considered the parent church BeNveen 224*226 Dentend. of Nonconformity, as St. Martin's, in Birmingham, is the mother church of Conformity. The first chapel was built by eleven proprietors or shareholders, whose names are here recorded. The shares were €20 each; £220, the total value of the shares, was the whole cost of land and buildin". LIST OF SHAEEHOLDEES. George Jackso.v. Egbert Maxsell. James Grier. fSiEPnEN Newton. Isaac Welsh. JoHX Baker. George Batliss. JosEi'ii Haddock. Joseph Eobinso.x. JWiLLiAM Guest. Nicholas Bakewell. Jackson. —George Jackson was a prosperous Unendraper, occupying a quaint old shop, of which he held a lease, in the centre of the Bull Eing, in a street or passage leading from Mercer Street (now Spiceal Street) to Corncheaping, taken down early in the present century. Members of the Jackson family had lived near this spot for one hundred and fifty years. George Jackson was appointed a trustee of Lench's Charity in 1668 ; also a trustee of Kylcuppe's Gift ; he founded a charity known as George Jackson's Charity. He died in 1696, and was buried in the graveyard. The object of his Charity was — " ' The setting and putting forth Apprentices yearly, two or more of the male children of such of the poorest sort of the housekeepers and inhabitants living within the Towne parish and Lordship of Birmingham . . . . as doe not receive collecion of or from the said Towne or parish." The trustees to his will were Richard Scott the elder, of Birmingham, Unendraper; Ambrose Foxall, cutler; William Guest, maltster; William Collius, mercer ; John Eogers, mercer ; George Wills, sadler ; John Baker, tallowe chandler ; John Foxall, ironmonger ; Thomas Warren, sadler ; James Lewis, boddys maker ; John Gisbome, mercer ; Richard Scott the younger, Unendraper ; and Ambrose Foxall, ironmonger. The premises thus devised were originally of the value of £10 2s. per annum, at which they remained until the year 1718, when the property became very dilapidated. From an item in the accomit of this period of 12s. 2d. ' paid labourers for drink,' it would appear that the repairs done to them were somewhat extensive, and that the labourers were nmnerous."|| * Since the above was vsritten the gateway has been token down for street improremeats. + Newton Street has been named after him. J Owner of part of the Cherry Orchani, Cherry Street, Hirmiugham. I) Old and New Birmingham, pp. 77, 78. 32 HISTOKY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. EoBiNSON. — Joseph Robinson held the office of constable in IfiOO, but his family appears to have removed shortly after to London. M-WSELL. — Robert Mansell does not appear to have belonged to an old Birmingham family, although the name was honourably associated with the town for many years after- wards. His share in the meeting house remained in the family for sixty-four years, and in 1751 and 1755 Benjamin Mansell held the office of low bailifT, and William Mansell that of constable in 1769. Guest. — William Guest, a maltster, constable in IGSl, a trustee of Lench's Charity in 1696, and of George Jackson's Cliarity in 1096. The family has held a respectable position in the town from the fourteenth century, and were among the tenants of the Free School at its foundation. His son, Moses Guest, sold his share in 1734. Grier. — James Grier, constable in 1697. He, with his sons James and Jonathan, were for many years among the leading .supporters of the Meeting House, and the latter for more than fifty years a trustee of Lench's Charity. B.vKEWELL. — Nicholas Bakewell, made constable in 1701, sold his share in 1706 to the Eev. D. Greenwood. Newton. — Stephen Newton, maltster, constable 1711, 1715, and 1710, was one of the jury at the Court Leet of October, 1722, when the attempt was made to wrest the office of low bailiff from the dissenters. He bought up Robinson's share, and sold both to Samuel Harvey in 1718. Welch. — Isaac Welsh, a trustee in 1721. Haddock. — Joseph Haddock was constable 1696 ; the share passed to his son, William Haddock, a chandler, who held a very good position in the town, and was a trustee of Lench's Charity. Baker. — John Baker, chandler, in Corn Cheaping, a trustee of Lench's Charity, 1691, also of Jackson's Charity for many years, constable in 1698, afterwards low bailiff, and on the jury at the Court Leet, 1722. His family was long connected with the Meeting House. B.WMSS. — George Bayliss died during the erection of the building, and his widow was paid for the share. NEW PROPRLETORS. Russell. — WiUiam Russell served as constable in 1712, and afterwards held other pubHc offices. The Russell family had long been honourably distinguished in the town, and still retains its high position. William Russell, witli John Gisborne, presented shares to the congregation in 1734. Kettle. — William Kettle, constable in 1699, afterwards low baihff. The connection of the Kettle family with the Birmingham steel manufacture (Steelhouse Lane) is well known. The late Mrs. Kentish, wife of the Rev. John Kentish, minister of the New Meeting House, Birmingham, was a descendant of this family. Harvey. — Samuel Harvey. This name, in its connection with the trade of sword-cutler in Birmingham and Deritend, has lasted for centuries, all of the family passing through the usual manorial offices. The Harveys were continually trustees of the Meeting House, and seatholders till 1791. HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 33 Allen. — Philip Allen apparently sold his share. He was probably the father of Thomas Allen, who left and joined the Carrs Lane congregation. GiSBORNE. — John Gisborne, a mercer and dyer, constable in 1718, a trustee of Lench's Charily, 1G91, and also of G. Jackson's Charity. Several members of the family served as public officers. J. Gisborne purchased Jackson's interest from his widow, and shared with W. Russell the foundation of the Old Meeting Trust by the gift of such share. He resided in Edgbaston Street. LucKcocK. — In 1524 a John Locock was master of the Guild of Holy Cross, and the name is often met with during the last two centuries in connection with Birmingham. A Joseph Luckcock was a seatbolder in 1791. HooKE. — Christopher Hooke, 1674 and 1070, long in practice as a leading attorney in Birmingham, and holding a very responsible position in the town. He conducted the proceed- ings against the Lords Steward's jiarty in 1722, and was generally employed by the leading Presbyterians. He was a good lawyer, and his work was always distinguished for complete- ness and boldness. Christopher Hooke lived in Moor Street, where the New Meeting stands. Addis and Finciier were connected with the Turtons, Addyes, and Scotts. These names are well known, but not being founders, description is unnecessary. The following is a copy of the certificate which enabled the building to be used as a place of worship : — " IG July, 1G89.— At General Quarter Sessions for county of Warwick, It was certified into the Court by William Fiuchcr, Thomas Baldwin, & William Turton, in this county, gentlemen, that the publique meeting house erected and built in Phillipp Street, in Birmingham aforesaid, in the said county, is intended to be used as a meeting place for a congregation of Dissenting protestants, which is recorded by the court." The first event of importance in connection with the history of the chapel was its partial destruction by rioters in 1715. Ever since the Revolution, party feeling had run high ; on Queen Anne's accession matters became worse, and her reign was noted for the strife of parties. As it was well known that the Queen was on the Jacobite* or High Church side, the enemies of the Whigs took courage, and churchmen entered the lists against them. Dr. Sacheverell, rector of St. Saviour's, Southwark, who had been described as " a clergy- man of narrow intellects and over-heated imagination," was raised into temporary importance by party spirit. In a sermon which he preached at St. Paul's (November 5th, 1709), he took occasion to defend the doctrine of non-resistance, and to inveigh against the Toleration Act and Dissenters ; he also spoke of the Revolution as an unrighteous change, and declared the Church of England in danger. The sermon was printed, and although exception was taken to it, 40,000 copies were sold. The House of Commons voted it and the previous sermon scandalous and seditious ; the doctor was impeached by the House for high crimes and misdemeanours, and was tried at Westminster Hall, February 27th, 1709. The trial lasted three weeks, the hall being crowded each day, the queen herself being present. It was a period of intense excitement, and soon the cry was raised, " Down with the Dissenters ! High Church for ever ! " The mob began their attack upon the chapel of Mr. Burtress, a dissenting minister, in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields ; they afterwards ransacked five other chapels in London. So long as the rioters were only burning and ruining dissenting chapels, the court remained passive; but when the news came of the destruction of the Episcopal • Those who favoured the Pretender James Stuart wore called Jacobites, from Jacobus, the Latin name for James. F 34 HISTORY OF Till': OLD :\ii':eting house. chapel of St. John's (the mob mistaking it for a dissenting chapel, it being without a steeple), and the threatened destruction of the Bank of England, the queen became alarmed. Dr. Sacheverell was found guilty, and sentence was given that he should not preach for three years, and that his two sermons should be burnt by the common hangman in front of the Eoyal Exchange. The same month that his suspension terminated he Ava.s appointed by the queen to the valuable rectory of St. Andrew's, Holborn. The year of his trial the doctor passed through Birmingham, where he was received with enthusiasm. He proceeded to Sutton-Coldfield,* where he preached in his usual strain, and was attended by a large concourse of people from Birmingham. No very serious inconvenience was felt by the dissenters in the neighbourhood till after the queen's death (August 1st, 1714), when the dissenters, being unanimous for the Hanoverian succession, became the object for persecution by the tory and high church party ; many of their chapels were wholly or partially destroyed, and, as we have read, the Higher or Old Meeting and the Lower Meeting were nearly destroyed ; also the chapels at West Bromwich, Oldbury, Dudley, Cradley, and Bradley. The following extract from the old letter formerly alluded to will be found interesting : — " On Sabbath day the Women and Boys worked hard at our Meeting House all day, though the Justices were in town ; and once the Justices went to it, and somebody gave the mob notice of it, and they all fled — there was not one to be seen. But in a quarter of an hour after tliey were gone they set to their work again, and have done a great deal of damage to it ; but there is a great deal of it standing yet." The partial destruction of the chapel took place on Sunday, July 17th, 1715. The following extract is from the diary of ]Mr. Thomas Newnham, some of whose family lie in the burial-ground. It is inserted to show the price of sittings in the chapel at an early period of its history; from its quaintness we hope it will be interesting to our readers: — Tbo* Newnham, removed from Tewkesbury, Mids', 1711, to Weatheroak Ilill. From Kingswood, Weatberoak, spring of 1735, to Bkmingham. July 23, 1735. — I agreed with ye collector of Mr. Mattock's Meeting for two sittings in a seat wherein one Mr. Josiah Ashford,t Dec*, sate, & I ttm to pay 2/- a quarter fi-om midsummer last to Ladyday next ; same day I pay'"" 1/- to the Collector, which was in arrears when the said Mr. Ashford died, wch he should have paid. Upon the 27th following I began to sit in the seat above mentioned. Oct. 7th, 1735. — P**- Mr Silvester one quarters pay I have in the Meeting, due at Michaelmas last, the sum of 2/0. Dec. 24, 1735. — gave the Clerk of the Meeting House 1/. Jan. 18, 173t5. — gave 3d, to the collection towards candles used this winter in the Meeting House. April 7, 1736.— (full entry, qrs. Rent), 2/. July 12, 1736.— P-^ „ 2/. Oct. 13, „ . — ,, and delivered up the sitting, 2/. At Christmas, 1737, I began to sit with Mi-. Eogers. July 26, 1738.— P"- 2 quarters, 3/. Aug. 23, „ . — ,, 1 quarter, 1/6. Jan. 26, 1739.— ,, 1 ,, 1/6. • Among the monuments in Sutton Coldfield chnrch is one to the memory of George Sacheverell, of New Hall, in the parish of Sutton Coldfield, a relative and patron of the celebrated Jaeobite preacher. " The immediate ancestors of Dr. Sacheverell were of Dorsetshire, and, as his great-giandfatlier wrote his name Cheverell, it is probable that he was descended from the Cheverells of Wiltshire. His father w.is Presbyterian minister of Wincanton, and many of his family were I'urilans. His father died minister of St. Peter's Church, in Marlborough, and Henry was. adopted and educated by Mr. Edward Hearst, an apothecary, and he became Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. Bishop Burnett aided his widowed mother. He was latterly desirous of being considered one of the Derbyshire Sachevenlls, but his relationship is not made out. However, George Sauheverell bequeathed to him a moiety of the Callow estate in 1715, when he left the other moiety, containing the hall and demesne, and the estate of New Hall, to his great nephew, Charles Chadwick, who tok the name of Sacheverell." — (History of Sutton Coldfield, 1860). t Probably of Ashford's Croft. — See plan. HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 35 The next event to be noti(;ed in chronological order is the secession from the Old Meeting (1747) of some members who, being Calviiiists, felt compelled to separate from the congregation. They formed the Society now meeting at Carrs Lane chapel. It seems to have been a small matter, and not to have infhienced the prosperity of the chapel. The following are the names of the leaders of the separatists : — Jolin Humphries, George Davis, John England, Eichard Jukes, — Kendal, — Ilalford, Thomas Allen. George Davis continued to be a tiustee of the Old Meeting; he was appointed in 17-34, and was a party to the deed of 1743; was again appointed in 1778. None of the proprietors of the chapel appear to have sold any of their shares on tlieir secession. At this time many of the old membei-s of the Meeting Houses were governors of the Free Grammar School. In 1772 we find from the minute books tliat sittings in the gallery were called seats in the "loft," and those on the floor "seats below stairs," that the number of subscribers wtvs one hundred and thirty, of sittings upwards of seven hundred, of attendants four hundred or five hundred. That the sittings were four shillings each in the front "loft,"' side aisle five .•^hillings, middle aisle six shillings, and near the pulpit seven shillings. 1770. — TLe Trustees purchased from Mr. Michael Lakin " The Bull and Gate House " Charity School and all the premises situate in Old Meeting Street for £540. Charged with an annuity of £8. 1785. — Mr. Coates' salary fixed at £00 per ann. 1785, Sept. 0. — It was resolved to have the seats numbered, and to provide sittings in the gallery for servants of members of the congregation. 1788, May 12. — Eesolved that the sum of ten pounds be allowed to the singers. Such is the scanty information we have, till the memorable riots of 1791 ; probably valuable information was lost by fire at that time. Eecords of tlie pastors of the congregation, with the duration of their ministry, will be found in the copies of the memorial boards, also in the biographical notices of their lives. The names of the cha{)el wardens will al.«o be found placed chronologically. The story of tlio Church and King riots of 1791 has been often told, and it forms a dark page in our local history. A few of the incidents which led to the riots must, however, be recorded here, as our chapel was one of the many buildings destroyed. WiUiam Hutton, in his narrative of the riots, which will be foinid in the History of his Life, 1817, says: — "Birmingham, though nearly without a government, had continued in harmony dui-ing the forty years of my residence. Eeligious and pohtical disputes were expiring, when, like a smothered fire, they bui'st forth with amazing fm-y. . . . The dehghtful harmony of this popidous place seems to have been disturbed by five occurrences. " A public Ubrary having been instituted upon an extensive plan, some of the members attempted to vote in Dr. Priestley's polemical works, to which the clergy were averse. Tliis produced two parties, and its natuial consequence, animosity in both. ^Vhether the gentlemen of the black gown acted with policy is doubtful, for truth never suffers by investigation. " The next was an attempt to pi'ocure a repeal of the Test Act, in which the dissenters took an active but a modest part. . . . Controversy was a third cause. Some unciuirit- able expressions falling from the Episcopal pulpits, involved Dr. Priestley in a dispute with the clergy. When acrimony is used by two sides, the weakest only is blameable. To dispute with the doctor was deemed the road to preferment. He had already nuide two bishops, and there were still several heads which wanted mitres, and others who cast a more humble eye upon tithes and glebe lands. The doctor, on hLs part, used some warm expressions, 3G HISTORY OF TILE OLD MEETING HOUSE. which his friends wished had been omitted. These were placed in horrid lights ; and here ao-ain the stronger side ever reserves to itself the ])rivilege of putting what construction it pleases iipon the words of the weaker. However, if the peace of society is broken, we cannot but renret it, whatever be the cause. " The fourth occurrence was an inflammatory hand-bill,* which operated upon the mind like a pestilence upon (he body. Wherever it touched it poisoned. Nothing could be more unjust than charging this bill upon the dissenters, and, in consequence, dooming them to destruction. It appears from its very contents that it could not proceed from a hodij. If it was fiibricated by a dissenter, is it right to punish the whole body with fire and plunder? The fifth was a public dinner at the hotel, to commemorate the anniversary of the French revolution. This, abstractedly considered, was an inoffensive meeting. It only became an error by being ill-timed." William Hutton further says in his History of Birmingham, 1819: — "These unhappy riots, wliicli began on Thursday, July 14th, 1791, have astonished all Europe, as a shameful attack upon private property, which, in all civilized nations, is held sacred. They were a disgrace to humanity, and a lasting stigma on the place. About eighty-one persons of various denominations having met at the hotel to celebrate the anniversary of the French Kevolution, the mob collected and broke the windows. They went afterwards to the New Meeting House (Dr. Priestley's), which they burnt ; then to the Old Meeting House, which also they left in ashes. From thence they marched to the doctor's house, about a mile from the town. Here his valuable furniture, with a more valuable library, and what is most to be regretted, his philosophical apparatus and manuscripts, together with the extensive building, ended in flames. " Friday, July 15, began with the conflagration of the mansion of John Eyland, Esq., at Easy Hill. And while one mob was consuming Bordesley Hall, the elegant and costly mansion of John Taylor, Esq., another was destroying my house, stock-in-trade, books, and furniture. " Saturday, the 16th, began with burning my other house and furniture at Bennett's Hill, two miles distant. The beautiful residence of George Humphrys, Esq., then fell a prey to rapine. That of William Eussell, Esq., of Showell Green, hkewise ended in a blaze. Moseley Hall, the property of John Taylor, Esq., next felt the vengeance of the mob. This was occupied by Lady Carhampton, mother to the Duchess of Cumberland. But neither the years of this lady, being blind with age, nor her alliance to the king, could protect it. She was ordered to remove her furniture, and told by the rioters that if she wanted help they would assist her. She was therefore, like Lot, hastened away before the flames arose, but not by angels. They next carried the faggot to the Eev. Mr. Hobson's, and burnt his all ; then to Mr. Harwood's, whose house was licensed for public worship ; they then plundered that of the Eev. Mr. Coates ; and those of Mi. Hawkes and Thomas Eussell, Esq. "Sunday, the 17th. was ushered in with the burning of Kingswood meeting house, the parsonage house, with that of Mr. Cox, licensed for divine service. Eeturning nearer Birmingham, they plundered Edgbaston Hall, the residence of Dr. Withering ; and attacked that of Mr. Male. But hearing in the evening that a troop of light horse was near, they silently mouldered away. " The damage done by this outrage was more than £60,000, An order was obtained in 1793 to reimburse the sufferers. * It appeared afterwarJs that it was fabricated in Loudoo, brought to Birmingham, and that a few copies were privately scattered under the table at an inn. — W. H. HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 37 " They recovered, in their various trials, which were conducted at the expense of £13,000, the sum of £26,961 2s. 3d. The trustees of the New Meeting House, having lost their hcense, were not able to sue, but the king was pleased, upon the application of Mr. Eussell to Mr. Pitt, to grant a warrant upon the Treasury for £2,000." THE FOLLOWING IS AN INYENTORY OF PEOPERTY BELONGING TO THE CHAPEL DESTROYED AT THE RIOTS. " In the body of the first chapel at the time of the riots were 70 pews. In the three galleries 50 pews. Pews, probably separate lettings 160 Books, about 720 Elbow boards, about ... ... ... ... 60 Drawers ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 Mats for floors 30 Basses 420 Cushions 270 1 large clock, inside meeting, facing pulpit. 1 marble Tombstone, erected to the memory of a deceased minister, in the body of the meeting, against one of the walls. 2 large brass chandeliers, also 3 in galleries. 20 large sconces for single candles. 1 large velvet cushion, in the pulpit IN THE VESTRY. 5 of Bishop's Anthems. 3 of Bond's 11 large Books of written Anthems. 1 Book Harrison's tunes. 2 Books of Dr. Ashworth's collection. 1 Book of Broom's „ 1 large Book, with tunes in 4 parts. 1 of Dr. Croft's Anthems. 5 Small Tune Books. 1 of Dr. Alcock's tune Books. IN VESTRY AND TABLE PEW. 2 large folio Bibles. 1 Quarto ,, 2 small „ 3 Watts' Psalms. 2 Vols. Bennett's Oratory. 1 Brown's Hymns. Green tablecloth, a large deal painted box, with lock and key, and brass castors, full of tunes and anthems. Pitch Pipe, cost 9/. 6 deep pewter plates. A Bassoon, cost £4 4s. Od. Violoncello, in Mr. Luckcock's pew, £4 48. Od. IN THE PULPIT. A Green Velvet Cushion, with Tassells 1 Green Moreen Cushion for the seat on the door. On the door a Brass handle and iron lock. 4 Brass Candlesticks, 1 Boss, 3 or 4 Black Tassells. THE CLERK'S SEAT. 2 Brass Candlesticks, 1 Cushion, 1 Boss. VESTRY. Fender, Fire-irons, & a Bath stove grate. 1 Spade, 1 Mattock, Brooms, Cloth Brush. Brass Candlesticks, & one looking glass. 2 ladders & Bier, 3 ropes in the Entry. John Cordon's gravestone destroyed." 38 IJISTOEY OF THE OLD MEETING IlOUaE. POSITION OF TEWS AND NAMES OF SEAT-HOLDERS AT THE TIME OF THE RIOTS IN 1791. W'lLLiA-M Hunt. Edwakd Webb. Egbert Mougax, EoBEiiT Mason. T. Pembebton, John- Aixen, Joseph May, Hannah Hipkiss. William Wright. Edward Lucas, William Baylis, Thomas Eussell. Thomas Parkes, Samuel Harrison, P. H. Witton, BOGER MaCEIE, John Miles, Samuel Eogers, Ann Lewis, Mrs. Webster, Edmond Wright, Joseph Wright, Thomas Francis, Thomas Bolton, William Davis, J. Bentley, PULPIT. Mrs. Eickards. William Humphrys* Benjamin Stokes, John Lawrence, T. Lee, S. Har\tvy, J. H. Houghton, John Eidvard, George Timmins, Mrs. Martha Wright, Edward Whitfield, J. Gill and Thomas Beach, h. buffery, Peter Gouge, Sarah Webster, George Cracknell, Thomas Briggs, Sanders and Dingley, Betsey Bakwell, Thomas Wakeman, William Medley, William Price, Eoger Jones, John Joseph Hill, Richard Beach. Samuel Pemberton, Mr. Copeland and J. Forbes. Ja.mes Jackson, George Humphrys, Thcmas Lawrence, Wilkinson and Mrs EicHAUD Gibbs, John Burton, Edward Hughes. B. Hewson, Joseph Thompson, Williaji Mewis, John Brown, H. Javens, B. Bannister, Samuel Chantry, Eev. Mr. Scholefxeld, William Eichards, H. Hunt, Ann Chantry, Elizabeth Eaven, Jajies Bodin, Joseph Eoper, John Yates, Joseph Luckcock, Thomas Shipley, Thomas Horton, Ray, Mr. Lawrence had the title-deeds of the chapel at the time of the riots ; the following were the names of the trustees in 1791 : — ThO-M.-VS L-IWEENCE. WiLLi.iM Hunt. James Moore. Robert Mason. Samuel Harvey. Robert Morgan. William Humphrys. James Jackson. Benjamin May. Joseph Tyndall. Samuel Pemberton. The chapels being totally destroyed, the two societies agreed to worship together (till their respective chapels should be rebuilt), at a commodious building in Livery Street, which was hence called Union Chapel. Here tlie four ministers of the two societies officiated alternately. The chapel was opened on the 13th of November, 1791, by Mr. Coates, who preached an excellent sermon upon the occasion from the words, " But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship tlie Father in spirit and in truth : for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a spii'it : and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John iv. chap., 23 24 verses). It was filled both parts of the day ; not less than one thousand people attending in the morning, and about twelve hundred in the afternoon. "Lost at the riots, a curious pocket Bible, bound in smooth black calf, neatly gilt in ye leaves and outside, invaluable to Mrs. Humphrys, as belonging to her father," the Rev. John Alexander, iciTHi- Kffrl nf .Stirling, who mai-ried Hannah, daughter of the Rev. John Higgs. Her remains were Interred in the graveyard of the Old Meeting House. _l UJ CL < I o o o a. I- HISTORY OF TIIE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 39 Wk now come to the building of our present chapel, which at the time was descrit^ed as a very handsome, substantial, brick building ; substantial, no doubt, but we could not now call it handsome. It stands on the site of the former one, has three galleries, and the dimensions are fifty-nine feet by fifty-nine ; it will accommodate eleven hundred worshippers. It is much (o the credit of our ancestors that they should have met together almost before the ashes of the destroyed chapel were cold, and subscribed the very handsome sum they did. Their names and the amount of their subscriptions are very properly recorded on one of the memorial boards. For the account of the re-building of the chapel we must now turn to the extracts from the minute books : — " The following resolutions were at the several subsequent meetings of the Trustees & Subscribers to tlie said Meeting House, determined upon to effect tlie re-building: — " Freeth's Coffee House, 19 Aug., 1791. '• A meeting of the Trustees of the Old Meeting having been summoned this day to consider what steps it ni:iy be proper to adopt in the present situation of our affairs. Present : — Messrs. W. Hunt, S. Pembertou, J. Jackson, & T. Lawrence. "Eesolved that Mr. Thos. Kusscll be requested to make enquiry concerning the price of bricks, and likewise that Mr. Copelaud be desired to make enquiry after the price of timber, that will be proper for re-building the Meeting House, and it appears desirable that different plans of the building should be procured." "31 Aug., 1791. — Eesolved, that Mr. B. Stokes be desired to wait on Mr. Thomas Francis, and procuie the terms he will dispose of his house in Dudley St. to the Trustees. Mr. Lakin, of Hall End, made an offer of some oak timber. Resolved, that Mr. G. Humphi-js make enquiiy about the price of oak timber from another quarter ; also that Mr. Copcland be desired to measiu-e the gromid where the meeting is proposed to be built." It was thought desirable to change the site of the chapel, and a deputation waited upon Dr. Withering to know whether he would let any of his land near Cherry Street. Mr. T. liussell and llr. Iluut reported that Dr. Withering had said that he should expect one shilling per square yard for a lease of ninety-nine years, and he thought that if a lease of a much longer term was wanted that it was worth more. It was finally resolved to re-build the Meeting House on the old spot. The present chapel is larger than the old one, as they had to take down houses before comniencintj to build. In these davs of contracts it sounds odd to read of the dillerent members of the building committee having to look after bricks, timber, Eiga oak, stone, &c., and then advertise in the public papers for estimates to put them together. Additional strength of the walls was decided upon, in anticipation, no doubt, of its being destroyed again. •' Mr. Copcland went to London to consult Mr. Wyatt about the plan of the roof. Mr. Burton agreed to cover the Meeting with best black Westmoreland slates at 40s. per square, finding every ai-ticle except laths. The nails to be tiu'd and cast iron. Pegs to be boil'd in oil. The lap to be 3 in. at the bottom for one-third of the roof; 2 in. tlio middle for one-third; 1^ iu. at the top for one-third." The chapel was opened October -ith, 1795. On this day the congregation returned to tlie spot where they and their fathers had worshipped before. The Rev. E. Scholefield preached 1 in the morning', and the Eev. John Coates in the afternoon. Until July 17th, 1796, Dr. Watts' hymns were used by the Society; after this it was resolved to use Dr. Kippis' hymns. We must now return again to the minute books. " 17 Jan., 1797. — Resolved that Benjamin Detliick bo appointed to succeed Bolus in the otSce of Beadle and Sexton at a salary of six guineas per yeiu', that the same be considered as a sutlicicnt application for 'Xxuas boxes, which are not to be asked, and that he be allowed after the same rate for bis past services . . . ." 18th October, 1799. — At this time the congregation must have possessed an organ, as Miss Tyndal wished to dechne the place of organist at Christmas. 40 HISTORY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. " Oct. 27, 1790. — Resolved to give the Rev. Radcliffe Scholefield an annuity of £100 per ann. for life. In 1803 the congregation erected a monument to his memory; £104 9s. 6d. collected to pay for funeral, monument, Ac. (amount for Wm. Hollins' bill for monument was £25 5s. Od). " Nov. 28, 1804. — Resolved that the organ be disposed of. " 5 July, 1807. — That William Mackay be appointed Clerk, with the office of Sexton attached to it, at a salary of eight guineas per ann." Ill 1812 an application was made by the Carrs Lane congregation for the use of the Old Meeting during the time a gallery was being erected in their chapel, and the following resolution was passed : — " 12 January, 1813. — At a meeting held in the schoolroom at Carrs Lane this day, it was " Resolved unanimoushj — " That the Rev. J. A. James and Messrs. Frears and Watson be appointed a deputation to express to the Rev. Mr. Kell — and through him to convey to the members of the Old Meeting Society — the high sense entertained by this church of the obliging accommodation which has been afforded to the Carrs Lane congregation during the period in which they have worshipped at the Old Meeting House. " March 19, 1815. — Mr. G. Hunt, leader of the choir, resigned. A piece of plate, of the value of £12, was presented to him by the Wardens. " Dec. 3, 1815. — Mr. James Luckcock resigned the office of Treasurer to the Sunday Schools. Mr. T. Eyre Lee kindly consented to take the office. " Nov., 1817. — The Rev. John Corrie preached a sermon on the death of the Princess Charlotte, on the day of the funeral. The congregation had the sermon printed. " 1819. — The ladies of the congregation presented to the Rev. Robert Kell and the Rev. Stephen Weaver Browne a gown and cassock. They also gave a handsome Bible for the pulpit. " 1820. — The Brotherly Society lent £400 towards the erection of the Sunday Schools. " 1822.— Old Meeting House lighted by gas. " 1822— Annuity of £100 to the Kev. Robert Kell granted. "1824. — The Society presented £100 to the Rev. Hugh Hutton, as a compliment on the event of his marriage. " 1827, April 29. — Resolved that the congregation do petition Parliament for relief from the Corporation and Test Acts. " 1829. — Liturgical services adopted in the evening. " 1835. — Resolved that the Liturgy be discontinued. " 1837, April. — Resolved to petition for the abolition of Church rates. " 1837. — The congregation presented a piirse of £110 to the Rev. Hugh Hutton. " 1838. — Mr. John Francis Lee left Birmingham. " 1839.— The Rev. Hugh Hutton presented with a purse of £166 9s. " 1841. — The congregation petitioned Parliament against the law enforcing the payment of Churcli rates. " 1843. — The congregation resolved to petition Parliament against the educational clauses of the Factories Bill. " 1844. — The congregation, with the New Meeting congregation, petitioned Parliament to promote the success of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill. " 1850. — The congregation subscribed £50 towai-ds University Hall, London. " 1851. — The Rev. Hugh Hutton resigned. " 1852. — The Rev. Charles Clarke became pastor. " 1852. — Resolved to use Martineau's Hymn Book. " 1854. — The congregation resolved to have an organ. It was built by Mr. Halmshaw at a cost of £200. About this time Mr. George Wells Ingram became organist. " 1854. — In March and April, lectures were delivered in the Old Meeting House by the Revs. C. Clarke and S. Bache, in answer to a lecture by the Rev. J. C. Miller, rector of St. Martin's, on " The working man rejecting Unitarianism." 3,000 copies were printed. The chapel was densely crowded at each lecture. " 1855, Oct. 2nd. — The new school and lecture room opened. Dimensions, thirty-four feet square, and eighteen feet high. The whole cost of the building was £727. Mr. H. Smith, architect, and Mr. W. Matthews, builder. " 1856. — Alteration in graveyard ; cost £34 10s. Od. " 1856.— Memorial Boards in Vestry; cost £15 18s. 7d. mSTOKY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 41 " 1856.— Mr. H. Hunt and Mr. F. W. Harrold died. " 1856. — Mr. Rose, chapel-keeper, died. " 1856. — Mr. and Mrs. Halliley chosen to fill his place. "1857. — Heating apparatus; cost £75. " 1857. — A new pulpit given by a member of the congregation. " 1857. — Mrs. Chantry died, after a connection with the congregation of nearly 40 years. " 1859. — Mr. Joseph Timmins gave curtains, cushions, matting, and fittings in the organ gallery, for the choir, at an expense of £9 lis. Id." The congregation at this period exhibited signs of great vitaUty unequalled in its past history. The chapel required substantial repairs, and the sum of £535 was raised in the summer, which was followed by a collection for the General Hospital, amounting to the large sum of £203 18s. 6d. " 1860. — Mr. Jos. Timmins resigned the leadership of the choir, after many years of gratuitous services. ",1860. — Liturgical service again introduced. " 1862. — The congregation celebrated the bi-centenary of the 2,000 clergymen who left the Church of England in one day by raising a memorial fund of £240 3s. 8d., a portion of which was appropriated to the erection of a brass to the memoi-y of the pious foundens of the chapel ; the other portion of the money was used in paying off congregational debts. " 1862. — Mr. Matthew Kellett left a legacy of £50 to the congregation and schools. " 1863.— Mrs. Harry Hunt, Mrs. Hipkiss, and Mr. John Redfem died. " 1863. — By the kind generosity of a few friends, 500 of the scholars of the Sunday Schools dined together in the schoolrooms on the occasion of the marriage of the Prince of Wales. The congregation, to the number of nearly 200, afterwards dined together in the lecture room. " 1864. — Mr. Ridge and Miss H. Tyndall Wright died, both respected members of the congregation. " 1866. — Mr. Samuel Hunt bequeathed £50 to the Endowment and Auxiliary Fund. " 1866. — Mr. A. Bache, organist, resigned, and Mr. Edward Townley, junr., kindly volunteered to undertake the duties. " 1867. — Mr. James Hunt bequeathed £50 to the Endowment and Auxiliary Fund. " 1870. — The congregation raised the sum of £884 18s. for the purchase of a piece of land of the London and North Western Railway Company, to enlarge the burial ground and to put it in order. The Porch was added to the chapel, and the palisades in Great Queen Street. " 1871. —The Liturgical services discontinued, and a collection of ten services, called ' Prayer and Praise, compiled by the Rev. Charles Clai-ke, adopted. " 1871. — Purchase by the trustees of a second piece of land adjoining the last, and facing Great Qneeo Street ; amount raised £956 7s. 6d. " 1872, 19th Maixh.— Meeting of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association, in the Town Hall Birmingham, at which the large number of 3,000 Unitarians were present. " 1872, May 3rd. — The congregation presented to the Rev. Charles Clarke, F.L.S., a handsome clock and a purse containing £300. " 1872. — .\ new gasalier presented to the congregation by Messrs. Webster, Edwards, and H. Payton. " 1878. — Mr. Thomas Pemberton and Mr. Thomas Weston died — the latter gentleman was mayor of Birmingham in 1843. "1873. — Mr. George Bond la pupil of Mr. Stimpson) engaged as organist. " 1873. — Miss Lawrence contributed £60 to the Endowment and Auxiliary Fund. " 1873. — Congi-egational soiree held at the Masonic Hall. " 1874. — Mr. Alderman Holland died, after a connection with the chapel of nearly 50 years. He was mayor of Birmingham in 1868. " 1874. — Congregational soiree again held in the Masonic Hall. "1875.— Mr. John Webster died. " 1875. — Congregational soiree at the Town Hall. " 1875. — Application by the London and North- Western Railway Company for the purchase, from the trustees, of the graveyard and schools. " 1876. — The congregation petitioned Parliament against the purchase. 42 HISTORY OF TUE OLD MEETING HOUSE. " 187G. — Mr. W. B. Smith, Mr. W. S. Harding, and Mr. Spilsbury Butler presented trees and shrubs to the congregation for the gravcyai-d. " 1870.— Mrs. Clarke, wife of the Rev. Charles Clarice, died. " 1877, Sept. 5. — The chapel had a narrow escape of being seriously injured by fire, owing to the carelessness of a workman belonging to the gas department of the Corporation. The smoke and flame were fortunately discovered by the chapel- keeper. " Miss Lawrence died after an honourable connection with the chapel, during a long life ; her name formed a link between the present and the past history of the congregation. Mrs. Jolm Francis and Mr. J. W. Downing died. «' 1877.— The ladies of the congregation, at the suggestion of Mrs. Pcmberton, erected a beautiful tablet (by Peter Hollins) to the memory of Mrs. Clarke. " 1877. — Mr. Councillor Payton gave two handsome lamps for the graveyard." In October, 1880, the trustees were informed that the railway company were desirous of entering into negotiations with them for the purchase of the property. A meeting was held November 2fid, when the trustees — feeling that any mere opposition to the railway company would be useless, and leave them with heavy expenses to pay— passed a resolution authorising Mr. W. Sextus Harding and Mr. S. B. Wliitfield to negotiate with the railway company. This resolution was submitted to a special meeting of the congregation, November 5th, when a resolution was passed approving the action of the trustees. In 1881 the Old Meeting House property was sold to the London and North Western Railway Company for £30,000. It was with feehngs of the deepest regret that the announcement of the sale of the Old Meeting House to the London and North Western Railway Company was received by many members of our oldest families in Birmingham. We had long thought the chapel too near the railway to be safe. The strong protest against the sale of it in 187G showed the feeling of the majority of its members. Not only are all the historical associations in connection with the place about to be swept away, but the removal of the dead is a painful matter, although everything wiU be done by the proper authorities to alleviate the feelings of the friends of the deceased. The chapel about to be taken down is, like its predecessor, a protest in this town on behalf of liberty of conscience. Historically the congregation represents the English Presbyterians of two centuries ago. Its pulpit has been filled by a succession of enlightened men, who have taught the simple truths of religion without creeds, and have rendered a valuable service in sustaining the intellectual life of Birmingham. Our chapel has been a power in the town, and within its walls have worshipped men who have helped to make Birmingham what it is ; their endeavour has been, and is, to leave the world better than they found it. REGISTERS. The Registers were sent to Somerset House ; two books of births and baptisms on the 6th of November, 1840, and four books of burials on July 1st, 1858, copies (examined by Mr. W. S. Harding and the Rev. Charles Clarke) being retained. MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. tEV. WILLIAM TUETON, M.A.— " He was the first minister ot the society of the Old Meeting House. He was the happy instrument of forming a body of Presbyterian ^- Nonconformists into a regular society, and became their minister in 1G86. In 1689 this society was estabhshed in a commodious meeting house, erected for their own use. Calamy, in his account of the ejected ministers, says that he was ejected by the I Act of Uniformity in 1602 from his living at Eowley Hegis, in Staffordshire. " ' When lie had, in appearance, brought himself to the very grave by bard study and labour in his public ministerial work, his ejectment gave him some case, and was a means of his recovering his health and strength. Afterwards, he preached frequently in churches and chapels, as he had opportunity, but chiefly in private houses, and at length became pastor in one of the dissenting congregations at Birmingham, where he died, in the year 171G. lie had a sou in the ministry among the dissenters at Killingworth.' "'Mr. Turton continued minister of this society from IGSG till his death in 1716. He had previously preached to the dissenters at Oldbury, amongst whom he continued to preach occasionally. " I have some reason to believe that Mr. Turton had retired from the more active duties of the ministry previously to his death in 1716, and that before that year he was succeeded by Mr. Brodhurst. " The present Sir Thomas Turton, Bart., of Starborough Castle, in the county of Surrey, is descended collaterally from Mr. Turton." — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 31.] The following anecdote is taken from the diary of Mrs. Savage, the eldest daughter of Philip Henry : — " Old Mr. Turton, who in the year 1G88 we had awhile at Nantwicb, but who ended his days in Birmingham, when visited by Mr. Blackmore, complained of being left behind by so many of his dear friends in Christ, and added, ' It is because I am not ready.' Mr. Blackmore replied, ' No, sir ; you are left here to help to make others ready for heaven.' " — [Williams' Life of Philip Henry, note, page 454.] Eev. Daniel Greenwood. — " He was educated at the academy of Sheriff" Hales, near Shiffiiall, Salop, during the reign of Charles II., by the Eev. John Woodhouse, who was silenced in Nottinghamshire by the Act of Uniformity, 1662. Mr. Greenwood settled in Birmingham as minister of the Higher Meeting House and of Oldbury conjointly, probably about the year 1700, as as.^stant to Mr. Turton, and afterwards in conjunction with Mr. Brodhurst. The meeting house at West Bromwich was supplied from 1711 to 1718 principally by him. He resigned his charge about the year 1730, in consequence of some difficulties arising from the uniting the two congregations of the Higher and Lower Meeting Houses."— [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 32.] Eev. Edw.\rd Brodhurst. — " Mr. Brodhurst was a native of Derbyshire, where he was born 1691 ; he was educated by Mr. Hill, at the academy which was estabhshed successively at Derby, Hartshorn, and Findern, under ]\Ir. Hill, and aftcrwai-ds Dr. Latham. I have reason to believe he succeeded Mr. Turton, as colleague with Mr. Greenwood, about 1714. When the ncgociations took place for a union between the two societies, and it was proposed that the ministers of both slmuld officiate in rotation at each chapel, some difficulties arose, and Ml-. Brodhurst accepted an invitation to the New Meeting House, but he was prevented 44 MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. by death from enterinf^ on his new engagement; he died July 21, 1730. The bigotry of the rector of St. Philip's Church denied liis friends the satisfaction of inscribing an epitaph on his crrave in the churchyard, and a raural monument, with an inscription, by Dr. Isaac Watts, was erected on the front of the New Meeting House ; this perished in the riots of 1791, and was not restored. A volume of Mr. Brodhurst's sermons was published in 1733, together with a short sketch of his character, from which we learn ' that there were few that excelled him, either in his Christian or ministerial character.' " — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 32.] The following was the inscription on the monument erected to the memory of the Rev. Edward Brodhurst : — M.S. Hoc Marmore conimemoratur Vir, in Sacria supra socios peritus, Nee in Literis humanis minus Sciens : Rebus divinis a prima, aetate deditus Veritatis libere studiosus, Fidei Christianse strenuus Assertor, Et pietate nulli Secundus ; , Concionator eximius, Ratione, Suadela, Eloquio potens ; Pastor erga Gregem sibi commissum, Sollicitus et vigil penfe supra modum ; Moribus facilis, Vita beneficus, Omnigense, Charitatis Exemplar; Millo Virtutibus instructus Quas sacra celavit modcstia ; Sed non usque celabuntur. I Lector et expecta Diem Qua Coolo Terrisque simul innotescet Qualis et Quautus fuit. EDVAEDUS BEODHURST Natus est agro Derbiensi A.D. 1691 Birminghamitt de functus Julii die 21 1730, Animam ad Superos avolantem Ecclesia Militans luget, Triumphans plaudit. Suscipit Christus agnoscit Dous Eu{ie fidelis Serve ! [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity p. 54.] Rev. Daniel M_\ttock. — " All that we are able to learn of this gentleman is, that he was first minister of a society at Daventry ; that in the year 1730 he was concerned in the ordination of Dr. Doddridge, on which occasion he delivered the concluding prayer ; that he was chosen sole minister of the Old Meeting House in 1732, and so continued till the year 1746 ; Mr. Wilkinson assisting him for the last seven years. —[Wreford's Presbyterian Non- conformity, page 34.] Rev. Joseph Wilkinson. — " He was born at Warley, near Halifax. In 1733 he entered the academy at Northampton under Dr. Doddridge. He settled at Birmingham in 1739, first as assistant to Mr. Mattock, and afterwards he had for his colleague Mr. Howell. MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 45 "In 1756, in consequence of ill-health, he relinquished his pastoral duties and engaged in the pursuits of commerce, residing in Birmingham, and continuing a regular attendant at the Old Meeting House. He died in September, 1780, at the house of his son-in-law, the Eev. Thomas Astley, of Chesterfield. Mr. Wilkinson quitted the ministry with great reluctance. His talents as a preacher were considerable ; and his public spirit, integrity, and sound judgment, rendered him eminently serviceable to the community with which he was connected, both before and after his retirement from the pastoral office." — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 34.] Eev. William Howell. — "He was born in the year 1714, and received his academical education at Carmarthen, under Mr. Perrott. His first settlement as a minister was at Wincanton, in Somersetshire. In 1746 he succeeded Mr. Mattock at the Old Meeting House, as colleague with Mr. Wilkinson, upon whose resignation Mr. Clark became his colleague. He kept for many years a very large school in the vicinity of Birmingham, and was distinguished for his ability and integrity as a preceptor. He resigned his pastoral charge about 1770, and went to reside at West Bromwich, near Birmingham, where he died, February 5th, 1776. He was buried in the churchyard of West Bromwich. " His son, the Rev. William Howell, was minister of a congregation at Swansea for twenty-eight years, during nine years of which he was theological tutor of the academy, removed thither from Carmarthen. He died in 1822 ; aged 82." — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 85.] Eev. Samuel Clark. — " This able and excellent man was the son of Dr. Qark, of St. Albans, the early friend and patron of Dr. Doddridge. He was great-grandson of Mr. Clark, the well known author of ' Annotations on Scripture,' who, as well as two of his sons, was ejected from his Uving in 1662. Mr. Clark was born in 1727, and entered on his academical studies in 1745, under Dr. Doddridge, at Northampton, where he afterwards became assistant tutor. In 1750, Dr. Doddi'idge, on leaving England, in consequence of ill health, entrusted the care both of his congregation and academy to Mr. Clark, though at that time only twenty-three years old, who discharged the important duties which devolved upon him with the highest ability, integrity, and success. On the death of Dr. Doddridge, Mr. Clark not being considered sufficiently Calvinistic in his religious opinions, retired from the pastoral duties of the congregation, and it was this circumstance principally which occasioned the removal of the academy to Daventry. Mr. Clark removed thither also with the academy in 1751, and became assistant tutor, in which capacity he rendered essential service to the institution ; he preached there, also, regularly once a month. After remaining there five years, he accepted an invitation to succeed Mr. Wilkinson, and went to reside in Birmingham in the summer of 1757, as colleague with Mr. Howell. A connection at this time subsisted between the congregation at Oldbury and that of the Old Meeting House, the ministers of the latter officiating alternately at Oldbury. " On the 3rd of December, 1769, in going thither, Mr. Clark was thrown from liis liorse in one of the streets of Birmingham, and died in consequence of the injury he received, three days after. He was interred, we believe, in the burying ground belonging to the Old Meetinj; House. A funeral sermon was preached on the occasion from Heb. xiii. 7, by Dr. Ashworth, of Daventry, which, together with the address delivered at the interment by liis colleague, Mr. Howell, was afterwards published. It is an affecting composition, and contains an interesting sketch of the charactei- of Mr. Clark. Mr. Clark published some sermons: he also, in 1763, 46 MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. superintended the publication of Dr. Doddridge's lectures, in one volume 4to." — [Wreford's Presb3'terian Nonconformity, page 36.] The following is the inscription on the monument to the memory of Mr. Clark, in the Old Meeting; it was destroyed at the riots in 1791, and not restored: — To the memory of the late Mr. Samuel Clai-k, who died December C, 17G9, aged 42. In the intercourse of humanity he was upright, prudent, and courteous ; In opinion Candid, diffident, and judicious ; In ai-gumcnt Calm, strong, and persuasive. Under difficulties and sorrows Collected, firm, and resigned ; In friendship Faithful, entertaining, and iustiiTctive. He possessed every valuable and happy talent To rectify the judgment and improve the heart ; lie was learned without pride. And pious without ostentation; Zealous and indefatigable to advance the interests of true Religion, And the everlasting welfare of those intrusted to his Pastoral care. What (liongli such various worth bo seldom known, No adulation rears this sacred stone. No partial love this genuine picture draws, No venal pencil prostitutes applause ; Justice and Truth in artless colours paint The man, the friend, the preacher, and the saint. [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, pago 39.] Rev. R.\dcliffe Sciiolefield. — He was the only son of the Rev. Richard Scholefield — minister of the Presbyterian Chapel, JJuxton, a member of the ancient family of Scholefield, in the parish of Rochdale — and Elizabeth Dawson, second daughter of the Rev. Joseph Dawson. " This pious and learned divine was born at Rochdale, in Lancashire, on the 21st of December, 1733. Before he had fully completed his seventh year, he had the misfortune to lose his father, under whom, however, he had already evinced an ardent zeal for learning. The young pupil, at that early age, could read English fluently, and had even become an adept in the Latin grammar. These promising talents were cultivated with assiduous care at the school of the Rev. S. Dawson, and tliis produced an attachment between the master and the scholar which never abated till death dej^rived him of this second guide. " At this period the twig might be said to have been ' bent, the tree inclined.' Endowed with so much natural excellence, and so dihgently trained up in the path of virtue, he continued so to the end. Though yet young, Mr. Scholefield's inchnations led him to study divinity. With this view he entered the academy at Northampton in 1750, under the celebrated Dr. Doddridge. On the decease of that worthy minister and tutor, the academy was removed to Daventry, where Mr. Scholefield prosecuted his theological studies under Dr. Ashwortli and Mr. Clark. At the age of twenty he was considered fully competent to take upon himself the ministerial charge, but his own diffidence prompted him to attend some of the lectures a second term, which he did with pecuhar satisfaction. MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING EOUSE. 47 " In the year 1754 he quitted the academy, with the most satisfactory testimonials of his abiUty, learning, and moral conduct. Soon after, Mr. Scholefield was unanimously invited to take charge of a numerous congregation at Portsmouth. " His opinions on some points differing from those of his inviting friends, he withstood the temptation, and thus sacrificed temporal advantages at the altar of conscious integrity. Such merit was not likely to remain long in obscurity. Mr. Scholefield soon after accepted the place of assistant to the Eev. E. Astley, in Whitehaven ; that gentleman dying in the course of a few months, Mr. Scholefield was elected sole pastor. He performed the duties for seventeen years, and acquired the esteem and regard of all parties. Towards the latter part of that period, some of the most respectable gentlemen in the town, though mostly of the Established Church, prevailed on this worthy dissenting minister to undertake the education of their sons, and this was the institution of that seminary which, for a series of nearly twenty years, Mr. Scholefield conducted with so much satisfaction to his friends and pleasure to himself " Mr. Scliolefield had not pursued this plan long in Whitehaven before he was solicited to reside in Birmingham, to the sincere regret of all his friends in the north, especially of those who had entrusted their sons to his care, but such was their confidence in his fatherly kindness to his pupils, that several accompanied him to Birmingham, and he had afterwards the gratification of receiving scholars from a much greater distance. "In 177'J, Mr. Scholefield was chosen sole pastor of the Old Meeting House, Birmingham, at that time one of the largest congregations of Protestant dissenters in England, and continued there for seven years. At the end of that time he was severely attacked by gout, which soon so impaired his health as to render an assistant necessary, and the Eev. Nathaniel Nichols was chosen, on whose death, in 1784, the Eev. John Coates became assistant in his place. " Mr. Scholefield was minister (with Mr. Coates) when the ever-memorable Church and King riots (1791) completely destroyed the Old Meeting, and he showed his forgiving disposition in a discourse on 'Love to Enemies," preached on the 7th of August, 1791, which was published at the earnest request of his numerous hearers. " 111 tlie year 1798, Mr. Scholefield found the task of education too much for his debilitated frame, and, seven attacks of gout succeeding each other, he was obliged shortly after to decline the ministerial oflice. On that occasion his congregation requested his acceptance of an annuity of £100. He continued to reside in Birmingham, where he devoted his time to a variety of studies, and the enjoyment of the society of numerous friends. It could well be said that no one could be in his company without feeling improved. "The termination of Mr. Scholefield's life was like the whole tenor of it, patient and serene. He had spent the 18th of June at the house of one of his former pupils in the country, in his usual state of health and spirits, but towards evening some symptoms of approaching dissolution were discernible. "Having returned home, in the course of the night he was attacked by a paralytic stroke, and this affection returning, on the evening of the 21st he passed away. " In person, Mr. Scholefield was tall and upright, and his appearance was venerable. He was never married, but had lived almost from infancy with an only sister, Mrs. Joscpha Scholefield, by whom his every wish was anticipated."* Mr. Scholefield died on the 21st June, 1803, and • Monthly Magazine for 180S. 48 MINISTEES OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. was buried in the north section of the Old Meeting House graveyard, the congregation paying all expenses. They afterwards erected a tablet to his memory in the chapel. Mr. Scholefield came to Birmingham from Whitehaven with Mr. Joseph Fearon,* father of Mr. Thomas Fearon. Kev. Nathaniel Nichols. — " He entered the academy at Daventry in 1775, under the Eev. Thomas Eobins, became assistant minister to the Kev. E. Scholefield at the Old Meeting House in 1779, and died young at Elidderminster, where he was buried December 6, 1784. He was nephew to the Eev. Mr. Carpenter." — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 42.] Eev. John Coates. — " He was born on the 30th of September, 1762, at Bristol, being the fourth son of Mr. Joseph Coates, a wine merchant of great respectability in that city. His mother was a lady of the name of Mills, connected by near relationship with the Towgoods and other of the principal dissenting families in the West of England. Mi'. Coates received his first instruction in the classical languages at the Bristol Public Grammar School. Afterwards he passed two years under the tuition of M. Gautier, the father, we believe, of tlie excellent and accomplished Mrs. Hort, of Cork. Here he acquired great proficiency in the French language, which he spoke with fluency and correctness. He imbibed, at the same time, a taste for the best French writers, which he retained to the last. Destined for the Christian ministry amono- Protestant dissenters of the Presbyterian denomination, he was, in 1781, sent, on the foundation of the Presbyterian Fund, to the academy at Warrington, then conducted by Dr. Aikin, Dr. Enfield, &c. From this institution he removed to Hoxton, where he finished his academical education under Dr. Savage, Dr. Kippis, and Dr. Eees. Mr. Coates commenced his professional career at Birmingham, where for many years he officiated as the pastor of the congregation assembling at the Old Meeting House. At Birmingham, he united himself in marriage with Miss Lee, a member of an ancient family of that district, which still holds a distinguished rank among the Presbyterian dissenters. " Mr. Coates was minister (with Mr. Scholefield) in 1791, during the disgraceful riots of that eventful year, and, in common with his distinguished friend and neighbour. Dr. Priestley, was a severe sufferer from the outrages of the infuriated mob, which on that occasion committed such frightful devastations, in testimony of its devoted loyalty to the church and the king. Unapprehensive of the gathering storm, Mr. Coates was present at the dinner to commemorate the French Eevolution, and he suffered, as the penalty, the loss of his library and furniture, which were committed to the flames. In the early part of the year 1802 he relinquished his connection with his congregation at Birmingham, and settled at St. Thomas's, Southwark, as the colleague of Mr. Kentish, but on the removal of the latter gentleman to the New Meeting, Birmingham, was chosen to succeed liim as sole pastor, a situation which he sustained till 1813. During the time he was connected with St. Thomas's, Mr. Coates held the office of manager of the Presbyterian Fund, one of the most important of the dissenting charities of London. On the death of Dr. Morgan, in 1821, Mr. Coates was appointed to succeed him in the office of hbrarian at Dr. Williams's library in Eed Cross Street, having for several years before acted as one of the trustees of the charities of the excellent founder of that institution. Mr. Coates held the oflice of librarian till within about two years of his death, when increasing infirmities obhged him to resign ; with the office of librarian he connected that of registrar of births, kept at Dr. Williams's library. He was also for many years the secretary of the General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations. ■ • Mr. Joseph Fearon was buried in the Old Meeting graveyard in 1802, his wife in 1804, and his son, Mr. Thomas Fearon, in 1836. MINISTERS OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. 49 "Mr. Coates died at Edmonton, April 2, 1836, at the age of seventy-one, and was buried at Bunhill Fields. The service was conducted by the Eev. E. Aspland, who delivered on the occasion a very appropriate and impressive discourse, in which a deserved tribute of respect to the deceased was paid, as a gentleman of urbane manners, of kindliness of feehng, of candour and liberality in his estimate and treatment of others, and of his consistent attachment to the great principles of pure Christianity." — [Christian Reformer, 1836, page 514.] Eev. Egbert Kell. — "He was born in London in 1761. In 1783 he entered the academy at Daventry, under the Eev. Thomas Belsham. Upon completing the usual course of education in 1787, he settled at Wareham, in Dorsetshire, as minister of the Presbyterian chapel, where he remained till December, 1799, when he became minister of the High Pavement Chapel, Nottingham. In July, 1801, on the resignation of Mr. Coates, he settled at Birmingham as sole pastor of the Old Meeting House. In the autumn of 1821 he retu-ed from the stated discharge of his pastoral duties, but continued to reside in Birmingham, rendering assistance when required of him. Mr. Kell, during the last four years of his settlement at the Old Meeting House, had for his colleague, first, the Eev. John Corrie, and afterwards the Eev. S. W. Browne. He died December 9th, 1842."— [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 44.] Eev. John Cobrie, F.E.S. — "He was the son of the Eev. Josiah Corrie, who was minister of a congregation at Kenilworth for about forty-five years, and died in 1800, aged seventy-five. The subject of this notice was born at Kenilworth in 1769. From 1783 to 1787 he received his education at Daventry, under the Eev. T. Belsham. In 1787 he removed to the New College, Hackney, under Dr. Price, Dr. Kippis, and Dr. Eees, where, after the completion of his studies, he became assistant classical tutor. His first settlement as a minister was in 1795. at Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire. Here he resided only a short time, and then removed to the vicinity of Birmingham, where for many years he kept a school of some celebrity. July 27, 1817, he became colleague with Mr. Kell at the Old Meeting House, in which office he continued tiU May 9, 1819, when, on account of ill health, he relinquished his engagement. Mr. Corrie was one of the presidents of the Birmingham Philosophical Society." He died August 16tli, 1839. — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 44.] Eev. Stephen Weaveb-Browne, B.A. — " He was born in 1768, at Norvvich, and being designed for the church, entered at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and on taking orders became curate at Harleston, Norfolk. On the breaking out of the French revolution, he took an active part in the poUtics of the day, and left the communion of the Estabhshed Church. At the peace of Amiens he went to France, where, becoming a victim to the unjust poUcy of Napoleon, he remained among the detenus till the peace of 1814. On his return to England he settled at Norwich, as chaplain to a French protcstant chiu-ch, which had been founded many years before by a few families whom the revocation of the Edict of Nantes had compelled to seek a refuge in this country. He was also for a short time a temporarj' minister at Newport, Isle of Wight. On the 2nd May, 1819, he entered on an engagement as evening lecturer at the Old Meeting House, and on the following Sunday, May 9th, on the resignation of the Eev. John Corrie, he was chosen as a colleague with the Eev. Eobert Kell. In this situation he continued till June 10, 1821, immediately after wliich he removed to London, and succeeded Dr. Lindsey as minister of the chapel in Monkwell Street. December 12, 1824, he preached his farewell sermon to the congregation assembhng in that place, and the last sermon ever there delivered. This chapel, vhich was considered to be the oldest dissenting place of worship in London, was soon after pulkd down, and the congregation was dispersed. 50 MIOTSTEES OF TEE OLD MEETING HOUSE. "On tlie following Sunday, December 19, Mr. Bro^vne entered on a new engatremeut as the first minister of a chaj)el in York Street, St. James' Square, which owed its origin to the munificence of an eminent individual. Mr. Browne continued in this oflice till the close of the year 1826, after which he retired into private life. He died suddenly, in London, January 13, 1832." — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 46.] Eev. Hugh Huttox, M.A.^ — -"He was born in 1795, in Belfast, and after receiving his education in the academy there, he entered the University of Glasgow, where he took the M.A. degree. In 1818 he removed to Belfast College, and in 1820 he settled at Warrington. In the September of 1822, he succeeded the Eev. Stephen Weaver-Browne as minister of the Old Meeting House. At that time the congregation was not large, but numbered amongst its members many of the most earnest and zealous religious and political reformers of the town. Heart and soul Mr. Hutton entered upon the work of progress, and in connection with such men as Attwood, Scholefield, Betts, Parkes, J. T. Lawrence, Pare, Hadley, and others, devoted his energies to the enfranchisement and elevation of the people. He was an active promoter of and worker in the Political Union, and was distinguished as an able and ardent advocate of the rights of the masses. On the occasion of the monster meeting on Newhall Hill, held for the purpose of urging the House of Lords to pass the Eeform Bill, a spirit- stirring hymn, written by Mr. Hutton for the occasion, and called "The Gathering of the Unions," was sung with vehemence by 200,000 voices. Afterwards, on the sudden return of Earl Grey to power, when the people were iu a fever of excitement, another vast assembly gathered on Newhall Hill, and on that memorable occasion Mr. Hutton, at the request of Mr. Attwood, offered up an extempore prayer for God's blessing on the proceedings. During the prayer the enthusiastic cheers which had before rung from the throats of 50,000 people were hushed, and a stillness which was almost felt was maintained. " Not in poHtical reform only was 'Mr. Hutton eminent. Arts and sciences claimed no small part of his attention, particularly when so great political exertions were no longer necessary. He was a foremost supporter of the Mechanics Institution and of the Polytechnic Institution ; his ardent love and keen appreciation of music were well known. He compiled several librettos, one of which, ' The Fall of Babylon,' was used by Spohr in his great oratorio. Mr. Hutton had a valuable library, and a choice collection of pictures, and was as ardent a lover of books and pictures as he was of music. As a poet, Mr. Hutton displayed great taste and poetic feehng. A volume, entitled ' Poetical Pieces, chiefly on Devotional and Moral Subjects,' and dedicated by Mr. Hutton to the 'Members of the Christian Church assembhng at the Old Meeting House, Birmingham, as a token of his sincere and grateful attachment,' contains many poems characterised by a fervour and a sweetness which entitled the author to rank as a true poet."* In 1851 Mr. Hutton resigned the pastorate of the Old Meeting. He died at Bury St. Edmund's, on the 13th of September, 1871, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Eev. Chaeles Clarke, F.L.S. — Mr. Clarke became pastor in 1851. * " Birmingham Moruiog News," September 18th, 1871. IkimiSTEES BUEIED IN THE GEAVEYAED. 51 LIST OF MENISTEES BUEIED IN THE OLD MEETING HOUSE GEAVEYAED. Kev. M. John Alexander, died December 29th, 1765. Eev. M. Bexjajiin Higgs, died January .30th, 1770. Eev. David Lewis, died December 18th, 1783. Kingswood. Eev. John Palmer, died December 26th, 1786. Eev. Egbert Eobinson, died June 8th, 1790. Cambridge. Eev. Samuel Blyth, died December 28th, 1796. New Meeting House. Eev. Eadclifpe Scholefield, died January 2 1st, 1803. Old Meeting House. Eev. Peter Em-OCS, died 1810. Coventry. Eev. Joshua Toulmin, D.D., died July 23rd, 1815. New Meeting House. Eev. John Corrie (John Corrie, Esq.), died August 16th, 1839. Old Meeting House. Eev. Egbert Kell, died December 9th, 1842. Old Meeting House. Eev. Franklin B.iker, M.A., died May 25th, 1867. Bolton-le-Moors. Eev. John Alex.\nder ( s e vonth Earl of Stirling). - — "John Alexander, a dissenting minister, was born in Ireland in 1736. lie received his education at Daventry, after which he became pastor of a congregation at Longdon, near Birmingham, where he died suddenly in 1765. After his death, was printed a work by him, entitled 'A Paraphrase on the 15th of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, with remarks on the 6th, 7th, and 8th chapters of the Eomans.' He also wrote some papers in a work called the 'Library.'"* His brother. Dr. Benjamin Alexander, a physician, who died in 1768, translated a work of Morgagni into English, 3 vols. 4to., a work well known to all medical men. Eev. Egbert Eobinson. — He was a distinguished Baptist minister, who died suddenly in Birmingham, and was biu-ied in the Old Meeting graveyard ; a tablet was afterwards erected to his memory ; Dr. Priestley preached his funeral sermon. The following interesting account of Mr. Eobertson will be found in a "History of Dissenters," by David Bogue and James Bennett, 1812, from which we learn that "He was born on the 8th of January, 1735, at SwafTham, in Norfolk, in cu'cumstances by no means propitious to future eminence. He was, however, sent for some years to a grammar school, and made rapid progress in the knowledge of the French and Latin tongues. But the death of his father, and some of his mother's friends, obhged her to take him away at the age of twelve, and we find him in a situation, where most probably necessity compelled her to place him, apprentice to John Anderson, a hairdi-esser, in Crutched Friars, London. " Eeligion appears to have been with him the subject of early investigation, for during his apprenticeship Dr. GiU, Dr. Guyse, and Mi-. Eomaine were his favourite preachers, but Mr. Whitefield, in his esteem, excelled them all. He began a diary in the manner of that celebrated man, and before he had completed his nineteenth yeai* he seems to have conceived the idea of becoming a preacher It is probable that he immediately began to preach. His first sermon was delivered to a few poor people at Mildenhall, in Suffolk, and he soon received an invitation to officiate in the tabernacle at Norwich. After he had preached there some time, he quitted the Calvinistic Methodists and formed an independent chiu-ch of thirteen persons w^ho had imbibed his sentiments. Of this church he became the pastor, baptising infants and performing aU the other offices of an independent minister. ... In 1759, when he was only twenty-four years of age, he was invited to the pastoral charge • Biog. Brit, 1S23. 52 MINISTERS BURIED IN THE GEAVEYAED. of the Baptist church at Cambridge, and, after a trial of two years, was settled there in 1761. ... So accaptablo were Mr. Robinson's services, that iu a few years the place of worship could not contain the flourishing congregation. The old meeting house was pulled down, and a commodious building erected at their own expense." Mr. Robinson's health seems to have become impaired at an early period of his life, and for some time before his death he laboured under " dejection and languor of mind," and we learn that, " to remove the complaint, ' his friends hoped that a journey to Birmingham, and an interview witli Dr. Priestley, which he had long desired, would prove beneficial to him.' He set out, and, traveUing slowly, arrived there on Saturday, the 5th of June, 1790. The next day he preached twice ; in the New Meeting in the morning, and in the evening at the Old. Dr. Priestley was charmed with his conversation, but much disappointed in his preaching. ' His discourse,' he said, ' was unconnected and desultory.' " The following interesting notice of Mr. Robinson's death is taken from the Obituary of the "Gentleman's Magazine" for June, 1790: — " 10. Found dead in his bed, the Rev. Mr. Robinson, of Cambridge. In the morning and afternoon of Sunday, the 6th, he preached both at the New and Old Meeting Houses in Birmingham, for the benefit of the Protestant Dissenting Charity School in that town, when the sums collected amounted to upwards of £126. Illness attacked him so severely on Monday that his life was then thought iu danger, but such favourable symptoms appeared on Tuesday that sanguine hopes were entertained of his recovery. As a father, friend, and neighbour, his character was truly amiable. His ability and zeal as a minister, his works on religion, civil liberty, and many other subjects, justify us in saying he will be long remembered as one of the ornaments of the present age." Rev. S.\muel Blyth. — " He was born at Norton-Lees, Derbyshire, January 31, 1718. He received his grammar learning from Mr. Trout, of Sheffield, and pursued his academical studies at Findern Academy, under Dr. Latham, which he left April 2, 1741, and he officiated as temporary minister at Shrewsbury from that time till the election of the Rev. Job Orton, in October following. His first settlement as a stated minister was at Frome, in Somersetshire, in 1743, whence he removed, in 1747, to Birmingham, and became coUeafTue with Mr. Bourn at the New Meeting House and Coseley. After Mr. Bourn's death, Mr. Hawkes was chosen as assistant minister, on whose resignation, in 1780, Dr. Priestley became Mr. Blyth's colleague. " In 1791, in consequence of the infirmities of age, Mr. Blyth resigned his pastoral charge, and he died December the 28th, 1796. He was interred at the burying ground attached to the Old Meeting House, and liis funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. John Edwards, his successor, from Acts vii. 60, 'He fell asleep.' The character of Mr. Blyth was eminently virtuous ; his simplicity, candour, and active benevolence, and the catholic spirit which he uniformly displayed, rendered him an object of universal respect. Dr. Priestley used to say of him that ' he was the truest Christian he had ever known.' " — [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 69.] Rev. Peter Emans. — "The late Rev. Peter Emans was born in London, educated at Mile End Academy, and after various successive settlements at Dorking, Ipswich, Nottingham, and other places, finally fixed at Coventry. Through his long life he had never once lain on the bed of sickness, till on a visit at the house of a friend, the Rev. J. Hews Bransby, in Dudley, he was suddenly seized with a painful disorder, from which, however, probably he might have found, from surgical aid, effectual relief; but another disease, angina pectoris, MINISTERS BUEIED IN THE GRAVEYAED. 53 unfortunately not rare at this time, discovered its alarming progress and fatal power, and, amidst the kind, attentive, unremitted, but, alas ! unavaihng cares of weeping friendship and of medical skill, with all the perfect resignation and calm tranquillity which nothing but religious principle and Cliristiau hope can inspire, he died, not leaving one surviving relation, near or distant, to lament his loss, but followed to his grave by the deep and lasting regrets of all who had the happiness to know him."* He died in 1810, and was buried in the Old Meeting burial- ground, centre section, in the same grave with the Rev. Robert Robinson, of Cambridge. Rev. Joshua Toulmix, D.D. — "Dr. Toulmin was born in London, May 11th, 1740. He received his early education at St. Paul's School, where he spent seven years; he afterwards removed to the academy conducted by Dr. Jennings and Dr. Savage, to the latter of whom he was related. His first settlement as a minister was at Colyton, in Devonshire, and in March, 17C5, he removed to Taunton, where he became sole pastor of a society of General Baptists. In 1769 he received the degree of M.A. from the Baptist College of Rhode Island and Providence, in New England, and in 1794 that of D.D. from Harvard College, Cambridge, U.S. After a harmonious connection with the society at Taunton for nearly thirty-nine years. Dr. Toulmin, in ' the hope of extended usefulness and increasing comfort,' accepted an invitation to become one of the pastors of the New Meeting House, in conjunction with the Rev. John Kentish. Here he resided, honoured, loved, and admired, till his lamented death, which took place July 23, 1815. He was interred at the burj-ing- ground attached to the Old Meeting House, August 1. The funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Kentish, from Second Epistle of John, ver. 8. This, together with the address delivered at the interment, Mr. Kentish afterwards pubhshed."— [Wreford's Presbyterian Nonconformity, page 89.] Rev. Franklin Bakes, M.A. — He was the eldest son of Mr. Thomas Baker, of Birmingham. He was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he took his M.A. degree. Shortly after this, in the autumn of 182-3, he was invited to supply the pulpit of Bank Street Chapel, Bolton. Before the term of his engagement had expired, he received a unanimous invitation from the consretiation assembling there to become their minister. He remained there upwards of forty years, when he retired to Caton, a pleasant village near Lancaster, where he resided tiU his death, three years afterwards. He pubhshed several sermons and tracts connected with the religious and social questions of the day. His most important one, perhaps, is "The Rise and Progress of Nonconformity in Bolton." London: Wliitfield, 1854. BRASS TO COilMEMOLlTE TUE FOUNDERS OF THE CHAPEL, PLACED IN FRONT OF THE ORG.\N GALLERY. J ^ TO THE REVERED MEMORY OF THE FOTJXDERS OF THIS CHDRCB WILLIAM TURTON, M.A. ITS FIRST MINISTER WHO W.V3 EJECTED FROM THE PARISH CHURCH OF ROWLEY REGIS BY THE ACT OF UNIFORMITY AD. 1602, THOMAS BALDWIN EJECTED FROM CLENT AND WILLIAM FINCHER EJECTED FROM WEDNESBURY, IN WHOSE NAMES THE FIRST MEETING HOUSE ERECTED ON THIS SITE WAS LICENSED JULY 6tb. AD. 1<8». "be tuou rAi-mroL unto deato : akd i will oitb thek a cbowk or litk, rxt. U. 10." ^ r^ * " GentUman's Magazine," August, 1810. MEMORIAL BOARDS. IN VESTEIES. PRESBYTERIAN OLD MEETING. The Society founded 1G87 Chapel erected aud registered in the names of WilHam Fincher Thomas Baldwin and William Tiirton ... 1689 „ Partially destroyed by Eioters 1715 ,, Restored „ Totally destroyed by Eioters 1791 ,, Eebuilt at a cost of 4,500 pounds, and opened on the 4th of October 1795 Schools erected 1820 Organ Built 1854 New Vestry and Lecture Eoom erected 1855 PRESBYTERIAN OLD MEETING. DONORS. 1G94. Eichard Scott bequeathed to the Minister of this place Forty ShiUings yearly. Expended in buying property below the Chapel andinenlarging the Chapel yard^ Expended in widening Old Meeting Street For the erection \ oj Chapel Organ j For the erection of Lecture Soom'^ New Vestry ice. . . . Lcijacy 1785 Mr. Eay Ditto 1787 Mr. Eobert Moore Ditto 1789 Mary Bayley ... Ditto 300 Ann Giles ... Ditto 100 1846 Jane Giles ... Ditto 100 1854 The Congregation Gifts 265 3 /1850 Mrs. Ann Foster Leyacy 30 1851 F. P. H Gift 250 Collected by the Teachers 1852 of the Sunday Schools ... 66 4 1855 The Congregation Gifts 302 5 \ Sunday School Fund Grant 137 s. d. £ 70 100 20 8 4 o 5 5 — PEESBYTEEIAN OLD MEETING TOWARDS BUILDING THE PRESENT CHAPEL £ B. d 1793 Eeceived from the Hundred of Hemliugford 1293 18 9 DONOES Samuel Pemberton 200 William Hunt .. 200 William Humphreys.. .. 100 Philip Webster .. 100 Henry Himt .. 100 Benjamin Stokes .. 100 Lydia Eickards .. 100 Mark Saunders .. 100 Thomas Eussell .. 100 Ann Scott .. 100 John Gill 50 John Miles 60 John Houghton 50 James Moore 50 T & J Lawrence 50 Eobert Morgan 50 Joseph Eopcr 50 Philip Wilkinson 50 Thomas Lee 50 Samuel Eogers 60 William Price 30 Eichard Gibbs 42 John Allen 30 William Fletcher .. 80 Samuel Copeland 21 E. S. Skey 21 — Mewis 21 Edward Hughes 20 J. Thompson 20 John Burton 20 John Forbes ... 15 15 S. Hipkiss 5 5 A & J Giles 6 5 [Geo.] Timmins 5 5 J Smith 5 5 John Lee 5 5 Eichard Peyton 5 5 MEMOEIAL BO^iKDS. -IN VESTRIES. 55 PRESBYTERIAN OLD MEETING. MINISTEES. Rev"^ William Turton M.A. Daniel Greenwood E Brodlmrst Daniel Mattock Joseph Wilkinson William Howell Samuel Clark Radcliffe Scholefield Nathaniel Nickols John Coates ... Robert KeU John Corrie F.R.S Stephen Weaver Browne Hugh Hutton M.A Charles Clarke F.L.S. ... 1686 to 1716 ... 1700 it 1780 ... 1714 ft 1780 ... 1732 >» 1746 ... 1739 >' 1756 ... 1746 ») 1770 ... 1756 IS 1769 ... 1772 ?> 1799 ... 1779 )» 1784 ... 1785 It 1801 ... 1801 it 1821 ... 1817 9t 1819 ... 1819 *t 1821 ... 1822 It 1851 ... 1851 l» Olb Meeting Ifjouse asirminobam Endowment and Auxiliary Fund Date Invested in the names of the Trustees FbOM whom RECErVED £ s. d. 1863 JAMES HUNT ... M. W. KELLET ... 1864 o THE TRUSTEES 1866 E. RIDGE THE TRUSTEES SAMUEL HUNT ... JAMES HUNT ... 1867 o o o 1873 MISS LAWRENCE Secretary W. S. . Donation . Legacy 50 22 10 22 10 4 6 91 14 8 8 19 50 50 50 150 Donation 50 and Treasurer to the Trustee* Harding 32 Waterloo St. Donation Legacy Donation Legacy Donation Legacy 4 THE TRUSTEES OF THE OLD JLEETING HOUSE BIRMES^GHAM APPOINTED BY DEED DATED lOxn FEBEUAEY 1866 Spilsbury Batler John Gillins — Died William Harding — Died Jan 81-1870 John Towers Lawrence — Died May 4-1871 Thomas Tyndall— Died Jan 15-1868 Thomas Pomberton — Died April 9-1873 Clarksou Osier— Died Nov 5—1876 William Sestus Harding Richard Peyton John Jefferys— Died March 14th 1877 Edward Townlcy — Died Aug 1-1876 Joseph Timmins— Died Feb 24-1866 Henry Holland— Died Oct 3-1874 Joseph Redfern Thomas Weston — Died 1873 John Webster— Died 1875 William Septimus Harding 1882 John Marshall Coppock Charles Hugh Edwards John Samuel Canning George Hart Hunt — Died Feb Charles Harding William Horrold Alfred Harrold William Franks Beale Edwin Griffiths Ambrose Biggs Samuel Whitfield Samuel Benjamin Whitfield Joses Weaver Downing — Died Nov 1-1877 Franklin Taylor John Oakes— Died Feb 14-1870 Frederick Grew— Died July 30-1880 Secretary and Solicitor to the Trustees Me. W. Sestus Hakdko 32 Waterloo St CHAPEL WARDENS, 1771 — The first Wardens mentioned arc, — Pcmbcrton, Thos. Horton, Thos. Lawrence, John Richards, James Jackson, and Thos. Tyndall — whoso ap- pointments must have lasted till the year 1785 — when it was thought expedient to choose wai-dcus for the ensuing year, and it was 1785 — Eesolved — that Mr. Nathaniel Lawi'cnce and Mr. Geo. Timmins be appointed, and that they be requested to furnish themselves with collecting books. 1787 — G. Humphreys and John La-n-rence. 1789 — John Forbes and Saml. Copeland. Prob.ably the riots interfered with the choice of wardens in 1791, as the next choosing took place in 1795. Jan. 1795—11. Hunt and S. Rogers. Oct. 1795— T. Lee and — Skey. 1797 Stokes and — Hughes. 1798 Small and — Stovin. 1799 Allen and — Bannister. 1801 Burton and Richard Hipkiss. 1802 — John Burton and John Jukes. 1803— J. Burton and Bcnjn. Wright. 1804 -B. Wright and Wm. Wright. 1805— Wm. Wright and Richmond Hughes. 180G — Edward Butler and John Ryland. 1807— Re-elected. 1808 — Jonathan Knott and Jno. Edge 1810— WiUiam Mcwis and Thos. TyudalL 1812— John Culcope Bond and — Bate. 1814 Finuemore and — Ncwbold. 181C — George Lee and John Horton. 1818 — John Houghton and T. Eyre Lee. 1821 — That it appears to this Meeting desirable to appoint one new warden annually, and that to accomplish this object Mr. T. Eyre Lee be requested to continue in oiBce during the present year. Resolved, that Mr. Piercy be appointed warden for the next two years. 1822— Thomas Bolton. 1823— Thomas Colmore. 1821-J. GiUins. 1825 -F. Blyth. 182G— Thomas Creswick. 1827— E. V. Blyth. 1828— Thos. Eyre Lee. 1829— Josiah Allen. 1830 -Harry Hunt. 1831— John Traies. 1832— Thos. TyudalL 1833— Thos. Holland. 1834 — Samuel Burrell. 1835- 1836- 1837- 1838- 1838- 1839- 1840- 1841- 1842- 1843- 1844- 1845- 184G- 1847- 1848- 1849- 1850- 1851- 1852- 1853- 1854- 1855- 185G- 1857- 1858- 1859- 18G0- 18G0- 18G1- 18G2- 18G3- 1804- 18G5- 18GG- 18G7- 18G8- 18G9- 1870- 1871- 1872- 1873- 1874- 1875- 187G- 1877- 1878- 1879- 1880- 1881 — •Samuel Cai-pcnter. ■Edward Martin. -Thomas Clai-k. •John Francis Lee (left Birmingham). ■Edward Ridge was appointed to fill his place. ■William Earl. Samuel Brown. F. W. Harrold. ■Spilsbury Butler. -I. R Mott. ■Thomas Weston, Esq. (Mayor). Mr. John Josepli Heath. (Thomas Weston, Esq., I'csigniug, Mr. William E arl appointed Warden for the remainder of the year. ) -WiUiam Terry. ■Edward Montgomery Martin. Henry Holland. •William Franks Beale. Thomas Eyre Lee, Esq. Joseph Redfcrn. W. S. Harding. Charles Fiddiau, Junr. Thomas Lloyd. John M. Coppock. John Jeffreys. Thos. Pemberton, Junr. John Jeffreys. Joseph Timmins. Joseph Redfcrn. C. 11. Edwards. T. Clarkson Osier. Joseph Heath. Edward Townley. W. Septimus Harding. Edwaid Townley. Richard Peyton. John M. Coppock. Henry Holland. S. B. Whitfield. Henry Payton. C. H, Edwards. Charles Harding. Felix lladlcy. William Sharp. John M. Coppock. Thomas Mai-tinean. ■Thomas Prime. Edward Townley. ■F. Grew. ■Charles Taaffe. (Owing to the lamentable death of Mr. F. Grew, S. B. Whitfield was appointed Senior Wai'den in his place.) John Pickering. OLD MEETING HOUSE, MINISTER. Key. Charles Clarke, F.L.S., Hillside, 27, Wellington Road, Edgbaston. OFFICERS FOR 1881. WARDENS. Mr. Charles Taaffe, 37, Waterloo Street. Mr. JoH.N Pickering, Park Hill, Moseley. TREASURER. Mr. Arthur Downing, Belle Vue Place, Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath. SECRETARY TO THE TRUSTEES AND TREASURER OF THE ENDOWMENT AND AUXILIARY FUND. Mr. W. Sextus Harding, 32, Waterloo Street. VESTRY COMMITTEE. Chairman Mr. Charles Taaffe. SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE. Chairman Rev. Charles Clarke. Secretary Mr. Samuel Foxali.. Treasurer Mr. Thomas Prime. ORGANIST AND CHOIR MASTER. Mr. W. T. Taylor. F.C.O., Villa Road, Handsworth. SUPERINTENDENT OF GIRLS' SUNDAY SCHOOL. Mrs. Hargrove, 5, Steelhouse Lane. SUPERINTENDENT OF BOYS' SUND.W SCHOOL. Mr. J. H. Ba.xter, 15, Alston Street, Ladywood. LADIES' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. Secretary ........ Mrs. CHARLES HaRDINC. Treasurer Mrs. W. Franks BI'.alk. LADIES' SEWING SOCIETY. Secretary, Miss Clarke. OLD MEETING FRIENDLY UNION. President and Treasurer Rev. Charles ClaRKE. Secretary ^'r I^- A- Clarke. CHAPEL KEEPER. Mr. R. Simpson, Old Meeting Street. LIST OF LOW BAILIFFS OF BIRMINGHAM FROM THE YEAE 1732 TO 1834, Many op whose names are to be found on the older tablets and gravestones. ' 1732— John Webster. 1733— Joseph Kettle. 173-i— Thomas Lakin. 1735— John EusselL 173G— Robert Moore. 1737 — Isaac Ingram. 1738— WilUam Mason. 1739— William Harvey. 1740— Thomas Russell 1741 — George Abney. 1742— 1743— William Kettle. 1744 — J. Huuiphrys, Junr. 1745 — Robert Moore. 1746— 1747— J. Taylor, Esq. 1748— John Roe. 1749— Richard Brett. 1750— Joseph Smith. 1751 — Benj. ManseU. 1752- John Taylor. 1753 — Samuel Harvey. 1754 — Joseph Richards. 1755— John Wells.* 1756— J. Kettle, Esq. 1757— Joseph Webster. 1758— T. Lawrence. 1759 — -Thomas Abney. 1760— Abel Humphrys. 1761— Stephen Bedford. 1762 — James Jackson. 1763 — John Lee. 1764— J. Ryland. 1765 — Samuel Richards. 1766— Heury Veuour. 1767— J. Wilkinson. 1768- -W. Russell. Esq. 1800- -Edward Hughes. 1769- -Samuel Ray. 1801- -Timothy Smith. 1770- -Thomas Russell. 1802- -John Jukes. 1771- -J. Hornblower. 1803- -Samuel Ryland. 1772- -J. Tyndall. 1804- -William Price. 1773- -John Richards. 1805- -William Francis. 1774- -John Francis. 1806- -Thomas Potts. 1775- -John Taylor, Esq. 1807- -Thomas Small. 1776- -Josiah Rogers. 1808- -Edward Cairns. 1777- -S. Pemberton. 1809- -John Kettle. 1778- -William Hunt. 1810- -William Crompton 1779- -W. Humphrys. 1811- -Thomas Phipson. 1780- -William Scott. 1812- -Joseph Webster. 1781- -W. Taylor, Esq. 1813- -T. Lakin Hawkes. 1782- -G. Humphrys. 1814- -J. Ridout. 1783- -Thomas Colmore. 1815- -John Dickenson. 1784- -Benjamin May. 1816- -Samuel Smith. \ Timothy Smith. 1817- -William Blakeway. 1785^ John Rickardb. 1818- -William Phipson. i Joseph Jukes. 1819- -Thomas Ryland. 1786- -George Russell. 1820- -G. E. Lee. j Joseph Webster. I Harry Hunt. 1821- -J. C Bond. 1822- -William Beale. 1788- —Samuel Colmore. 1823- —Owen Johnson. 1789- -Charles Taylor. 1824- -John Ryland. 1790- —Joseph Rogers. 1825- -J. W. Phipson. 1791- -Samuel Rogers. 1826- -J. T. Lawrence. 1792- -William Dickenson. 1827- -W. H. Stewart. 1793- -Richard Peyton. 1828- —Thomas Osier. 1794- —Thomas Francis. 1829- —Edward Corn. 1795- —Joseph Smith. 1830- -H. Smith. 1796- —Samuel Ryland. 1831- -W. Wills. 1797- —John Lawrence. 1832- —Josiah Corrie. 1798- —Mark Sanders. 1833- -William Whitfield. 1799- —Benjamin Stokes. 1834- -Thomas Tyndall. t LIST OF MAYORS OF BIRMINGHAM, (UNITAEIAN), Some of whose ancestors lie in the Old Meeting House graveyard. 1841- -Samuel Beale. 1853- -James Baldwin. 1873- 1813- -Thomas Weston. 1854- -John Palmer. 1874- 1844- -Thomas PhiUips. 1860- -Arthur Ryland. 1875- 1845- -Heniy Smith. 1868- -Henry Holland. 1877- 1846- -Robert Martineau. 1869- -Thomas Prime. 1878- 1848- -Samuel Thornton. 1871- -John Sadler. 1879— 1851- -Henry Smith. 1872- -Ambrose Biggs 1880— -Joseph Chamberlain. 1874 — Joseph Chamberlain. 1875 — Joseph Chamberlain. -William Kenrick. -Jesse Ceilings. -Richard Chamberlain. -Richard Chamberlain. * John Wells dying in office, Benjamin ManseU was chosen in his stead. + Hutton's History of Birmingham, published by Guest, pp. 218, 219, 220, 221, 482, 483, 484. LEE. WHITFIELD COLMORE. BEALE HODGKINS. GIBSON. PLANTE. OLIVER. GOODRICK. JACKSON. LLOYD. DUNN. HORTON HUNT. BUTLER. CARPENTER, COTTRELL. GREW. OAKES GALLIMORE Plan of the re COLMORE, BEALE PLANTE. OLIVER. QOODHICK J4CKS0N. LLOYD. DUNN, HORTON CARPENTER, COTTR ELI- MINISTERS' VESTRY WARDENS' VEeTRY. DOOR. ENTRANCE FROM Q(^*VEt^RD. "^ GRIFFITHS. O NS. COOLSON. VHITEHEAD JEE. FORRESTER O TWITTY HEWI SUCKLING. BEST. JUDOe. FIDDIAN. PICKERING. osleh prime. BIOQ5 FAULKENEfl WOOLLEY. QOODE, BOLTON TESTER, HOOQETTS. OHEENWAY PARKER. DANIELS. HALLILEY, LITCHFIELD MINISTERS PEW T. MARTINEAU, OSLER. KINO. MOODY. HITEHEAO. 0REAVE3. VILLMOTT. COVINGTON. •..,. o WRIGHT, HORTON, EMPSON, DOWNinQ. wade C. HARDINQ. HUQHES. LAWRENCE. JONES. T. EYRE LEE PEMBERTON. NEWBOLD. McEVOY. Plan of the Pews on the Floor of the Chapel, showing the Names of the Present, and some of the Past Seat-holders. ALSO position OF VAULTS UNDER CHAPEL. Plan of Galleries, vyHicH are principally used by the School Children. ^v I8«K.'*C o > < CC o o cc Ll. tn o o or _i o o I o to THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS. HE history of the Old Meeting would be incomplete without some mention of the schools, which have been noted through a long series of years for their great usefulness ; and ^^^ many now holding good positions in the town have reason to be thankful for the |l instruction they have received there. The year 1781 is memorable in the history of Sunday Schools in general. Eobert Eaikes, of Gloucester, first conceived the idea of them, and we all know how his labours were crowned with success. The Old and New Meeting societies commenced their schools in 1787, and we learn that — "It was one of the first resolutions of the Old Meeting committee (though bordering on the ludicrous), ' That the number of children be limited to twenty.' The children were to be taught to read and to repeat their catechism, and then to be dismissed, with the present of a Bible, to make room for new comers." '■= The schools were held at various houses before the present building was erected. The girls occupied the lower rooms till 1S-5G, when they were removed to the New Lecture Room, where they have received instruction ever since. This notice of the Sunday Schools would not be complete without some mention of James Luckcock, who has been justly called the " Father of Sunday School instruction in Birmingham." The following account of him is taken from a " Short Biographical Tribute to his Memory," by Mr. Thomas Clark, Junr., and is dated Edgbastou, June 1, 18.35. "Mr. J. Luckcock was bom October 24th, 1761. . . . His principal schooling in early life was acquired under the care of Mr. Howell, master of Winson Green Academy, near Birmingham, and he afterwards resided a short time in France, for the purpose of obtaining a knowledge of the language of that country. He served his time, as an apprentice, to Mr. Benjamin May, plater, New Street, at the expiration of which he joined his brother Joseph in the business of buckle making. Change of fashion destroying the buckle trade, he afterwards became a manufacturing jeweller, in which business, by his industry, care, and persevering attention, he obtained a moderate competency. " In 1787 he became actively engaged in the important business of Sixnday School instruction. . . . Connected with the schools, was founded in 1796 the Brotherly Society, whose members were selected from amongst the most promising youths of the schools, and trained up with a view of becoming teachers, ' who should undertake yratuituunlij to instruct others, in consideration of the benefits which they themselves had received.' . . . Mr. Luckcock had long entertained the project of erecting a new and commodious range of buildings for the use of the Old Meeting Simday Schools, and having at length, in the year 1817, succeeded in raising, chiefly by voluntary contributions, a sufiScient fund for that purpose, he had the distinguished honour of being invited to lay the first stone of the new pile, which he accordmgly did [April 19, 1620], in the presence of a large concourse of persons, consisting of the friends, teachers, and pupils of the schools. On this interesting and memorable occasion the Eev. Stephen Weaver Browne, then minister of the chapel, delivered a most eloquent and impressive address, in which he paid a just tribute to the long and invaluable services which Mr. Luckcock had rendered to the establishment, and in particular to the persevering exertions which had been the means of enabling them to commence the present undertaking. The stone was laid with a handsome silver trowel, which was made expressly for the purpose, and which was afterwards presented to Mr. Luckcock by the subscribers, with an appropriate and highly gratifying inscription engraved upon it.'" From one of the minute books of the schools we learn that — * Hutton's History of Birmingliam, published by Guest, p. 231. 60 THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS. "Nov. 29, 1818. — It was suggested to the society the propriety of evincing their esteem for Mr. James Luckcock (the invaluable friend of the Old Meeting Sunday Schools) by respectfully requesting hiin to sit for his portrait, and that it may be hung in the new schools. The following were the names of the committee to carry out the suggestion :— J. Godfrey, J. Reily, W. Greenway, G. Coles, W. Poolton, and G. Tyndall." The portrait, which was painted by Mr. Henry Wyatt, was considered an " adiiiinible and characteristic likeness." It now hangs in the Lecture Eoom. Mr. Luckcock published several books ; one of the best known, entitled " Moral Culture," which appeared in 1817, was often presented as a prize to the boys. The biographical notice goes on to say that — " Mr. Luckcock sought no other or higher reward than the approbation of his own conscience, yet he did esteem it the proudest day of his life when a deputation from the Brotherly Society and the supporters of the Sunday Schools, headed by Mr. Thomas Wright Hill, = father of the late learned member for Hull, and one of the founders and most zealous friends of the schools, presented him with a gold medal, bearing this inscription : — "'To the Author of "Moral Culture;" This Medal is presented by his friends and admirers, as a record of esteem for his succe.ssful exertions in the Old and New Meeting Sunday Schools, from their commencement to the present time, Jubilee, Sept. 14, 1831.' " The medal also bore an accurate likeness, in profile, of Mr. Luckcock, round which was inscribed — "'JAMES LUCKCOCK, Father of Sunday School Instruction in Birmingham, Bom Oct. 24, 1761.' " Mr. Luckcock retained to the last the full possession of all hit; mental faculties. He died on Monday, April 27th, 1835, and on the following Friday his remains were interred in the cemetery of the Old Meeting House, whither they were followed by the members of the Brotherly Society, and a considerable number of hi.s sorrowing relatives and friends.'' It is interesting to know that about the years 1835 and 1836 the classes of the Mechanics' Institution for evening tuition were held in these schools. These classes formed the foundation of our present glorious Midland Institute, the connecting link being the Polytechnic Institute. * Founder of Hazelwood School, Edgbaston, and father of the late Sir Rowland Hill and the late Mr. Commissioner Hill, Recorder of Birmingham. LIST OF SERMONS Preached o.\ behalf of the funds foe the suppoet of the Suxday Schools coxnected with the Old Meeting House, Biemixgham, with amounts collected, and names of Preachers, from 1790 to 1881 1790 Rev 1791 »» 1792 »> 1793 »> 1794 U 1795 It 1790 »l 1797 l> 1798 »» 1799 )' 1800 »l 1801 J» 1802 ti 1803 ») 1804 »» 1805 >» 1806 »» 1807 »» 1808 >» 1809 >» 1810 n 1811 >i 1812 ,, 1813 ') 1814 »> 1815 »» 1816 ,, 1817 11 1818 11 1819 J» 1820 1821 i» 1822 »i 1823 1) 1824 >> 1825 11 1826 »> 1827 i> 1828 »i 1629 1 i» 1830 Ji 1831 „ 1832 »» 1832 It 1833 11 1834 It Radcliffe Scholefield, Minister of the Chapel John Coates, Birmingham John Edwards, Birmingham William Wood, Dudley ... John Scott, Cradley Benjamin Carpenter, Stom-bridge John Coates, Birmingham Jehoiada Brewer, Birmingham ... Hugh Worthington, London Benjamin Naylor, Sheffield Samuel Griffiths, Wolverhampton Robert Kell, Birmingham Thomas Jenkins, Stourbridge ... Edmund Butcher, Sidmouth Samuel Palmer, Hackney Joshua Toulmin, Birmingham ... John Kentish, Birmingham James Hews Bransby, Dudley ... John Lane, Hinckley Samuel Shattock, Hull ... Alexander Patterson, Stourbridge Richard Fry, Kidderminster Timothy Davis, Coventry John Kenrick, then resident in Birmingham ... George Kenrick, Hull Charles Berry, Leicester James Yates, Birmingham John Corrie, Birmingham James Hews Bransby, Dudley ... Stephen Weaver Browne, Bir- mingham Edwai-d Bristowe, Birmingham... William Field, Wai-wick Hugh Hutton, Birmingham Edward Higginson, Derby Charles Wallace, Altringham ... Edward R. Dymoke, WaiTington John R. Wreford, Birmingham ... William Turner, York ... George Harris, Glasgow... JohnCorrie(morning)Birmingham | J. S. Hyndeman (evening) Cradley / Samuel Bacho, Dudley ... William GaskcU, Manchester ... Hugh Hutton (in aid of debt), Birmingham ... John Kentish, Birmingham — Hort, Gorton ... Henry Hunt Piper, Norton £ s. d. 16 6 7 1835 Rev 20 14 4 1836 „ 35 18 9 1837 ,, 26 8 8 1838 „ 36 12 4 1839 „ 28 13 8 1840 „ 38 4 41 2 9 9 1841 { " 30 9 2 1842 „ 80 9 4 1843 „ 30 3 6 1844 „ 37 11 7 1845 „ 33 7 5 1846 „ 39 12 3 1847 „ 35 18 9 1848 „ 36 3 6 1849 „ 36 15 4 1850 „ 33 8 3 1851 „ 84 19 10 1852 „ 32 3 1853 „ 34 7 32 12 9 2 1854 1 " » »l 27 11 4 1855 Mr. 1856 Rev 32 2 1857 „ 30 5 6 1858 „ 31 5 1859 „ 35 15 1860 „ 38 14 1861 ,. 36 4 2 1862 „ 1863 „ 50 8 7 1864 „ 33 4 1865 „ 38 14 4 1860 „ 47 6 1867 „ 42 13 8 1868 „ 43 2 1869 „ 57 15 8 1870 „ 44 10 4 1871 „ 37 12 6 1872 „ 46 7 1873 „ 36 6 8 1874 „ 1875 „ 34 1870 ,. 33 14 7 1877 j " . If 22 IS 3 1878 „ 26 8 7 1879 „ 35 8 1880 „ 45 13 9 1881 „ 7. Archibald Macdonald, Royston ... John Taylor, Kidderminster Henry Acton, Exeter Bartholomew Stannus, Sheffield Edward Tagart, London... David Davidson, Loudon John Kentish (morn. ) Birmingham Hugh Hutton (even.) Birmingham Matthew Gibson, Kidderminster William James, Bristol ... Dr. Meesom, Warwick ... James Taplin, Colyton Dr. Sadler, Hampstead ... John Boucher, Hackney ... James Cranbrook, Birmingham ... Dr. Harrison, Brixton ... James Brooks, Gee Cross Thomas Felix Thomas, Ipswich... Charles Clarke, Birmingham James Martineau, Liverpool E. Myers ^morning), Walsall £ s. 42 12 42 11 40 87 2 32 15 81 3 41 5 2 33 39 37 11 40 44 43 44 41 11 9 5 3 8 2 7 1 37 17 10 33 1 OJ 40 13 lOi 46 15 Oi 32 19 1 W. McKean (evening), Oldbury... j George Dawson, Birmingham ... 59 14 11} T. E. Poyuting, Monten ... 24 1 1 J. J. Tayler, Loudon 36 7 11 W. Gaskell, Manchester 42 15 3 Charles Beard, Gee Cross ... 28 3 8 W. H. Channing, Liverpool ... 59 2 3 J H. W^ Crosskey, Glasgow ... 37 12 7i H. Solly, Lancaster 35 1 1 James Mai-tineau, London ... 42 18 10 John Wright, Bury 32 J. J. Tayler 34 13 6 D. Maginnis, Stourbridge ... 27 13 4 W. James, Bristol _ 37 6 4 W. Gaskell, Manchester 42 18 6 T. W. Chignell, Exeter 52 15 6 P. W. Claydeu, London 32 6 H. E. Dowson. Gee Cross ... 31 16 R. R. Suffield, Croydon 35 15 11 T. W. ChigneU, Exeter 42 15 11 J F. W. Walters, Preston 45 8 6 T. W. ChigneU, Exeter 39 15 6 R. R. Suffield 32 14 6 C. Wicksteed (morning) ... D. Maginnis (evening) ... R. A. Armstrong, Nottingham ... 30 13 11 Dr. Laird Collier (U.S.A.) ... 53 12 6 Page Hopps 26 7 6 P. W. Clayden 28 3 10 ::M 7 13 1 THE GRAVEYARD, [HE burial-ground, about lo be completely annihilated, contains the ashes of many of the leading men in the town, as will be seen by the names recorded on the mural tablets and gravestones. To quote the words of a local writer : " To walk through the graveyard, and to read the names upon the tombstones, is like reading the history of Birmingham for nearly two centuries. Most of the names famihar to Birmingham men are to be found there, family by family, generation after generation" The burial-ground has been used by the Old and New Meeting congregations. It was enlarged by subscription in 1779, and again in the years 1869 and 1870, by the purchase from the London and North Western Eailway Company of two pieces of land facing Great Queen Street, at a cost of £1,400. The last thirteen years it has formed a bright green spot in the centre of the town. H o Plan of Graveyard, Chapel, and Vestries <\b6\'. showing the position of all the Mural Tablets and Gravestones Till: Fifiiiiu lo each S.iUic .orrpHiioiiils witli llii.- Nmuhcr uf the Eiigmving of .■ucL TiiM<-t tiuJ cimv.'^niif. !.■'•:■ t- Ui I- 00 111 o £ o a. u. Q a: $ > < O o o oc Id CC Hnrry Hunt, Esq., was a I.awT'er in BirmiDgham. Mr. Thomai. Pemberton was n much respected member of the OKI Meeting Congregation. The following accoHnt of him appeared in the Vaily Post of April 10, 1873. " It is with regret that we have to announce the death of Mr. Thomas Pemberton, senior partner in the celebrated firm of Pemberton and Sous, brassfounders — a firm which has been in existence upwards of a century. For many months Mr. Pembeiton has been unwell, but he continued to transact business as usual. Last week he was in Loudon, and when he returned home he complained of feeling weak. He went to bed at his usual hour on Tuesday night, and in consequence of suffering from rheumatic pains, lie slept alone in his dres.sing-room. Hetween seven and eight o'clock next morning, when his wife went to call him, she became alarmed at his condition. Dr. Willington, of Handsworth, and Mr. Oliver Pemberton, brother of the deceased, were at once summoned, but on their arrival Sir. Pemberton was dead. They inferred that death, resulting from heart disease, had token place whilst he was asleep. Mr. Pemberton has never taken any part in public atfairs, but he was deeply interested in the cultivation of the fine arts. The eminent artor, Mr. Sothern, was one of his most intin:ate and attached friends, and always stayed with him when he visited Birmingham. Mr. Pemberton died at Iliathtield Hall, a mansion which he had occupied about 17 years. It was previously the residence of James Watt, and that great engineer lived and died there. Deceased was in his 56th year, and he leaves a large family. Mr. Arthur Pemberton is now the only meuiber of the firm." ■William Harding was a much respected member of the Old Meeting Congregation ; he was appointed a Trustee in 1831, and was a liberal snbscnber to all the improrements in connection with the Chapel and Graveyard. Rebecca Harding, liia wUe, bom Pemberton. Emily Rebecca Peyton wu a daughter of William Sextus Harding, Eaq. 5n memory ot XATHAKIEL BASSJ^ETT who died May 5th 1777 Aged 75 ALSO OF ELIZTH LAWRENCE wife of Thomas Lawrence who died Jan 11th 1792 Aged 77 THOMAS LAWRENCE died May Ist 1802 Aged 80 NATHANIEL LAWRENCE died March 22nd 1803 Aged 5-t MARY LAWRENCE died 6th December 1804 Aged 49 Eliza Daughter of Saml Lawrence of Loudon died Feb 26th 1809 Aged 23 10 ^'^^ TO THE BELOVED MEMORV OF JOHN REDFEEN WHO DUKINO FORTY YEARS WAS A MEMBi;tt OF THIS CONGREOATION AUD A TEACHER 1J» ITS 8DSDAY SCHOOLS EARSESTLT DESIRING THAT HIS FELLOW HEX SHOULD ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF KDCCATION HE LABOCUED TO THAT END WITH GREAT FAITHPaLNBSS AND DILIOEKCE HIS CHARACTER AS A CHRISTIAN AND A FRIEND AND HIS ZEAL AS AN INSTRUCTOR GAINED THE AFFECTION AND ESTEEM OF HIS FELLOW TEACHERS AND THE LOVE AND GRATITUDE OF THOSE HE TAUGHT BE DIED UAKCH t.TH ISU AGKD »l YEARS. " Thanlu be to G^mI which giveth un the TUrtoi7 through our Lord Jeatu ChrUt. I. Cor. XV, Tablet WM wected "by>is Felloi _±.' -l^ — :..^ V» -"--^ ■■'''■ ■ IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF NATHANIEL LAWRENCE WHO DIED MARCH 22 1803 AGED M AND OF MARY HIS WIFB WHO DIED DEC 6 1804 AGED 49 AL80 OF THEIR CHILDREN ANN HENRY AND CATHERINE WHO DIED IN INFANCY JANE LAWRENCE WHO DIED SEPTEMBER 14 1841 AND SARAH LAWRENCE WHO DIED JULY 20 1859 ALL OF WHOM ABE INTERRED IN A VAULT BENEATH THIS CHAPEL THI8 TABLBT IB EKECTKD BT THB 8UBVIVING DAUQHTEB8 OF NATHANIEL * MABT LAWRENCE 1863 ■.>/^.::^>syf^ M^:^-^^ ^^^.m - "^ \2 In memory of GEORGE RUSSELL formerly a Merchant in this- town who died at Kenilworth Feb 21 1825 Aged 81 years also of SAIUH GRUNDY HIS WIFE who died Sept 17th 1778 Aged 28 years also of MARTHA SKEY HIS SECOND WIFE who died at Kenilworth Jan 19 1840 Aged 80 yeai-s Likewise of WILLIAM RUSSELL Son of George and Martha Ruuell who died at Kenilworth Jan 21 1833 Aged 49 years also of JAMES RUSSELL Son of George and Martha Russell who died Dec 24 1851 Aged 65 years and of THOMAS HAWKES RUSSELL who died May 14 1844 Aged 23 years Also of SARAH HAWKES wife of the above James Rusaell who died May 10 1857 Aged 66 years and of LOUISA RUSSELL only daughter of the above George and Martha Russell who died at Kenilworth July 2 1866 Aged 81 years also of SUSAN MARTHA AND CATHERINE Infant Children of James Russell M.D. SOD of the above James Bussell Also of GEORGE iVJ^D FREDERICK Sons of the above George and Martha Russell who died the former in America Dec 12 1832 Aged 40 years the latter at Kenilworth June 16 1858 and was interred in Amos Vale Cemetery Bristol .A sv?^ ifT^" '^^"''^^ '"^^ '""^ ''^*° honourably known in the hUtory of Birmingham. ■William Russell, whose house at hhowell Grecu was burnt at the Priestley Riots, 1791, was Great Uncle to Dr. James Russell (Physician to the General Hospital), one of the present representatives of tlie family. 14- 15 THIS FBOM HER HUSBAND AKD CHILDREN IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF MARY WIFE OF CHARLES CLAEKE WHOSE SPIRIT WENT FBOM THEM SEPT 6th 1876 Granite Tablet in the Portico to mark the sit<> where Mrs. Clarke (wife of the Rev. C. Clarke, minister of the Old Meeting) was buried ; the Tablet erected to her memory by the Ladies of the Congregation was placed in the Chapel. In memory of TTILLTAM HOWARD HILL OF HAZELWOOD NEAR THIS TOWN WHO Diet NOV SOth 1835 AGED *i TEAB8 Brother of Sir Rowland Hill. 16 To the memory of Sarah wife of JOHN BEDFORD who departed this bfe 24 July 17G5 Aged 66 ALSO JOHN BEDFORD her Husband died the 31 of Janry 1777 Aged 83 Likewise to the memory of ^^j^J^ J^ wife of the before mentioned JOHN BEDFOED who died February 5th 1843 Aged 58 years ALSO STEPHEN BEDFORD ton of John and Mary Bedfyrd who died at Goodrick in Canada April 22nd 1846 A-jed 2i y.-ars SARAH BEDFORD died April 22nd 1870 Aged 59 years J0A:S^XA BEDFORD died FebT 2-4th 1S75 Aged 61 years AND OF CATHEEIXE BEDFORD TWIN SISTER OF THE ABOVE JOASSA WHO DIED MABCn 15IH 18:« AGED SJ 18 19 To the memory of XiJ_) >> A.lvL) *"" °f James and Man- Bedford ■who died May 27th 1791 Agid 34 yean Like«rise MARY BEDFORD «"/« 'f '^<"«" Bedford xchu depiiTted Uiia life the Slk January ISOl Aged 64 years ^^ of CATHERLNE FRAXCIS - ^ <>/ JOnS FRANCIS who died Aug 27th 1803 Aged 44 yean Likewise of JAMES BEDFORD -ho died tlie 31st of Oitob.r 181 1 Aged S2 vears JOHN BEDFORD "^-"^ ^-^ ^sik me Afred 56 vears Also two children who died yonng Likewise JOHN F'R ANCLS '^'"••^ ^"'^ ^^^^ iss- Aged GS years Also STEPHEX BEDFORD years ks3" ■^s^ Memory of Georg^e Dudley who died Nov 8th 1784 Aged 61 years Ann. his wife died July ISth 1780 Aged 56 yeais Saran their Daughter died August JiSth 1777 Aged 21 years Andrew Collins died Feby 17th 1814 Aged 53 years Nancy Collins died July 13th 1831 Agetl 75 years 24 JOHN HUGHES Aged WILLIAM Eelict of JOHN HUGHES who died to the memory of ^ George Bill who died Dec 30th 1S22 ^( Age.! ^ 53);, year* j}^ Also Richard Bill GRANDSON OF THE ABOVE ichc dud m infancy Also Sarah SEVENTH DATOHTER OF THE ABOVg who died Janr 2-2Dd 1828 Aged 15 yean Likewise Sarah WIFE OF THE ABOVE who died Feb 27th 1834 Aged 81 yeart To the Memory of SARAH wife of James Evans who died April 3rd 1843 Aged 80 years 26 IN MEMORY OF JOHN WAKEFIELD ■WHO DIED OCTOBER 15tb l!>5a IN THE 69th year OF HIS AOE ALSO OF MARY HIS WIFE DAUGHTER OF THOllAS TUNSTALL ESQUIRE OF BROOME, SHROPSHIRE WHO DIED SEPTEMBER IOtb 1855 IS THE 7«TB YEAR OF HER AGE ALSO OF BENJAMIN son of THE ABOVE JOHN AND MARY WAKEFIELD WHO DIED MAY 21st 1828 AGED 1 YEAR ASD i MONTHS 28 29 IK MEMORY OF DANIEL WRIGHT WHO DIED 8EFT 7th lg3« AGED ei MANY TEARS CONDnCTOB OF THE CLASSM IN THE MECHANICS INSTITUTE IN THIS TOWN THE PUPILS AND FRIENDS OF WHICH HAVE BRECTED THIS TABLET TO EVINCE THEIR HIGH ESTEEM FOR HIS MEMORY SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF LUCY HUGHES WHOSE REMAINS ABE DEPOSITED IN THE FAMILY VAULT BENEATH AND WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFK ON THE Slit MAY 1S50 AGED 19 YEARS 1 w ^ # Joseph Smith died February 12th 1800 Aged 46 Mary Smith died Sept 24th 1804 Aged 50 William, Smith died Oct' 30th 1815 Aged 80 IN MEMORY OF SAMUEL PEMBERTON -ho died Aug leu. hm >^ » ALSO OF RE BECC^ his wife, who died Not 28th i:C9 aged 70 AND OF THOllAS PEMliERTON <'»^'f •«». whodiedNorjth nss iged r AND OF SAMLEL PEMBERTON their eon. who died Aug Uthl89S.ged«4 AND OF MART GROSEYENOR "« "Hc, who died soTStd i8i7«g«d 7s LIKEWISE OF SAMUEL, REBECCA, LUCIANA, CAROLINE 4 GEORGE chudren of SAMUEL PEMBERTUN J"° »nd 1| a RY w. w.f. Whu alt died Ynuug ALSO OF THOMAS PEMBERTOS -ho died Muxh mh isso iged m AND OF M^m^ hU wife who died 11th Sn>t 1M« ALSO OF EDWIX PEMBERTOy Dura 1»U> July 17S5 died let Augiut 1851 I Low A!Ur Tomb. The Pembertons were paternal ancestors of Mrs. Williani Harding, mother of William Sextos Harding, Esq., and maternal ancestors of Mis3 Ryland, well known for her splendid gifts to the town of Birmingham. 31 32 In memory of SAMUEL RYLAND who died May 29tb 1817 Aged 80 years of HANNAH his wife who died Aug 22iiil 1823 \ged 80 veins and of his two daughters ELIZABETH wife of JOSEPH PRIESTLFA^ who died May 8th 1816 aged 40 and ANN RYLAND who died Sept 29th 1815 Aged 44 years IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM RYLAND who died May l5th 1810 Aijed 79 ELIZABETH liis wife wlio died Sept 26th 1805 Aged 65 SAMUEL tbeir son who died Oct 24th 1791 Aged 28 John, Elizabeth, John, Martha, and Mary their children who died in Infancy. Elizabeth Ryland married a son of the celebrated Dr. Prieitley. The Ryland family was connected with the Rev. Mr. Fincher and the Rev. Mr. Sillitoe, the first ministers of the Old and New Meeting. William Ryl.ind was Grandfather to the late Arthur Ryland, Esq., J. P., the late Rer. .1. H. Ryland, the late Timothy Ryland, the late Miss E. Ryland, and Miss Susan Ryland of Edgbaston. He was also the most intimate friend of AVilliaic Button, Historian of Birmingham. The following quotation from the History of his Life will be found interesting :— "1810, May 15th, I lost my valuable and worthy friend William Ryland, after an intimate connection which continued, without the least intermption, more than 59 years. While bachelors we daily sought each other out ; while passing through the mariieil state, which continued with each about forty years, the same friendly intercourse continued ; and while widowers the affection suffered no abatement, the secrets of one were the secrets of both. His life was a continued series of vivacity, good humour, and rectitude, I have reason to believe, he never did a bad act knowingly, or uttered a bad word." William Ryland was an ancestor of Miss Ryland of Barford, near Warwick. £u iHcmoijj of Mary the Wife of Samuel Rirhards who died January 27th 1760 ALSO OF JOSEPH RICHARDS wbo died Oct. Slat \'i6 Ad S(i \/~ JOHN STEWART native of BorrfnettonneM SCOTLAND who died Fob 20 I'Tl Aged 36 yean ANN STEWART hit leife Died Oct 39th 1S15 Aff«l SS iftan CHARLOTTE ANN UatigLter of the abuve and Wife of GEORGR EYKK T.EE bom July ith 170'.) died Jan lOtb 1825 WILLIAM HENRY STEWART fOH of the uooKe John atitt Ann Stewart born May 28th 1770 died JaD 12th isaj Affed 6U ytan ALSO OF GEORGE EYRE LEE (JEST WHO DIED UX THE 28 DEC 1847 AGED 77 YEARS I — Hie last mentioned George F.yre Le<" was father to the late Miss Charlotte Lee of the Wellington Roail, nlso to Mr. Cosby Lee and the late WilUam Henry Lee of Westbourne Rood, Edgba^ton. ''^ ^ SacrcD To the memoi-j- of 3[AK\ tlie wife of JOSEPH lUCHARDS wLo died Feb 15tb 1796 Aged 66 yeart Also the above JOSEPH KICHARDS wbo died April 2nd 1810 Ayed 76 yeart THOMAS EYRE LEE BORN NOV 13: H 17*9 DIED MAY 2 T u 1852 REBECCA LEE HIS WIFE BORN J ULY 28th 1785 DIED SEPT 12th l8o2 ELIZABETH EMMA LEE FIFTH DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE BORN MARCH 6th 182» DIED SEPT 9th 1846 Ix)w Tomb. Thomas E>Te Lee, E»q., was a Lawyer in Birmingham ; he was father of the late Thomas Yate Lee. and grandfather of Thomas Groevcnor Lee and Henry Lee, Solicitors of this town. Rebecca Lee bom Hodgson. RICHARD BEECH vho died April 4th ISM ill tlio 7Gth year of his age Also of Hannah I'is wife tr/w died May 7th 1835 in the 92ud year of her age SACRED to the Memory of PATIENCE WIFE OF JOHN HARPER WHO DIED MARCH 13th 1S34 AGED (1(1 TEARS Blaxd an Ihe diad tchirh die in the Lord for they rest from their labours. ALSO OF JOHN HARPER WEO DIED MAT 16th 18GG ; AGED 75 YEARS. ALSO ANN HARPER W^'HO DIED APRIL 13th 1868; AGED 76 YEARS HKK WORK IS flMSHBD ASD HER END WAS PEACE 38 In Memory of WILLIAM ROBINSON Bou of Jobn and £liz^'> Robiuson he died 14th Nov' 1826 Aged 89 years He lived beloved and diod lamented. Sacreb to the Memory of EDWARD BURTON a native of Wrexham who departed this life March 1789 in the sixty third year of his age ' Tis God that lights -.^^^^higk He gives He. Cease all our angry passions then Let each rebellious sigh Be silettt at his Sovereign will And every murmur die. Low Tomb. Dilapidated. To the J^Iemonj of JOHN SHARPE who dietl January the 5th 18^1 Aged 73 years Alio jive of his children who died youncs Jfatnely Thomas Civrzon, Hden, Alhun John Child Ann Xot lost hut gone he fur e Also Mary relirt of the above John Sharpe who departed this life January l^th IS.^Il Aged GG years ^) Lieth the remains of WILLIAM ]\rAE SHALL wJw departed this life Sept jolh ijgS III tlie S^rd year of his aj^e ALSO MARTHA MARSHALL His wife who died January jth iSoo Aged 66 ALSO ELIZABETH CAPEMIURST dauqhtir of the abtyve who died Feb loth iSoj aged 41 also 42 IX MEMOUV OF WILLIAM TCRNEi; WHO DIED JULY 23bd 1833 AGED 56 VEABS. FOR MANY YEARS A TEACH E R IN THE OLD MEETING SUNDAY SCHOOL AND SARAH HIS \V I F E WHO DIED APRIL Gtu 1^31 AGED 53 YEARS J a m c s Ha ncox wbi> c'xclianged this life for a bettor Sept 14th 1807 A " e il GO years \ 45 Sttcred To fke Memory of JOHN TEAIES a native of Crediton Devonshire after a residence iu Birmingham of 13 years He died July 11th 1835 aged 38 " The upright shall dwell in thy presence. 47 IN MEMORY OF SAMUEL CRITOIILEY WHO PIED NOV 21sT 1833 AGED 54 YEARS ALSO MARY WINDSOR CRITCHLEY HIS WIFE DEPARTED THIS LIFE JULY 3rd 1839 AGED 70 YEARS Blessed are the dead wlio die in the Lord They rest from their labours And their works do follow them 48 Sacred ^^ TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM HUTTON who died May 2nd 1842 Aged 08 years and CATHERINE wife of tlie above WILLIAM HUTTON wlio tlied 24tli 1840 SACRED To the Memory of AMELIA daughter of Joseph and Mary Johufson who departed this life April ISih lt>24 Aged 21 years ALSO OF MARY JOIINSON WIFE OF Joseph Johnson who died June 13th 1838 aged 70 years Likewise of JOSEPH JOHNSON who died December ISth ISJfO aged 82 years 51 THE DEVOTED AND BELOVED WIFE OF I JOHN LANGLEY ESQ OF CASTLE CROFT HOUSE WOLVERHAMPTON WHO DIED SEPTEMBER THE 4th 1868 ALSO OF HER SISTER HELEN THE BELOVED WIFE OF RICHARD GOUGH OF CAROLINE STREET IN THIS TOWN WHO DIED JANUARY THE 4th 1869 SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF LUCY MARTIN WHO WAS BORN AT WANBOROUQH NEAR GUILDFORD DEC I7lh 1822 AND PEACEFULLY BREATHED HER LAST AT EOQBASTON JAN 2S 1336 WILLIAM WHITFIELD WHO DIED AI'KIL lIiH 1834 AfJKlJ 50 YEAKS ALSO SAliAH WIFE OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED MAY »ril 1833 AGI^l) IS rEARS AND SARAH DUTTOX YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE WILLIAM AND SARAH WHITFIELD WHO DIED DEC 2lTH 1S34 AOED 13 YEAUS FiuIkt, Motlicr, and Sister of Mrs. William Kjrliind and Miss Maria Whitfield of Edgbaston. 52 EI.LRX DAUGHTER OF JOHN AND UASXAH GILL niF.D JAXUARV XXIX MIKCCXXII AOED VI YEAKS ALSO n A X X A H 1 L K, T H E I R DAUGHTER blEO FEBRUARY 20TO 18S»: AGED 21 YE.\m- Lucy Mnrtin was the yonngost daughter of Uio late Gdnnrd Martin, Esq., of tho Bristol lioad. LIKEWLSE MARY JANE GILL, THEIR DAUGHTER DIED JUXK 1st 1S39: AGED 14 V£\U3 ALSO IIAXXAH GILL. (AUNT OF THE ABOVE) DIED APRIL lOT 1844, AGED l(NO MOtT Mmd or NCARr go HuyRLi. Awo or Lire so runt! • LEST WITH THE AKTlST] H*NO. THt AKTUT-J ITt. EACH HAPAY ORACC. EACH TCNOCR SYMPATHY. LIVINO AHD LOVIO SO OCARLTl HEIR TO PART TILL ITS LAST THROS FROM EAOH SAO TIARNIHO HEART, OOD GRANT US IN A BETTER OWElLINQ RlACE AGAIN TO OREET THEE AND ACA'N EMBRACE '. 53 54 TO THK MKMOISY OF JOSEPH ti:mmins WUU DIED FEU 24ril 1$66 AGED 07 YEAHS ALSO E in 111 a DAUGnTKR OF THF, ABOVE WHO DIED JAN Wru 1889 AOEU 33 YEARa ALSO MAET WIFE OF THE ADUVE JOSEPH TIMMINS WHO DIED JANUARY 2lsl 1870 AOED T8 YEARS ALSO ANNIE MAUDE ROSA YOUNGER DAUGHTER OF EDWIN GRIFFITHS WHO DIED MARCH 1(Jth 1877 AGED 10 YEARS Joseph Timmiiis wus I'licle to Sam. Timiiiins, Esq., F.A.S. now one of tlie Justices of the Peace fi.r the Borough of Biraiingliain. 55 BENJAMIN RIDGE (of II ford Sussex) died July 2StIi 1824 Aged C8 years ANN "'fA of the above died Oct lUtli 1834 .i^ed 71 years EDWARD RIDGE Son of the ahove died Feb 28th 1864 A^ed 66 years ^ TO THE MEMORV OF RICHARD TIMMINS WHO DIKD DEC lOin 1850 ACEn Qi VE.VRS ALSO ANN WIFE OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED N0VEM15ER 4th 1873 AGED 74 YEARS HARRIET WIFE OF EDWIN GRIFFITHS AND DAUGHTER OF JOSEPH TIMMINS DIED MARCH 30ru 1855 AGED 31 YEARS ROSA SECOND WIFE OF EDWIN GRIFFITHS AND DAUGHTER OF RICHARD TIMMINS DIED DECEMBER 6th I860 AGED 2J YEARS V. 56 SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH ROGERS PHIPSON SON OF JOSEPH AND SARAH PHIPSON WHO DIED JUNE 23rd 1824 AGED 19 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS ALSO OP WILLIAM HOWELL PHIPSON WHO DIED NOVEMBER 19th 1843 AGED 67 YEARS AND OF SARAH HIS WIFE WHO DIED NOVEMBER 21 1873 AGED 86 YEARS Low Toinl). The t«u latter wie Kuther and Motlier of Mr. A. B. rhipson, Alclutect of this town. 57 HANNAH BE ALE died Dec 15th 1S73 Aged 15 years and 8 months 58 Sacred to tlie metnory of SACRED To the memory of THOMAS BEALE toho depiiTitd this life Mureh 7th 1S4S Aged €7 years ESTHER ■wife of Tliomas Beale xcho departed tliis life Jan IStk 1849 Aged 75 years MIDDLEMORE The son of Thomas and Esther Deale who deiiarled this life July 23rd 1836 Aged 21 years THOMAS BEALE dieil Oct 17tJi lS6i Aged 55 years WILLIAM HDTTON BEALE dted Fch ~th 1S03 Aged 3 years Thomas Eealc, Senr., 59 ^V^was Constable in 1S26. HANNAH BEALE died June S^th 1S78 Aged 71 years Low Altar Tomb. TO lilt MEMORY Or Maiy Caroline dawjhter of Charles and Mary Ann MINSHULL •who departed this life Jau 21 1H23 Aged 2 yean and 2 months WILLIAM BEALE Camp Hill who departed this life Sept 8th 1848 Aged 79 years SARAH "■'» of WiUimn Beale died AuguH 2nd 1822 Aged 50 years £'&Zadei:/lMarj/. idje of WUUam BeaU died October 14th 182S Aged 49 years /inn. wife of WiUiam BeaU died Jtn> 16th 1865 Aged 91 years MABY daughter of WiUiam and Sarah Beale died Feb 26th 1816 Ayrd 18 years Low Altar Tomb. William Beale, of Camp Hill, was a County Magistrate and Low Bailiff in 1822; Father of tho late Samuel Beale, who was Mayor of Birmingham in 1841, M.P. for Dcrl>y, and Chairman of the Midland Railway Company; also Father of William John Beale, late Solicitor of this town, and Chainuan, for some years, of the Festival Committee. Harah Beale born Bailey. Elizabeth Beale born Hyatt. Ann Beale bom Colmore. 60 61 MARY MANSELL died 20th Feb 1818 Aged 76 years ANN MANSELL died 18th July 1820 Aged 81 years MAETHA MANSELL died Gth April 1823 Aged 79 years JUDITH MANSELL died 26th August 1828 Aged 83 years THOMAS EVANS CHIDL\AV died 19th Augu^^t 1831 Jged 7 years and /i months MARGAPiET wifp. of Thomas Evans (Late of Wre.vhum) Died March 21st ISSJf. aged 77 years JAMES CHIDLAAV Died ^pril 14th I84I aged 63 years These Ladies lived in Temple Eow, near St. Philip's Churoliyard. Lo^ 63 Tomb. 62 Tn meniori/ of AVOODHOITSE CROMPTON who died October, 22nd 1807 Aged 36 years Likewise of Mary Crompton his Wife who died December 5th 1807 vigcd 33 years of their children SAMUEL aged 17 years died October 11th 1818 In memory of JOHN WILLIAM CROMPTON Born July lOtli 1777 Died Jan 3 1st 1847 also Martha wife of the above Died January 10th 1870 Aged 88 years of the children of John Wilham and Martha Crompton Susan aged 3 years and 2 months Died Feb 27th I818 SARAH eldest daughter of the above died May loth 1881 aged 78 years Miss Sarah Crompton was tlie last burie.l in thi graveyard. The foUowinp; interesting acconnt of lier appeared in the Daiht PoH of Thur.-iday May 19th, 18S1. "Thk late Miss Sauah CROMi-r.iy. — Our obirnary of Jlonday annomieed the death of a lady concerning whom soinctliing more is to be railed for than the bare record of her deeease. Miss Sarah Crompton \va<< tlie eldest daiif,'hter of Mr. J. W. Crompton, meri;h«nt, of this town, and siiter of the eminent surgeon Mr. I). W. Cmmpton, ami of tlie late Mr.s. George Dawson. In the early days of Mr. Dawson's ministry in Uirraingham, Miss Crompton joined his congregation, and for many years w.as well known in the Church of the' Saviour, and much rcs|iected for her quiet, unobtnisive, and loving work in the Sunday and evening sid.ite Mr«. Brooke Smith, .'u»r ; and Maiy Ann Thiiisoii was sister to Mrs. Arthur Hylaiid, I'f tlie I.inthurst, ne.ir Bromsgrove. 373T3-: r- _r - -r - Lr - -ru - -» - is rj-Lrzs zrzj - is r j r j r. j - j n j -ij-!jrTrzr-ij-!j~! /.'ere rest tht Mortal remain* of SARAH LAWRENCE Her "Spirit having returned to God who gave If ryov i:th i8*u} in holy peace and humble faith In Him who is the " R€»urrtction and tht Life " Durtug the xxxviil yearfl allotted her here below, she discharged with pre-cminont and exemplary fidelity the various duties of a Child and Wife, a Mother and a Friend a deep yet unostentatious piety sustaining and adorning the whole Her name wilt be ever dear to all who knew her, and, by her Hu>l»and and viii. surviving children (of xvl. to whom she gave birth) her memory will be held cocred to their lutest hour " Bt eased are the dertd who d 10 in the Lord ." Also deposited with the remains of her above dear Parent are those of her Daughter Mnria who died Jan &th 1S31 In the 19th year of her »ge IN ME.NfORV OF JOHN LAA\ RENCE H(Ui\ DECfcMliEll -iOTH 1777 DIED NOVEMBER 18th 1854 TUflSK PKW LINES ARE INSCRIBED BV HIS BERF.AVCU WID3W, AS A TEriTIMOSV TO THK SINCERE RECABD SHE UEAIUS TO HIS ^EI'ARTED WOKTH. TO HKU HIS LOSS IS IRBKPAKABLE. UK WAS HKK CoMFOItT IN AKFLHTION AND SVITORT IN TIiIAL. HE WAS A DEViiTKU AND AF- FECnoNATK HUSBAND. A KIND FATHER AND A SINCERE FKIEND AND THOftlH NOT MCCH IN THK WORLD THOliE WHO KNEW HIH WELL WILL EVER HAVE 1u DEPLORE HIS LOSS: HE HAS LEFT HIS KORROWINU FAMILY. A BRIGHT FXAMPLK OF THK EFFICAOY OF TRUK RELIGION, WITH»>rT OSTENTATION EVER REMINDING THEM, THAT WITHOUT CHHlsT THEV COULD DO NOTHI>0, AND THAT THBOUCIH HIS MERITS ALONE, COl'LD THEY HOPB KOll SALVATION. HAVING BUILT UPON THE " ROCK OF AGES " HK WAS RIPE FOR HIS REST. AND HAS NOW ENTERED INTO THAT CITY " WHERE THK WICKED rEA.-*E FROM TROUBLING AND THK WKARY ARK AT REST." MAY WE THAI ARE LEFT BEHIND. TO TOIL THROUGH THE VOYAGE OF LIFF, TAKF rOURAGE A^D SAY LIKE DAVID "I SHALL OO TO HIM BUT HE SHALL NUT RnCRN TU ME." '•BLESSED ARK TUB DBA D THA T DIE IS THE LORD' ALSO TO THK MEMORY OF MAKGAKETTA SOPHIA ^viDowoi' Tin-: aiujvi-: joiix lawkknce WHO DIED MAY 7iii 1866 ACIED 75 YEARS HER MEMORY IS FONDLY CHEUISHCD BY HER ROBROWINO SI-TER AND RELATIVE i—SOKBt>W Ni»T WITHOOT HOPK FOR IIILV BELIEVE THAT "THEM WHO JLEEP IN JtSUS WILL OOD BRING WITS HIM." J: ':^ ,^ O BENEATH ' jJ ItMf (toiK ace ^c|)«'« «>". Mr. Edw.itxl Taylor. Ist Panel I.t'W Altar Tomb. Ssd raneL HESKETH Pl'TLER son of the above who died Is Infancy October IKS HARRIET BUTLER tun. U [TH MAY 1789 AGED M yE.\R8 ASD OF HIS SOX MICHAEL LAKIN WHO DIED 6th X0V» 1790 AGED S4 YEAIUi AI^O OP MICHAEL LAKIN PINKERTON GRANDSON OF MICHAEL LAKiy THE ELDER WHO DIED 5t« OCT* 1790 AGED i VEAR8 AND 4 MONTHS AND OP CAROLINE PiXKERTOX SISTER OF MICHAEL LAKIN- PINKEKTOK WHO DIED 3ko alt, U1« AGED Ij yEAR.-i ALSO OP HARRIET PINKERTOX SISTEK OF lAKOLIXE PINKERTOX WHO DIED Uth At'G 18:^ AGED 67 YEARS LIKEWISE OF JOHX ALFRED PI>:KERT0X BROTHEII OF THE ABOVE NAMED MICHAEL LAKIX PIXKEKTOX CAROLINE PINKERTOX AND HARRIET PINKERTOX WHO DIED I5TB NOV* 1878 AGED M YEARS In memory of JOHN GEEW GENT who departed tins life Dec 4th 1784 Atied 73 ycirs also Eliz. tcidow of John Grew gen' who died Jany 14th 1795 Aged 82 years Likewise SALLY the wife of Joseph Townshend and daughter of John and EUz. GrClV who died Jauy 15th 1806 Aged 58 yean ELIZABETH (laughter of the above John and Elizabeth Grew died June 8th 1818 Aged 72 tjears also Elizabeth Townshend who died June 30th 1826 Aged 52 years SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOSHUA TILT BACHE who died 28th October 1837 AGED 63 YEARS V IN MEMORY OF HARKY THE DARLING CHU.D OF HENEY AND AJfN HULL CHARLES HENRY SOX OF ISAAC AXD MARTHA AAliOX died February 3rd 1831 Aqed G months ABRAHAM AARON (Father of the above named Isaac) died February 25th 1836 Aged 83 years also ANN relict of ABRAHAM AARON died April 22nd 1852 A^ed 78 Father of Ihe Rev. Samuel Bache, formerly minister of the New Meeting ELIZABETH POTTS \ Died Oct ol 1786. Jgcd 71 years THOMAS LAWRE^'CE Died May 21 1783. Aged 5 months SARAH LAWRENCE Died Jan 5 1790. Aged 11 months THOMAS LAAVRENCE Died Sept 14 17'J3. Aged 2 years <£• 2 months CHARLES LAWRENCE Died February I4 1801. Aged 16 years SARAH rOTTS Died March 17 I8I4. Aged 57 years ANNE Wife of .JOIiy TOWERS LAWIlESCE Died Jany U 1824 A-ied 67 JOHN TOWERS LAWRENCE Died Aug bth 1S25 A^ed 71 PRISCTLLA the wife of JOIIX TOWERS LAWEEyCE son of the above Died March 22 1835. Aged 29 years ANNE LAWEENCE Died Doceniher 7th 1862 Aged 74 years JOHN TOWERS LAWRENCE I5oni April loth 178G Died May 4th 1871 SAEAH LAWEENCE Died Xovfmber 15th 1877 Aged 85 years Mr. John Towers Lawrence was Low Baililf in 1826. The following account of hira in the Daily Past, of May 5th, 1S71, will be foond interesting :— "Thr late JnH>< Towkks Lawukxce.— To many, perhaps to most, of our readers, the name of John Towers L«ile to he a Kadical as it is at present. Then some i>a.rifice was demanded for the profession of a |H)litical creed which many feared and more hated. Mr. I..awreu(e, through the whole agitation, stinxl manfully by his party, tnrough sunshine and storm, true to the principles which he had esjioused. In association with Mr. Joseph Parkes he took a prominent part in llie Newhall Hill Demonstrations, which have become famous in history. The ue.xt public work Mr. Ijiwrvnce was engaged in was the movement in favour of the incorporation of the town. In conjunction with Mr. Henry Smith and Mr. William Re>lfem, Mr. I^awreoce energetically advocated this subject, and when, in 183S, their ellbrts proved sux-essful, he wa- electeu;,'h magistrate in the first batch which was made. Living at Kalsall Heath, he was shortly afierwardj appointed a justice of the jieace for the county of Worcester, and in the Q '-S a; 33 a Id O • Q S! o Q U O » M y^ o Q P4 1^ o O •< W C5 ft o O EH ip-— 1 § 00 M 00 r-t C3 W ca Pi O 1-1 K u Pi 1— ( w >< l—H « t> < 1-5 ta Ib!H l-H O <5 .o o 00 1-J 2 cu <1 (N X ij s <1 Ed cc a H^ a: P< £ H >H S uj ^ "^ 1— 1 o 1— H w Q ;z5 E2 1 1 s 3 m H o o 5 o 33 ^ ^ '^ ^ O) 6j i § H ^ P t Q < r 00 »— 1 55 I < 1— 1 Q 9 c Eh o .■5 'ji » H 73 'fl (i5 55 SACRED THE MEMORY I o Ph 'A < 1-5 a Q CO Q W O K O s o a w w a DIED IN LONl ' R I L 18 5, A Q -It < 1-5 K .— 1 Q S < ■■A >> X Q s ■< X E- t- a a o w o O < 1 < W < o ^ l-M a ^ -^ o 00 '^ n ^ O XSl o 33 p: a> 102 , ;:^ — - ^ Sacre5 ^~-^ To the Memory of ELIZABETH TYNDALL wife of Joseph Tyiidall of Binningliam who departed this life Juno lUtli 1789 Aged 53 years Also of Threo of their children who died young Likewise of the said JO.SKPH TYNDALL wlio dejiartcd tliis life April 6th 1817 Aged 86 years And of ELIZABETH TYNDALL his Daughter who departed this life February 7th 1845 aged 70 years B'.lizabeth and Joseph Tyndall wore grandparents of Ilinry Witton Tyudall, Ksq., Solicitor, of liinninghani. Descendants of the Martyr Tyndall ; and representatives of the family of Matthew Henry, the Commentator. 103 In Memory of JOSEPH WEBSTER who departed this life Ocf 13th 1780. Aged 59 104 SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN NEWBOLD who died March 31st 1834 aged 47 years also of PHEBY, Daughter of JOHM ^ M.iRYAXX NEWBOLD who died Feb 18th 1821 aged 4 years Likewise of Three Children who died in their Infancy also MARY ANN wife of the above JOHN NEWBOLD wlio (lied March 27th l'^3G aged 45 years :SAllAIl SEW BOLD died Nov ith 1835 Aged 16 years Also of GIl.liKRT BURTON son of the above JOJjy and MA RY A XX XEWBOLD who died June 2iid 1848 aged 23 years And of WILLIAM GILBERT Son of the iibore Gilbert Burton Xcicbold who died March Hth 1819 aged 13 months Also of JAMES IIICHAKD NEWBOLD only surriving aon of the abot< John and Mary Ann Xeirbold who died March 12th 1S5;J in the 30th year of his age Low Altiir Tomb. In Memory of JOSEPH AVEBSTER wlio Departed tliis Life Oct 11th 17S8 Aged 38 DICKINSON WEBSTER died Nov Gth 1800. Aged 17 PHEBE WEBSTER Widow of the above Joseph Webster Died December 25th 1817 Aged 58 years Mary Ann Webster Died July 28th 1836 Aged 48 years Low Tombs. The Websters of Penns near Birmingham, relations of Dickensoa Webster Crompton, Esq., Surgeon, of Birmingham ; also of the Rev. Montague Webster, Vicar of Hill, near Sutton roUltield. 105 JOH.Y MAY died 15th Janiuiry 1768 Aged 72 years SARAH ''•'■/e of John May died 30th Juue 1768 Aged 75 years Three Cliildreii of B e n j ° and F, 1 i z "' May who died young JOSEPH MAY Son of Benj"' and Elizth May died 27th Deer 1807 Aged 1 4 years 106 AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF ELIZABETH GREENSILL WHO DIED OCTb 2nd 1S40, AGED 30 YEARS ALSO OF SOPHIA GREENSILL WHO DIED OCT 29th 1848 AGED 70 YEARS LIKEWISE OF JOSEPH HENRY WORSEY (GRANDSON OF THE ABOVE) WHO DIED JUNE 22 nd 1849 AGED 4 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS 107 M.S. SAMUELIS RAY M.D. Nat StamfordicE 12" die Septenibris 1694 Denat Birminghamioe 1° die Octobris 1758 .•Etatis 64 MABY BAY Obt 13 Jan 1763 JEt 83 SAMUEL BAY BENJN RAY Obt 21 May 1809 -Etat 74 r! Tj I Z "''"'8 of Benjn May Obt 23 Octor 1809 M 74 108 'jOHX ROGERS died 25 April 1778 Aged ELIZABETH wife of John Eogers died 12 Sept 1790 Aged 72 JOHN ROGERS JUNIOR died 12 Octr 1789 Aged 50 Also their children who died young JOSIAH ROGERS Very dilapidated. 109 110 TO THE MEMORY OF THOMAS BOLTON who died May 17th 1834 A^ed 77 years Also of SARAH ASHBY BOLTON sitter of ihe above who died Mav 17th 1840 Very dilapidated. Ill REBECCA Wife of John Lee died April 2nd 1775 aged 53 JOHN LEE died July 10th 1795 aged 70 MAlvl his second wife died Octolier L'8th 18 06 aged 8 2 SARAH LEE Dau'ihter of John and Rebecca Lee died Oct 13th 1832 aged 83 CATHERINE wife of John Francii Lee died Octolier 27th 1844 aged 61 JOHN FRANCIS LEE died Januarv 13th 1869 afred 79 Parents and grand-parents of Miss Wlcu I,ee, •>!' Kinver. Mrs. John Francis Lee was a Miss Francis, sister to the late John Francis, Esq., Frederick Road, Kdgbastou. r^V 3n /Ccmors of MARY^ife of William Luckcock she died November 3rd 1784 Probably James Lucki.wV, one of the fonnders of the Sunday Schools in Binninghaic, wan burie Aged ti ynrt 127 3n /Dcmorg of Elizabeth dauirhter of John and Elizabeth Brunner who died 1781 aged 18 of ELIZABETH BRUNNER who died October 1815 aged 75 and JOHN BRUNNER who died July 27th 1817 aged 78 also of THOMAS BRUNxNER Son of the dbcve ivho died April 24th 1S22 Aged 38 years 129 To the memory of Sarah wife of Thomas Gilks who departed tliis life April 24th 1826 A^ed 70 years She lived beloved and died lamented also of Thomas Gilks who departed this life September 12th 1839 At^ed SO years 128 LYCES BENJAMU Obit Feb 15th 1782 SA.IiAH "'"*' <^'f the Ilei-d Sdiiiuel Bhjth died 2.5th April 1780 aj,'ed C9 The Ilefi SAMUEL BLYTU died Dec 28th C^- 1796 mjed 79 y^~^ SARAH BLYTH daughter of ^ Bevjaviin and Letitia Blyth died Aug 1st 1797 1;^ Aged 6 years ^ HE.N-R, Y WALTER BL YTH Son oi Henry and Marij Blyth died August 12th 1811 ill his infancy 130 MA TTHE W IB EMON G EB Lied April the :J6fh 1780 AGED 73 Also MARY IREMOKGER His relict Died October the 1st following AGED 72 132 133 The memory of o3rtlh daughter of Thomas and Mary Marshall who died and called thee ripe for Heaven Also of the above Tliomas Marshall irho departed this life the 3rd of Nov 1812 Aged 65 years Likewise of JO IIS' MARSHALL son of the above '1 Luniaa and Mary Marsliall who departed this life July 17th 1820 Ai)ed 47 years In memory of ANNE wife oiJOHS CHANTRY who died Oct 6th 1625 aged 49 years Al the remembranet of thy north afftetion iropt a tear Also of JOHN CHANTRY who died March 15th 1833 Aged 68 years Alto MARY his second wife And relict of the above John Chantry who died Dec 27th 1857 Aged 88 years ory dilapidated. IN MEMORY OF BENJAMIN PHILLIPS WHO DIED SEPT SlST 1785 AGKD 60 YEARS OF ELIZABETH his wife WHO DIED NOV 6tb 1787 AGED 66 YEARS AND OF ELIZABETH WIFE OP JOHN PHILLIPS THEIR SON WHO DIED APRIL 28th 18J4 AGED t9 YEARb —^»-m — ALSO IN MEMORY OF TWO DAl'OHTERS OF JOHN AND ELIZABETH PHILLIPS ANN (WIFE OF AARON JENNKNS) WHO DIED DEC 15th 1812 AGED 25 YEARS AND ELIZABETH (WIFE OF JOHN PALMER) WHO DIED NOV 24th 1855 AGED 67 YEARS AND OF JOHN PALMER WHO DIED SEPT 21rt 1871 AGED 75 YEARS FOR MANY YEARS ALDERMAN OF THIS BOROUGH AND MAYOR IN 1865 134 ^ 3n nDemor\) of ^ J THE REV JOHN PALMER who died Dec 26th 1786 Aged 44 years Low Tomb. Relations of llie late AldiTman Phillips. ,>, M rann camo also o, .^-c^" "/J /% TO THE MEMORY '"<»< Ss^ <** ELIZABETH GREEN (icidow of Mntihias Green) late of Walsiill who died June 14th 1827 A^cd 55 years '* Bi ye Ikert/ore sled/ast, unmoveabJe always ahoxmding in t\t vork of the Lord^ for a* much t sears 139 SACRED V TO TUB MEMORY OF BENJAMIN PARKES Kho deparUd thU Life SeplrmUr !Tlh ISOS AGED US iHAHS ALSO WILLIAM SMITH Kk» ileparted thii Lift JvUy iSth ISOS AGED M YEAHS LIKEtflSB CATHERINE MURCOTT Orand'dauffhlfr of Vie aboie II. & who died Jung Ttb \i2« AGED IS YEARS AND OP MAIiY l>''fS OF THE ABOrE WILLIAM SMITH Vho defurted Ihit life Hav lilh 1819 AGED 70 YEARS CATHERINE MARY niFE OF WILLIAM MURCOTT and daughter of the aboce Mary Smith who died Jao' 9tfa 1S36 AGED iS YE ASS LIKEWISE THE ABOVE WILLIAM MURCOTT who died March Ist 183 9 AOED 60 YEARS Rev^^ Robt Robinson Rcv^^ Peter Emans of Coventry died ISIO Vs. 140 JOHN BOS WELL died July 20tL 1793 Aged 61 Also HANNAH his wife died April 17 1796 Aged 61 142 To the Memorj- of ELIZABETH LAUGHTER OF WILIXUI AND M.iEY C ^^^ BAYLIS ^ 3 who died April the 2Cth 1788 AGED 17 YEARS This humble grave Yet truth a:id goodness ..the place Yet blameless virtue thy bloom Lamented mind thy tomb leapi^ for life no more lamented thy tomb Whei« Wbat Regard Lo to tho - And a mourner here. ^ Stone' to mark the site where the Rev. Robert Rubiuson was buried. The tablet wa^i placed in the chapeL Yer}' dilapidated. 143 IN MKMOEY OF JOSEPH 1I0R.YBL0WER who died May 10th 1788 AGED 68 Also of MARY UORNBLOWER His Daughter who died July 11th 1793 Aged 26 Also HANNAH HORNBLOWER died 17 th of January 1814 Aged 00 Also THOMA S H R NB LOWER died 16tli of June 1845 Aged 90 144 '^To Iht mentors of EDWAED COEN Late of Paiadise Street who departed this life Jan IStli 183C Aged To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things and wc Jot him ; and one Lord Jesus Christ through ichom are all things and we Ihroiiyh him. 1 Cor. S.6 ANN CHANTEY sister of the above died Feb 8th 18U Aged 77 Also of JOS^ CHANTEY who died April 7tb 1845 145 In Memorv of JANE HOLLAND died April Aged 75 years And of her friend AN NABELLA Wife of William IloUowell born at Shropshire April nth 171(i died in B i r m i ng ha m Aug 17 Also of ISABELLA their eldest daughter tcho teas bom at in the county of Rutland April 9th 1734 and died in Birmingham Sept 24 1828 Aged 74 years Also ELIZABETH HOLLOWELL daughter of the above ^ Edward Corn was uncle to Mr. Alderman Corn Osbom, of Birmingham. 146 In Memory of HENEY HOPE who died October 31st 183'2 Aged 68 years Also JANE HOPE wife of the above who died July 9th 1831 A^ed 69 years JOHN LATHAM Died 1809 JANE STOW Daughter of John Latham Died May 10th 1828 Aged 28 years Low Tomb. 147 TH03 LAWRENCE vho died Jan Sid J700 ^gtli 44 gears Also Ann Lawrence wife of the alovc who died July 10th 1813 Jgcd 62 years ELIZ LAWRENCE daughter of John and Sarah Lawrence wlio died young also Eliza davghler of tlie above who died the lltk of May JSIG afftd 8 iH0nth4 MARIA daughter of t?ie above Thomas and Ann Lawrence who departed this life the 16th of March 1814 A(jed 26 years of Jemima <""' "f Samuel "-'^o <'"'' in Infamy, of Sarah >*'I'o died June 12th 1821 aged 8 years and aha of Philip Benry who died Sept 29 1828 Ajed 13 years and 9 months 149 To the Memorv' of JlfABY daughter of Williani and ANN BANISTER uho lUi'd April 8th 1799 wjed IS months Also James Banister their son ivho (lied in his Infancy Sacre& To the memory of THOMAS HOItTON SENI' who died November 2Gth 1798 ^ Hoe& 72 ^ vi«o CATHERINE HORTON his widoiv who died ifarch 30tb 1808 Aged 78 Also to the Memory of WILLIAM MEWIS who died March 1st 1825 Aged 70 Also ELIZABETH MEWIS relict of the above died April 25th 1830 Aged 75 150 JOHN VAUGHAN died June -24111 1S27 ^ged 34 years W/wo/ALICE VAUGIlANmo/A«ro/M<;ai:)ce who died March 28th 1848 ^ged S7 i/ears 152 151 / 111 Memory of EDWARD WHITFIELD who departed this life July 28 1806; Aged 53. HANNAH i>iB Wife died Juue 24th 1814 Aged 58 years MARY ANN WHITFIELD Youngest daughter of Edward and Hannah Whitfield died June 8th 1819 aged 19 years and 10 mouths Edward WliitfiuM wa.'i the first of tli.5 family that came to Hiim- ingham. He was graiKlfather to Jtr. Samuel Whitfield now residing at Leamington, Mr. John Whitfield of the Beaufort lioad, and to the Misses Sarah and Klizabcth Whitfield of tlie Ilagley lioad, Edgbaston ; also greatgrandfather to Mr. Councillor S. B. Whitfield. 153 MARY The beloved wife of JOHN B RUNNER (of Digboth) Died 5 th April IS 10 Aged G-4 years Also the said JOHN BRUNNER Died 8th Fehriianj 1S15 Aged 49 years tio the iiicmorn of lUCIlARl) DINGLKY who died the 18tli January 1805 Agi'd 4^ years to the vinnori/ of JosErii in GUARDS Late of New Street who died the 27th May 1833 years also JLf.i// M((ria Eicharcls of tlie aI>ove Josepii Richards Sacrct) i To the Memory of JOHN BURTON wlio died March 5th 1812 HANNAH BURTON >lamjhtn- „/ the al„ne died Sept 2- IS2- Aged 10 years who dtjiarted tiiis life Sojit 25- 1S4G AGED 90 YEARS ELIZABETH TAYLOR diiujliter of James and Ann Taylor died Feb 13th 1800 Aged I year and 9 months MARY AJ^jY TAYLOR died Mav 4th 1821 aged 24 dilapidated. 155 SACRED To the M e m o r y o f MARY CORRIE Daughter of Thomas and Mary Read and wife of the Re\''ov 13th 1808 in the 5th year of his aije Ixco of her Children Also of ANN READ daughter of the above named Tlionias and ilary Uead who (lied Marc'i 0th 1817 tn the 37th year of her age In Memory of JOHN CORRIE ESQR Uoni at Kcailworth Oct Sth 17tJ9 Died at Fianche Worcestershire Aug 16th 1839 tit tlie Seventieth year of hia aye Also JOHN READ CORRIE ESQ M.D. son of tltf above Uorn July 19th 1801 died Oct SOth 1842 Aged 4i years John Corrie, Esq. (Rev. Jolin Corrie}, was uncle to John Carter, Esq, Surgeon, of Edgbaston ; also to the late Samuel Carter, Esq., Solicitor ; and the Mis-ses Carter, of Kenilworth. Low Tomb J V 157 IN MEMORY of ANN GOUGH ivife of Peter Goug^h Avlio departed this life February Sth 1802: AGED 57. Also of PETEB GOUGH u'Jio fleparted this life J a n u a r y 2 4th I 8 1 5 .ioc ilepartrd this Life Septenibrr 25tk 1803 Aged -47 'years 158 En mcmorp of JOSEFH HILL who departed this life Nov 2Gth 18IS JVgci 39 ijcars AjYjV THK.N BI-|:sT MY CHAINS WITH SWKKT SUIIPUI.SE AND IN MY SAVIoru's IMAUE KISE. FRANCES ■WIFE OF SAMUEL ToNKS DIED JUNE 21.ST 1855, AOED 83 YEARS SARAH CATHERINE PHILLIPS DAUGHTi;U OF THOMAS AND SAIIAH PHILLIPS AND GRAXDDAUGHTEPv OF THE ABOVE DIED KOV 21sT 1847 AGED 11 YEARS \^ 161 Low Tomb, Sarah Catherine Phillips was the daughter of Mr. Alderman Phillips, of Birmingham. To the memory of SAKAH ^Vife of JOHN FREETH who departed this life Nov' 25th 1807 Aged 71 years Also JOHN FREETH who departed this life Septf 29th 1808 .Aged 77 years Free and eaty through life 'two* hit wish to proceed; Oood men he revered, be whatever their creed ; Hit pride icat a tociable evening to spend, For no man loved better hit pipe and hit friend. " llr. John Freeth, of Birmiogham, coniraoiily called the Pot-t Frteth, a facetious bard of nature, -48 years proprietor of Freeth's Colfee House, Bell Street, a house mui'h frequeuted by strangers as well as by the inliabitants, where the per 29tb, ISUS, and was buried iu the centre section of the giaveyard of the Old Jlceting House; the epitaph on the stone being his own composition. Many of the Poet's invitation cards (always written in vei-se and alUuling to the political events of the day) are in the possession of the compiler of this historr. * (iei\tUMan\ Magazine for September 29tb, ISUS 162 EDWARD SlIITH ' "^^ undernamed aiildrcn who died r«ov 16th 1826 1 * Brooke Smith died Jany 20th 179G SARAH SMITH I , . ,- ^gco mouths His Wife died April Ist 1841 Susan Smith died March 29th 1S07 JVgcb S inoufha MARY wife of Brooke Smith ^oh Orton Smith died Sept' 26th 1828 died April 8th 1818 J^geb 24 gears Jlgei 34 jjtars Sarah Smith born Hawkes. Mary Smith born Watkins. 164 III mcmorn of ELIZABETH wife of ]J'illiani Scott who iH e d 4 t h June 1807 Aged ... years \ r MARY KETTLE Died April Gth ISO? Ao-ed 77 165 MARY MARIA the beloved wife of THOMAS BROOKS she died the 12th of August 1832 in her 32ul) jicar \ cry dilapidated. 166 SACRED To the n)eniiiiv of SARAH «ife of TEO-^ RICHARDS horn March 1744 died 9 1 h April 1818 THOMAS KICHAKDS horn, 11th Jan 1742 died 20th Oct 18 20 ANNE RICHARDS daughter of THOS AND SARAH RICHARDS died 17th Feb I8S4 Aged 47 years THOMAS FEAEON horn 2nd May 1777 died 6th Feb 1836 Also 4 of his infant children 168 IX MEMORY OF HARRIET «*/< 0/ BENJAMIN WRIGHT who died May ind 1S3S ogtxt Go ytars And itf tkeir children BENJAMIN STENSON ''•"'•'•'«■?'" "w A^/ed 16 montla ELIZABETH RICHARDS died ikcMih isie A'l^ 1~ i/ran CATHERINE ilALKlN ^m stri irth I'in A'jid 19 years SARAH RICH A HI) S dUd c« sih isi? As/nl 13 yeart BENJAMIN WUKJHT annts to Francis Seddon Bolton of Edgbaston, and Alfred Solier Bolton of Moor Court, Cheadle, Staffordshire. 174 r\ JAMES CUIDLAW Died 25th Feb 1782 aged 39 ELIZABETH CHIDLAW Died 17th Jan 1812 aged 71 HAXyAHicifi of JAMES CHIDLA W Died 4th March 1814 aged 38 MARY WATTOX Died 15th Jan 1815 aged 83 HAXXAH WATTOjY Died 6th 1823 aged 87 HANNAH CHIDLAW Died 31 Jan 1836 aced 56 175 176 SACRED TO THE >I K M O R Y O K SAMUEL BlilGGS W n O I) I K I) JULY 2 5 1 ri 5 8 4 » AGED 76 YEARS ALSO OF HANNAH TlIK WIFK OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED OCTR 23uB 1832 AGED 60 YEARS LIKEWISE OF THOMAS BRIOGS WHO DIED JAN^' 17th 1833 AGED SI YEARS V, 177 In Memory of JOHN HIJRFORD who died Feby 1st 1811 Aged 60 years Jolin Hiirfonl was grandfather to the Rev. Brooke Herfurd (as the name is now spelt). The Herford family are connected witli the Brooke-Smith and Ryland families. E. Herford, Esq., Coroner of )Unohester, is also a relation. BENEATH THIS STONE Are deposited the Remains of MAEY THE WIFE OF THOMAS ASPIXALL (of this Town) she died September 11th 1845 A^ed 72 years — »i»»So. And aZ»oo/ ELIZABETH /ws Wife she died December the 9th 18^7 Aged J^B years 178 Sacrei) To the Memory of HENKY youngest Son" of (Kf. laic DAVID SWEfiT ofUilkrsdim in Deoonskire He was bom January 31st 1806 and died January 27th 1811 YoM who may be M by euriosiiy or some bfttcr feeling to contemplate these monumr}its of lUath drop a tear on the ffrave o/ one uhote ininnt *mite» and Here also uie interred the remains of WILLIAM BURTON late of London Sur-ron second husband of Lucinda relict of David Stccet He died July llth 1815 aged 56 Death is svaliaeed up in victory WILLIAM HAWKES SMITH died April 8th .1840 aged Si years also ELIZABETH *- who died January 1st 1844 .f A N E wifs of tlio ab.>ve John Fiiriinhw vho died XoT22nd 1842 Aged 72 years Dilapidate^!. Samuel Copland was the builder of the present Chnpel. f SARAH REYNOLDS •^ who died AprU 2Snd iy Aged 4S yeart A V— Pv- o A EDWARD REYNOLDS -.i o who died March' 9th 1828 •'^ Aged 70 years ^ALSO SARAH A the Daughter of .vJ- William and EluaUlh KeytntJi n who died •' the ISth December 18S7 ""'• Aged 3 years 180 To llie Memnrii of ^" DAVID PEAKS | xcho dud July Ulh 1S13 '^^ ^gcb -H Bfara J >: Also JANE hii Mi/e ^- who died Aug 25 1814 A' .,^(7«/ 49 years ■'^ 182 To the memory of ESTHER WHITEHOUSE Lydia died May cochi Very dilapidated. 183 184 JOSHUA TOULMIN D.D. One of the Pattors of the Congregation of the yeic Meeting Uouse in this toicn Died July 23rd 1815 aged 76 nil various viritings illustrate his learning and Talents; the amiableness of his Temper, the warmth of his benevolence, his habitual Devotion and uniform exercise of all the Christian virtues, rendered him a Blessing. Also JANE TOULMIN wife of the above died July 5th 182i aged SI Also SARAH EMMA TOULMIN Daughter of the above died Jan 21st 1867 aged 82 185 TO THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH HARPER WIIO DEPARTED THIS IJFE MAECn XXVIII. MDCCCXV. AGED XLVI YEARS XN MEMORY qf The BEVd EGBERT KELL WHO DIKD 9th DECEMBKR 181:i AGED 81 YEARS ALSO OF HIS DAUGHTER ROSALIXD WIFE OF EDWIN V E R D O N B L Y T H WHO DIED 13th FEBRUARY 1H36 AGED 32 YEARS 186 ( ( Sacrc^ ,2^ To the memory of JOH.Y FORBES who departed this life July 18th 1819 ( i ^geb 64 seats J Also of JUDITH ELIZABETH relict of the above irJto died June 7th 18^4 Aged 84 years V Judith Elizabeth Forbes was gramluiolli.r to >Ir. W. J. Scott and Ariss Scott, of tlie Duchess Road, Edgbaston. — '£: si ^ 7^ Irl fil •^ i. c 1. c ET ►-* 00 •'I 5' p w 02 > 1:^ e ^- ^ 1? CZi 2 3=* ^ t^ c, 2 00 M 3S H*i " Oi M •rr 3 a H p H 3 "■ = ''A ? 2 a W 2 M e^ 1 i f 2- a £ -^ s ■ 3 o ►-. c» C o -, c-i cc 5 .- ■_j o — • :; X "• 73 = " -I f: O ^ 7- „ X o- :; W^-t- 0? =i 3 =- O o s 00 -a a w 2; O 00 OS HI o Si I CI w o o o '^ C 00 ^^ GO o er c« 00 S C/: W H 0. i-l a. g ^ w a. p 1, M > 5 H > p 3 M i sr to i td ^ C» c p 7 tCi B tei oc g ET ?♦* M l-H 00 to Oi a K p C M c R IS oc ^ S r- -I >< B > ?5 GC n > •s H^ P tc bS u; M — cc c ^1 - C w ^ ?> O P CO ^ p <5 p 1 CD g" ? >^ 5 3 5 c 3 (5 >- ^ (-^ ^ a to -I WW <5 ^ tJ 00 c a' en oc © k' GC X oc p N c ^ ^ 1;, P. —J > )*- *- t— ( c , "^ r* h-4 H tC 00 f* 1— i 1—^ 1-^ ? 1-^ p 3 3 00 00 00 00 00 00 CO 190 To the Memonj of MARY BEXTO.Y wlio ilied December 4th 1816 Aged 68 years 111 Memory of Ann Wife of ItOBERT liLYril Died 22nd March 1816 aged 52 HENRY BLYTH Son of t/ie above Died 18th Xov 1825 aged 39 Also of ROBERT BLYTH who died 24th Sejat 18 S6 Aged 81 years 192 IN MEMOKV OF THOMAS SMALL who died Oct IG 1837 ACiKI) -t VEARS Also SARAH SMALL who died ... Sept Aged UJ < I o VESTS LENCHS TRUST UENCHS TRUST GRAVEYARD OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. BIRMINGHAM. SURVEYED BY JACOB MATTHEWS. IN 1824 ) wliero tho Arches were placed in IS55. to support tlie new Lcrtmv Kiiotii Tl,e Dolled l.iiio c LIST OF THE NAMES WHICH APPEAR ON THE TABLETS AND GRAVESTONES, WITH THE NUMBER OF PLATE, GIVING COPY OF INSCRIPTION. PLATE PLATE w*^ • — PLATE PLATB Aaron, Charles Henry .. 95 Bedford, Mary 20 Carpenter, Sarah 159 Earl, John 86 ,, Abraham ... It Beech, Richard 37 ,, Samuel Alfred 11 Emaus, Peter, Rev. 141 ,, Ann »» ,, Hannah ... 11 ,, Helen... 11 Evans, Sarah 25 Alexander, M.John, Rev. 113 Belcher, Mary 74 II ,, Margaret 61 ,, Hannah 11 ,, James 11 Eliza II ,, Frances . 167 Mary 114 „ Sus. .. 126 Chantry, Anne 132 Aspinall, Mary 176 ,, James 11 ,, John 11 Farquhar, John . 17» „ Elizabeth )) ,, James »1 ,, Mary 11 ,, Sophia II ,, G. H. ... 11 ,, Ann 144 >, Jane tl Bacchus, William... 120 Benton, Mary .. 190 ,, Joseph 11 Fearon, Thomas . IS6 Sarah »l Bill, George 23 Chidlaw, Thomas Evans .. 61 Forbes, John . 186 Ann If ,, Richard 11 ,, James 11 Judith Elizabeth.. )( Bache, Joshua Tilt 94 ,, Sarah f 1 ,, James ... 174 Ford, Mary . 116 Baker, Thomas 85 ,, Sarah 11 Elizabeth tl Foster 89 „ Charlotte *t ,, Sophia .. 85 „ Hannah... 11 Francis, Catherine 20 ,, Charlotte J, Blair, Sarah ... 82 ,, Hannah.. 11 ,, John ,, ,, Emma 11 ,, Sarah Wilson »» Clarke, Mary 1, 14 Freeth, Sarah . 161 ,, Matthew Kentish.. ,, Blyth, Frances ... .. 128 Collins, Andrew ... 22 ,, John tl ,, George tt , , Sarah 11 ,, Nancy 11 ,, Eleanor .. „ ,, Samuel, Rev. II CoUyer, Elizabeth 70 Giles, Ann 76 „ Franklin, Rev. M. ./ i- M 1 , Sarah 11 ,, Frances If ,, Jane • I „ Elizabeth 11 ,, Henry Walter 11 Copland, Samuel ... 179 ,, Ann . 112 Banister, Mary 149 ,, Rosalind .. .. 184 wife of S. ,, ,, Benjamin 11 ,, James M „ Ann .. 191 ,, Sarah Jane 11 ,, Mary . 115 Barrington, John ... 136 „ Henry 1> Corn, Edward 144 Gill, Ellen 52 ,, Catherine i> ,, Robert II Corrie, Mary 155 ,, Hannah tl Bassnett, Nathaniel 9 Bolton, Thomas ... .. 109 ,, Samuel 11 ,, Mary Jane 11 Baylis, Elizabeth ... 142 ,, Sarah Ashby 11 ,, Josiah It ,, Hannah 11 Beale, Thomas 57 ,, Richard ... .. 172 „ John II ,, John II ,, Esther 11 Samuel ... 11 „ John Read, M.D. 11 „ Hannah 11 ,, Middlemoro 11 ,, Elizabeth... 11 Cresswell, Ann Selina 88 ,, Joseph ,, ,, Thomas t* Boswell, John .. 140 ,, John ... 11 Gilks, Sarah 129 ,, William Ilutton .. »» ,, Hannah ... »» Creswick, Joseph 80 „ Thomas II ,, Hannah 1) Bourne, Frances Mary .. 70 Mary 11 Godfrey, John 77 ,, Hannah rt Briggs, John .. 156 ,, Thomas 11 ,, Mary 11 „ William 58 ,, Samuel .. 175 Critchley, Samuel 47 Gough, Helen 49 ,, Sarah 11 ,, Hannah ... 11 ,, Mary Windsor II Ann 157 ,, Elizabeth Mary It ,, Thomas ... 11 Crompton, Woodhouse ... 62 Peter ,, ,, Ann 11 Brooks, Mary Maria .. 165 Mary l» Green, Elizabeth 136 >. Mary 1» Brunnor, Elizabeth . 127 ,, Samuel 11 „ Elizabeth tl Bedford, Sarah 16 ,, Elizabeth • >> „ John William 63 ,, Matthias P, ,, John ,, ,, John l» ,, Martha II ,, Emma II Mary 17 ,, Thomas It ,, Susan 11 ,, Alice (• „ Stephen ,, Mary ... .. 153 „ Sarah ■ 1 ,, Alice Emma It „ Sarah ,, ,, John »l ,, John 11 ,, Joanna ... ,, Burton, Edward ... .. 40 Dingley, Richard 152 ,, James II „ Catherine »» „ John .. 154 ,, Richard ... 170 „ Matthian II ,, Edward .. 20 ,, Hannah ... tl Lucy »> ,, Robert ■ • Mary 11 ,, William ... .. 178 Downing, Sarah 75 „ Rebecca l» „ James ,, Butler, Harriet ... .. 72 Dudley, George ... 22 Greensill, Elizabeth 106 „ John ,, „ Hcsketh ... II Ann »i Sophia ... 99 „ Stephen ■ 1 „ Harriet II ,. S^^h It Grew, John 92 LIST OF THE NAMES WHICH APPEAR ON THE TABLETS AND GRAVESTONES. PLATK I'LATF. PLATE PLATE Grew, Elizabeth 92 Hunt, Loui.sa .. 100 Lawrence, Pliilip Henry .. 147 Newbold, John 102 „ Elizabeth ,, „ Lydia ) t Lee, Charlotte Ann 35 „ Pheby (I Griffiths, Annie Maudo Rosa 53 ,, Lydia 11 ,, George Eyre ,, „ Mary Ann ,, ,, Harriet , , Samuel ^} „ Thomas Eyre 36 ,, Sarah ... ,, „ Rosa 54 ,, James ,, „ llebecea „ ,, Gilbert Burton.. ,, Hurford, John .. 177 ,, Elizabeth Kmma II William Gilbert. ,, Hancox, James 44 Hutton, William ... 46 ,, Thomas 84 ,, James Richard... ,, Harding, William 6 ,, Catherine i> ,, Dorcas M Newnham, Elizabeth 138 „ Rebecca .. ,, ,, Thomas ... .. 70 ,, Mary .. It Harper, Patience .. 39 Mary II „ Lydia II Oakes, Julia 90 ,, John „ Samuel ... 87 ,, Richards 11 „ Ann ,, Emma Palmer, Elizabeth 133 , , Joseph 185 Iremonger, Matthew .. 130 ,, Lydia l> ,, John ■ • Hesketh, Edward 72 ,, Mary ... *l ,, Thomas ,1 John, Rev. 134 ,, Edward ,, „ Henry. M.D. Parkes, Benjamin 139 Higgs, M. Benjamin, Rev. 114 Jcnncns, Ann .. 133 ,, Rebecca 111 „ John Lowe 173 Hill, William Howard ... 15 Johnson, Amelia ... .. 48 ,, John Pears, David 180 ,, Joseph 158 Mary ... II ,, Mary ... ,, Sarah ... „ Jane... II ,, Ann ... ,j , , Joseph ... II Pemberton, Thomas 4 „ Jane ,, Jones, Zachariah ... .. 123 ,, Catherine . , Samuel 80 „ Helen H ,, Samuel >» ,, John Francis ... 1 , Rebecca II „ Ann ,, ,, Jane Elizabeth II Lewis, David, Rev. 124 1 , ■ Thomas II ,, Edwin )) ,, Ann I , Samuel II „ William Thompson... *> Kell, Robert, Rev. .. 184 ,, Dorothy 1 , Mary Grosvenor .1 Holland, Jane 145 Kettle, Mary .. 163 Lloyd, Marjjaret 167 1 , Samuel II Hollowell, Annabella 145 Sarah 1 , Rebecca M „ Isabella Lakin, Michael 91 Ann II 1 , Luciaua ,, ,, Elizabeth ff ,, Michael it ,, John II . , Caroline II Hollyman, John 88 Langley, Rachel ... .. 49 ,, Thonms 1 , George .1 ,, Snrah 11 Latham, John .. 146 ,, William 1 , Thomas It Hope, Henry 146 Lawrence, Elizabeth 9 Lowe, William 173 . , Maria 1' ,, Jane ,, ,, Thomas Elizabeth 1 , Edwin »» Horn, Elizabeth 81 ,, Nathaniel ,, Elizabeth Elmore ... " Peyton, Emily Rebecca ... 7 „ Robert ,, „ Mary ... Luckcock, Mary no ,, Elizabeth Ann ... 73 Homblower, Joseph 143 ,, Eliza ... Hubert 170 ,, Richard 11 II Mary ,, ,, Nathaniel 11 ,, Howard ,, Margaret i» „ Hannah ,, Mary ... Phillips, Benjamin 133 ,, Thomas ,, Ann ,, Elizabeth II Horton, Thomas 121 ,, Henry... Mansell, Mary 60 Elizabeth ,, Phnebe |» „ Catherine ,, Ann ,, „ Sarah Catherine.. 160 ,, Thomas 148 ,, Jane ... ,, Martha II Phipson, Joseph Rogers ... 66 ,, Catherine 1 > ,, Sarah ... ,, Judith ... II ,, William Howell.. ft Hughes, John 24 ,, Sarah ... 68 Marshall, William 43 ,, Sarah ■ 1 ,, John 1, Maria ... Martha II „ Thomas 66 ,, Lucy 29 ,, John ... Elizabeth Capen Elizabeth II ,, Benjamin 65 „ Margaretta So 3hia ,, hurst I, ,, Thomas II „ William »» ,, Thomas 96 Sarah 131 ,, John f» William 76 ,, Sarah .. ,, Thomas .. II Sarah ,, ,, Ann ti ,, Thomas ,, John ,, Mary ■ 1 Hull, Harry 93 , , Charles Martin, Lucy 51 ,, Ann II Hunt, Harry 3, 9S „ Anne ... 97 May, John 105 Mary HiU 6T „ Sarah ,, John Towers ,, Sarah )i Elizabeth Blako- ,, Sarah t> ,, Priscilla ,, Joseph II way It ,, John II ,, Ann 12, „ ,, Elizabeth 107 ,, Susan Eliza II „ Harry „ John Towers 1 )l Mewis, William ... 148 ,, Mary Ann ,, ,, Anne *» ,, Sarah ... t )l ,, Elizabeth II Piddock, Thomas 115 „ William 99 ,, Thomas .. 147 Minshull, Mary Caroline ... 59 Ann II ,, Hannah II ,, Ann Moore, Robert 119 ,, James • 1 II Lydia U ,, Maria ... ,, Abigail II ,, Thomas »i ,, William II „ Elizabeth Morgan, Robert 18 ,, John *i ,, Henry II „ Eliza ... Murcott, Catherine 139 ,, William It „ Thomas Yate 100 ,, Jemima , , Catherine Mary. . . II Pinkerton, Michael Lakin 91 ,, Sarah II , , Samuel II William ,, ,, Caroline *l „ Hannah ,, „ Sarah ... WUliam Smith... 173 ,, Harriet II LIST OF THE NAMES WHICH APPEAR ON THE TABLETS AND GRAVESTONES. PLATE PLATK FLATS PLATK Pinkerton, John Alfred . 91 Russell, Sarah Hawkes . 13 Smith, Sarah . 118 Turner, William ... 42 Poney, James . 116 ,, Louisa »l „ George II ,, Sarah I» ,, Hannah ... II ,, Su.san It „ WUliam . 139 Tntin, William 122 ,, Hannah ... »» Martha ... II „ Marj- »l ,, Sarah ,, Porteus, Elizabeth .. 159 Catherine t» ,, Edward . 162 „ WUliam II Potts, Elizabeth ... 96 ,, George II ,, Sarah II ,, Sarah Haycroft ... II „ Sarah tt ,, Frederick tl ,, Mary II TyndaU, Elizabeth 101 Priestley, Elizabeth 31 Ryland, Samuel 31 „ Brooke II ,, Joseph II ,, Hannah ... ,1 ,, Susan II Elizabeth ft Raven, George .. 125 ,, Ann •> ,, Job Orton II „ Elizabeth ... »» „ William 32 ,, William Hawkes.. ,. Ray, Samuelis, M.D. . 107 Elizabeth... II Elizabeth . 178 Vanghan, John 150 ,, Mary l» ,, Samuel ... If ,, Samuel . 187 ,, Alice • I ,, Samuel $t John »i „ Nancy 11 „ Benjamin »» ,, Elizabeth... 11 ,, Elizabeth . 188 Read, Ann ... .. 155 ,, John Timothy Wake6eld, John 26 Redfern, John 10 ,, Martha ... II Samuel Morgan . Mary • ■ Reynolds, Sarah ... ., 181 ,, Mary II ,, Lucy ,, Benjamin II Sarah ... >,- Thomas ... 64 Eliza . 189 WallU, Ann 76 ,, Edward 1> „ Mary .. T) ,, Robert Richard II Bichards, Mary 33 ,, Henr}- If Ann .. ,, Joseph ... )f Sanders, Mary . 170 ,, Samuel Waterhouse, — 79 ,, Hannah ,, „ Mark ... M ,, Emma f 1 II ~" II ,, Samuel ... )» Sands, Helen Ann 90 „ Mar}- Watson, Hannah 138 ,, John »» ,, Charles Edwin >i Spearman, John ... . 169 Watton, Mary 174 ,, Sarah ... »» ,, William »» ,, Jane ... ,, Hannah If ,, ' Thomas .. II Scholefield, Radcliff, Rev. 5, 74 Elizabeth Webster, Joseph 103 ,, Mary 34 ,, Josepha ... II Stewart, John 35 ,, Joseph... 104 ,, Joseph ... ,, Scott, Elizabeth ... . 164 „ Ann ,1 ,, Dickinson 1* ,, Joseph ... . 152 ,, Lucy . 171 William Henry .. Jl Phebe tl ,, Mary Maria l> ,, Elizabeth ... i. Stokes, Mary 21 ,, Mary Ann >f Sarah ... . 166 Sharpe, John 41 Stow, Jane... . 146 Whitehouse, Esther 182 ,, Thomas... If „ Thomas ... i> Stubbs, Rebekah . 138 Whitfield, WilUam 50 „ Anne 1. „ Curzon If Sweet, Henry . 178 Sarah II Ridge, Benjamin .. 55 Helen ,, ,, Sarah Dutton... fl ,, Ann II Alban II Talbot, Flora 8 Elizabeth 78 „ Edward ... tt John Taylor, John 71 Edward 151 Ridout, Sarah 83 ,, Ann ,1 Elizabeth . 154 ,, Hannah If ,, Jeremiah ... n Mary M ,, Mary Ann »l ,, Mary Ann ■1 Kickards, Eliza ... . 100 Small, Thomas 192 Timmins, Joseph ... 53 Wills, William 69 Robinson, Robert, Rev. 2, 141 ,, Sarah II „ Emma II ,, Eleanor If William 38 Smallwood, Catherine . 136 Mary ■ I „ Elizabeth ... 11 Rogers, John . 108 Smith, Robert 19 Richard 54 Worsey, Joseph Henry ... 106 Elizabeth ... ,, „ Joseph 28 Ann >* Wright, Daniel 27 ,, John i» , Mary II Tonks, Samuel . 160 Mary 137 „ Josiah If William II ,, Frances II „ Harriet ... 168 Russell, George 13 Susanna 117 Toulmin, Joshua, D.D. .. 183 „ Benjamin Stenson „ ,, Sarah Grundy 1. Timothy II ,, Jane II Elizabeth Richards I. ,, Martha Skey ,, Josiah f I ,, Sarah Emma .. ,, „ Catherine Malkin „ William ... »i , Ann 118 Townshend, Sally 92 Sarah Richards ... ,1 ,, James ,, , Hannah ... II Elizabeth ,, Benjamin ,, ,, Thomas Hawkes »» , Samuel If Traies, John 45 „ Harriet Tyndall... • I THE LIBKARV UNIVERSITY OF ( AfJFORNU LOS ANGELES UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. IVrm LO-:r>m 9.'17(A5G1R)4 11 II ,; ■1 II III D 000 45