Baptists

The Baptist cause in Stapleford was started by members of Beeston Baptist church and can be seen as part of the third expansionary period of the Stoney Street Church in Nottingham. Stoney Street itself was founded in 1799, by 1845 had 1000 members and a few years later 1,300 or 1,400. It is said that over one sixth of the members of the Baptist New Connexion Movement were members at Stoney Sreet. [1]

During its life the members of Stoney Street, either directly or indirectly through churches which their members had started, were responsible for founding most of the Baptist churches in the area. There were three phases of expansion, the period ending in 1811, 1818-36, and 1836-45. The church in Beeston was founded c.1802-4 and began preaching in Stapleford c.1838. [2] The first mention of worship in Stapleford is in March 1850 when the church applied to link itself with the newly formed breakaway General Baptists Preachers Union. The state of the church was described as 'low'. However, in September of the same year they requested, for a reason not stated, that their name be removed from the 'plan'.[3]

The eminent Baptist minister and social reformer John Clifford recalls fond memories of some of his first preaching appointments in Stapleford in 1852 when the congregation met in a small room in an out of the way back yard reached by means of a back street.[4] It is believed that this was Bostock’s Yard in Pinfold Lane.[5] He describes it as 'Most inconvenient and uninviting, being a low roofed damp and miserable room.'

Between 1864 and 1878 the church worshipped in the old Methodist New Connexion Chapel on Church Walk, formerly known as Providence Chapel and later as the Church Walk School Room. This was a simple two-storeyed building with an earth floor; one of the conditions of their usage of the Lower School Room was that they were to board the floor. However, they were only charged 10s. shillings a year at a time when others were being charge 1s. a week.[6] In 1878 the trustees agreed to a request from the church that the walls and ceiling of the schoolroom be washed but commented that they did not envisage any sub-letting by the Baptists.[7] The church ceased to use the school room in Church Walk in 1884 when they suggested a price of £3 for the various fixtures which they had left behind. This was agreed by the trustees.[8]

By 1875 the congregation numbered 32 and had bought land for a church on Albert Street. The foundation stone was laid in October 1877 [9] and the building opened for public worship in April 1878.[10] The architect was Aaron Houghton of Long Eaton, the builder (who went bankrupt later in the year)[11] was William Maskery, and the woodwork was done by a Mr Cooper. The land cost £150, the building works £400 and the joinery £700.[12] The foundation stone of the Sunday school was laid in 1883 and opened in 1884.[13]

In 1896 A. Copley, a local lay preacher, was invited to supply the pulpit every second Sunday and to supervise the general work of the church. He resigned in August 1897. The church at this date had about 75 members. In 1904 the first ordained minister, the Revd F. C. Morris, was invited.[14]

The church became a member of the East Midlands Baptist Association in 1894. In 1896 they applied to the association for help in meeting some of their financial responsibilities in connection with the debt on the church building. The association regretted that it did not have the funds to help. Stapleford complained that, in its opinion, it had been 'neglectful of its interests.'[15] In 1902 Stapleford applied to the association for help in the maintenance of a pastor. A resolution of sympathy was passed with a promise of possible help in the future. In February 1904 it was reported that Stapleford were still very desirous of having a pastor and were prepared to raise £80 a year towards this object. A committee from the association visited the church in May 1904 and found to their surprise, and contrary to the rules, that Morris had already been appointed. Two of the elders were summoned before the committee to explain their position and expressed sincere regret. The apology was accepted, Morris’s appointment was confirmed and the association made a grant of £10 a year.[16]

In 1970 the church withdrew from the East Midlands Baptist Association .[17] At the time of writing it described itself as an independent evangelical church practising believer's baptism. It was associated with other like-minded churches through GraceNet