Hayward Newbury Plymouth Brethren

[dee-jay]

If you can get access to this book, you may be surprised at the number of Newbury independent chapels listed therein:

Berkshire Religious Census 1851
Edited by Kate Tiller
Published by Berkshire Record Society in 2010

ISBN: 0 9548716 4 2

Description: This volume contains the text of the ecclesiastical census for Berkshire, and includes returns for 434 places of worship – 204 Anglican, 224 nonconformist and 6 Roman Catholic, providing a wide coverage of religious activity in the county in the mid-nineteenth century.

I, too, have an interest in the 'Brethren' meeting in 'Mr. Westells yard Northbrook Street', as I encountered a letter some years ago at Hampshire Record Office relating Stephen Leach's experiences in exchanges with Mr Westall in August 1846.  Sadly, there is no further indication to which Mr Westall he was referring, but Francis and William - sons of Sarah WESTALL, widow of William senr -  joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849.  In 1851 Alfred Brown submitted the Brethren's attendance numbers, and his household may be found at ref. HO107 1685 fol 216 page 34.  However, I have not encountered any registers of membership.

[daganta]

Ok will look for it...thanks!  you just gave me an idea...there was a big plymouth brethren group in Sherbrooke Quebec which may be why the immigrated there and maybe they have records?   Thanks

[newburychap]

I, too, have an interest in the 'Brethren' meeting in 'Mr. Westells yard Northbrook Street', as I encountered a letter some years ago at Hampshire Record Office relating Stephen Leach's experiences in exchanges with Mr Westall in August 1846.  Sadly, there is no further indication to which Mr Westall he was referring, ...

The is another useful volume in the Berkshire Record Society series - Berkshire Nonconformist Meeting House Registrations 1689-1853 Pt II ed Lisa Spurrier, ISBN 0 9548716 0 X

It contains two registrations by the Plymouth Brethren, both in 1846.

The first (July 11) registers a school room in the Jack of Newbury Yard (ie in or off Jack Street) occupied by Philip Brown and the second (Dec 10) registers a room in Northbrook Street, the property of John Farrant Westall (who is involved in both registrations).

A room 'in the possession of' doesn't necessarily mean a room in his house, it could just mean he is paying the rent.  The second could even be the registration of the meeting house off Northcroft Lane as there seems to have been very little precision in the definition of most of the locations.

[dee-jay]

That's brilliant, Newburychap!  I think I can now safely discount from 'my' Nonconformist WESTALLs the chap I've recorded John Tarrant WESTALL, who features a number of times in Newbury St Nicolas PRs and elsewhere.

[daganta]

I just sent all this info to http://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/thank-you/ after I checked to see if there was any info on those registers online.  I will dig some more for that location to see if there is anything else online about it.  thanks!

[daganta]

Just found this in a Newbury timeline on the Newbury historical site http://www.newbury-society.org/about/historical-timeline.  GW is in bucks in 1871 with wife after marriage and i have not been able to find him or his father 'thomas' in 1861 anywhere..so just looking for this time period.  you may have seen this before but interesting

1754 “Jack of Newbury” inn, later hotel, is established in Northbrook Street.  It is demolished in 1934 and Marks & Spencers is now on the site.

In quebec death record the church is listed as "Sherbrooke (Methodist Church), Québec Plymouth Bretheran" 

in the timeline is this: 1838 Newbury Methodist Church is built in Northbrook Street.  It is refurbished in 1898 and 1988.  In 1852 an elementary school is attached to it, continuing until 1908.

1859

Newbury National (elementary) School is built in Enborne Road – architect William Butterfield; it closes in 1990 (see that date) and the building is now a private language school.  St John’s parish is formed.  The Temperance Hall is built in Northcroft Lane (see 1722).  A Baptist Church is built in Northbrook Street, replacing the 1702 meeting house in Northcroft Lane; it is demolished in 1940, and the site is now occupied by Edinburgh Woollen Mill and The Orange Shop.

[newburychap]

1754 “Jack of Newbury” inn, later hotel, is established in Northbrook Street.  It is demolished in 1934 and Marks & Spencers is now on the site.{/quote]
The Jack was around before 1754. I have references from the 1720s or 30s which suggest it was up and running before then. 

in the timeline is this: 1838 Newbury Methodist Church is built in Northbrook Street.  It is refurbished in 1898 and 1988.  In 1852 an elementary school is attached to it, continuing until 1908.

Nothing to do with the schoolroom in Jack Yard - different church on the other side of the street.

1859

Newbury National (elementary) School is built in Enborne Road – architect William Butterfield; it closes in 1990 (see that date) and the building is now a private language school.  St John’s parish is formed.  The Temperance Hall is built in Northcroft Lane (see 1722).  A Baptist Church is built in Northbrook Street, replacing the 1702 meeting house in Northcroft Lane; it is demolished in 1940, and the site is now occupied by Edinburgh Woollen Mill and The Orange Shop.

The 1702 meeting house is the one the Brethren took over after the Baptists moved to Northbrook St. Was it really as late as 1859?  I thought it was earlier - not always a good idea to rely on memory!  This means that the 1846 registration was not for this meeting house.  The nonconformist registrations end 1852 so don't cover the 1859 move(s). The BRS book covers registrations approved by the Diocese(s) - there was a civil registration process as well, records at TNA I think (went to a talk at TNA about them a few years back).  It would be an interesting bit of research to put together all these local nonconformist bits and pieces.

[daganta]

It was interesting finding so much info on Jack of Newbury!  Also I found some historical photos of newbury and northbrook street which helped give me an idea of what we are talking about.  Thank you for working on this.   I heard back from the PBCC:

Alannah
 
Thanks for the enquiry. Unfortunately we do not have any historical records here that would help.
 
Kind regards
 
Andrew
 
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
Chelwood House, Cox Lane, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 1DN   |   UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 8391 7620   
Fax: +44 (0)20 8391 7621
Email  info@plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org    Web  www plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org

[dee-jay]

If anyone should decide to pursue the Newbury religious turmoil of the times, it might be useful to place Stephen Leach's letter of August 1846 [found tucked into the Register of the lesser meeting house, near The Abbey, in Romsey, Hampshire] in context with accompanying correspondence in collection 33A04/1 on the HRO database http://calm.hants.gov.uk/DServe/  [Use advanced search and enter only the finding number to search and then click on full details for the collection.]

I'd be happy to provide a copy of my transcription of the letter that mentions Mr. Westall, if requested by PM.