Childs Hill Baptist Church History

History of Middlesex Volume 5 Baptist Entry

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Under the heading "Baptists" in 'Hendon: Protestant nonconformity', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 39-43. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=26889 we read

Hendon Baptist church was formed in 1873 by a group led by E J Smart, a Brent Street ironmonger, which had been meeting since c 1869 in the former Hendon charity school in Church Road. In 1878 the congregation moved to an iron hall in Finchley Lane, built by Stephen Shirley as a temperance hall. A permanent church, seating 600, was opened in 1886 on a sloping site 80 yards to the west. It was designed by J E Sears in an individualistic version of 13th-century Gothic, and is an aisled cruciform building, whose crypt serves as a church hall.

West Hendon Baptist church arose from a Sunday school which was meeting in private premises in Pollard Road in 1884. Through the efforts of E. J. Smart, a mission hall, used also as a day school, was built in Edgware Road in 1885; the building survived behind a shop in 1970. Members began meeting in new premises on the corner of Wilberforce and Station roads in 1898 and shared a minister with Hendon Baptist church until 1901. A church of brick and pebble-dash was built in 1930. It had seating for 250 in 1970, when the old church was used as a hall.

Childs Hill Baptist chapel originated in open-air meetings which were held in a cock-pit at the Old Mead in 1865 and were transferred to a laundry in Granville Road in 1866, shortly before the foundation of the chapel. In 1875 new premises in Granville Road, erected at the expense of Heath Street church, Hampstead, were registered for worship (GRO registration number 22498 in line with the 1855 Places of Worship Registration Act). The church was built of brick in a partially Byzantine style and a hall of similar design was added later. The seating capacity was 400 in 1972.

Claremont Baptist Free church originated in a mission started by Childs Hill Baptists in Claremont Road, Cricklewood, by 1928. A separate church was formed in 1931, when brick premises, registered in 1935, were erected between Claremont Road and Cheviot Gardens. A brick hall was added in 1958. There was seating for 350 worshippers in 1972.

Tennyson Road mission arose from a Baptist group which was flourishing at Mill Hill in 1881. A chapel was built in Tennyson Road between 1894 and 1896 but by 1906 had been leased to the Brethren. In 1908 the building became the first meeting-place of Union Congregational church.

The entry under "Strict Baptists" reads:

In 1938 a long-established chapel in Christchurch Passage, Hampstead, was compulsorily purchased, whereupon the congregation took over a building in Bridge Lane, Temple Fortune, which was registered as Ebenezer Strict Baptist chapel later that year. In 1972 the congregation was affiliated to the 'Gospel Standard' section of Strict Baptists.

The first Baptists in Childs Hill

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There were nonconformists in the Childs Hill area perhaps from the earliest times. The house of a Samuel Everard in Childs Hill, it seems, was used for such worship as far back as 1672.

Also

Baptists used a house at Childs Hill in 1823, registered a house at the Burroughs in 1831, and built a small chapel in Brent Street in 1832. After 1843 the chapel served as a warehouse until it was taken over in 1845 by the Shouldham Street Baptist chapel, St Marylebone, which shared it with Congregationalists. In 1851 there were 30 worshippers but attendance dwindled after the opening of Hendon Congregational church and in 1857 services ceased. Another Baptist church, founded at the Hyde in 1843, had closed by 1857.

From: 'Hendon: Protestant nonconformity', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 39-43. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=26889 Date accessed: 19 May 2011.

John Pretlove

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Fiona Pretlove Foster, daughter of former pastor, John Pretlove has been in touch. She pointed out one or two factual errors here that I have endeavored to correct. She tells us that her dad taught at Criswell College, Dallas, Texas for over 25 years. Her mom passed away in 1996 and her dad has remarried. His second wife's name is Catherine, "who was also a member of his then congregation - a pattern!" comments Fiona. She says that Dr Pretlove is now pastor of a church in Las Vegas, Nevada but comes to England about twice a year as he is on the board of Chosen People Ministries. He has another daughter (Heather) who, like Fiona, was born while at Child's Hill. He also has a son David (born in the USA) who is himself a pastor, in Reno, Nevada. Fiona also adds that John now has has five grandchildren. "I still remember living in the manse" she says.

Sunday School Prize 1888

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A correspondent in Australia noticed the inscription in a book she found at her grandmother's house. She very kindly tracked me down and sent these pictures. Her grandmother is not Nellie Mole. Nellie Mole, if I am correct, was about 15 in 1888 and lived in 6 Albion Terrace on Childs Hill Lane (later Cricklewood Lane).

Spurgeon on Harvey

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I came across this in the April 1883 edition of The Sword and Trowel
It is one of the disadvantages of the early preparation of monthly periodicals that notices must sometimes appear late. Friends must pardon the lateness of an in memoriam note concerning James Harvey Esq, of Hampstead. He was for many years one of the most liberal helpers of the work which the Lord has entrusted to us: and we hear that he has left a legacy of £500 to the Orphanage. We may not mention many of the things which were done of him in secret; but we may say that he was the donor of the house on the boys’ side of the Orphanage, which is known as "the Merchant’s House". This he gave without a request or even a hint from us.
He was a man of mark: independent, yet ready to learn; lenient towards doubt, but himself a firm believer. His views of truth were his own, and would not be parallel in all points with those of anybody else; but we always felt at one with him, and even where we judged him to be mistaken we were glad to love him just as he was. Our personal loss is very heavy, and, hence, we can the more tenderly sympathize with the esteemed mourners who have lost father and brother. We shall not soon look upon his like again. Are there not other merchants who love our Lord, and will be baptized for the dead, filling up the vacancies caused by these many deaths, and taking thought that the cause of Christ shall know no lack? We commend to all our readers an extract from Mr Brock’s admirable sermon - the sermon itself can be had of J. Hewetson, Hampstead: — "While in good health he was exemplary for punctuality at the service of God; and on very rare occasions was he absent from his place. ‘I am come,’ he said to me, the very Thursday evening before his fatal illness, when I expressed surprise at seeing him, ‘because I am able to go to business, and I do not think I ought to be absent from the church meeting.’"

James Harvey 05

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In 1855 Harvey's only son was sick and it was thought better air would help. This led eventually to a permanent move to Hampstead in 1861. They began on Haverstock Hill, then, after moving up it once they took up residence in newly built Mount Grove on the then new Greenhill Estate in 1870.

The Baptist James Castleden (1778-1854) had laboured in Hampstead until his death but the only nonconformist chapel at that time appears to have been a high one in both senses - high in its Calvinism and high in its location - at the top of Holly Bush Hill. Harvey resolved, partly as thanks to God for his son's refound health, to build new Baptist chapel but the people of the area were poor and there was no place for it anyway. It was another four years before they obtained the land - used a former fruit and vegetable garden. A committee was formed to plan a building but it was too expensive and so the committee was dissolved. However, at long last, on June 4, 1860 Harvey signed a contract to a build chapel with other buildings at the cost of £4,800. It was not built at his sole cost, others did give, but he was a generous contributor. The Heath Street building opened in July, 1861 (see pic). Harvey became a member there and was generous provider for the work. They called William Brock Junior, the son of Dr Brock, to be their first pastor. Typically, the the intention was that the membership would be "open to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity" with true believers being baptised by immersion.

Soon there was also a Devon born assistant minister there called William Rickard. He was instrumental in starting the Baptist work in nearby Childs Hill. Although not constituted as a church until 1877, they were able to put up a building in 1870. The inscription has long disappeared but it was Harvey who laid the foundation stone for the new building on July 28, 1870.

At the end of 1865 the London Baptist Association was formed. Unsurprisingly, Harvey was its first treasurer. He served for 16 years, until 1881. In 1870 he offered to help defray debts of many chapels. The idea was that if they paid one third by the end of 1871 he would give 10% of the remainder. He ended up parting with some £500 by this means.

An example of another cause that he helped was the Shoreditch Tabernacle, where William Cuff ministered, which was developed in the 1880s. The meeting on December 1, 1876 held in Harvey's Hampstead drawing room where it became clear that the new building could be financed was one of great joy to Cuff and the deacon who accompanied him.

Harvey felt a duty, according to his son, to give an example but also tried to conceal much of his giving. In 1867 Harvey's good friend C H Spurgeon wrote asking for contribution to Stockwell Orphanage, a work that had then recently begun. Harvey gave £600 to pay for the second house, which was called The Merchant's House.

A letter of July 16, 1867, acknowledges the gift. “You find it more easy to perform noble actions than I do to thank you for them” wrote Spurgeon. A similar sum was given by Harvey for the girls' orphanage 13 years later.

Another example of his kindness through Spurgeon was the way in the Summer of 1876 he sent him £100 to pass on anonymously to ministers in need of a summer holiday. Spurgeon wrote back, passing on the letters thanking Spurgeon himself and acknowledging where the thanks should have gone. In 1882 a gift for the Baptist work in East India Dock produced very thankful letter.

Harvey was also a great supporter of the Baptist Missionary Society. In 1881 he called on supporters of the mission to make 1882 a year of Jubilee. He urged each one to see himself as “the steward not the irresponsible owner of the manifold gifts of God”.

It was only a sort time into 1893 that, on February 9, after two days' illness he rather suddenly died at home, in his sixty-seventh year.

In his little book on his father and using his favourite turn of phrase Alfred Harvey wrote of his father “Never was there a man more naturally modest and unpretentious than he. His unassuming geniality and consideration for others was the same in whatever company he was ....”. he was a man of buoyant spirits. A writer in the Freeman of February 16, 1883 observed how Harvey “had a rare confidence in his own powers ...” taking up various pursuits, “singing ... preaching to the poor ...” and his apologetics work an mastering them. He was a “keen sportsman” “a jocund traveller”. The writer in the Freeman commented “I cannot conceive of Mr Harvey doing anything by halves”. He was paradoxically “devoid of personal ambition, and yet he was ambitious”. He sought “no satisfaction save success” and never rested on his laurels.

James Harvey 04

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Harvey always loved reading and was very interested in the subject of Christian evidences or Apologetics as we call it today. He regularly read The Reasoner, “a journal of free thought and positive philosophy” and often wrote letters to it as "Inquirer".

On October 21, 1855 he went along to the Scientific and Literary Institution at 23 John Street in Fitzroy Square near Tottenham Court Road (John Street, interestingly enough, later became Whitfield Street for George Whitefield). This was a gathering place for so called free thinkers. There Harvey heard Robert Cooper (d 1868) "a distinguished advocate of secularism", author of an 1852 booklet ridiculing death-bed repentances and the editor of the secularist London Investigator on the subject of Miracles. "The time is approaching, gradually indeed but surely," he claimed "when this delusion — this imposition upon the understanding of mankind — will be consigned, as it deserves, to public contempt". Harvey entered into debate with him and felt able to trouble him with at least one argument.
On March 30, 1856, Harvey had opportunity to reply to Cooper at the same venue. He begins by identifying himself with his audience, a first rule of rhetoric. He tells then that he too is a free thinker and one with a good working class background. He is not an enemy as he is seeking exactly what they seek – the truth and the good of the people. He goes on to speak of the reasonableness of the evidence for the truth of Christianity and what it is that mankind wants. He argues that miracles are possible and the apostles are reliable, moving on to what is really wrong with this world and how it can be put right.
Having been able to say something worthwhile, he nevertheless resolved to give more time to reading and study in this area.
On January 11, 1857, he spoke at the John Street Institute one again, this time replying to a lecture by the free thinker, atheist and editor of The Reasoner, George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1906) against Christianity as a system of morality. Holyoake called Christianity indefinite, inadequate and inoperable, whereas Harvey claimed it was definite, adequate and operative. Holyoake was allowed a rejoinder after Harvey's' message.
In September 1862 Harvey was asked to umpire a six day debate between Rev W Barker and the notorious freethinker and radical, later an MP and President of the National Secular Society, Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891). Until 1868 he would bill himself as “Iconoclast”. These debates were popular in the period. A similar one between Bradlaugh and another minister looked at subjects such as God's nature and attributes, creation and science, the flood and how reliable the Bible is.
In 1871 Harvey's only son, Alfred, only 16, made known his desire to be a minister of the gospel. Harvey Senior wrote that though he had “hoped for it and prayed for it and have expected it” for so long yet it “... seems almost to take me by surprise ...”.He had taken the policy, as many do, of never hinting “the matter to him”. Harvey Junior went on to be an Anglican vicar in the west country, in Shirehampton.
At the end of his little book on his father the son speaks of his father's catholicity. Harvey was an evangelical first. “Baptist though I am,” he wrote “yet I have ever objected to work especially as a Baptist; I prefer to do so on the much broader basis of a disciple and servant of Christ.” In his reading he was happy to read the Anglican Thomas Griffith. When his work Fundamentals or bases of belief concerning man, God and the correlation of God and men came out Harvey wrote offering to finance the wide distribution of the book. Typical of him was the way once on holiday in Southwold he saw a need and immediately sent 10 guineas to the vicar to help.

James Harvey 03

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It is hard for us at this distance in time to imagine how it was for the average employee in 19th century London. As an employer Harvey was keen to improve the lot of those under his care. As soon as he became head of his own firm he invited his sister Rachel to come from Suffolk and help him, not only at home but in bringing in changes in the work place. She was responsible for such changes as the introduction of table cloths, and with Harvey, a library of books and newspapers and similar amenities. He also encouraged monthly discussion classes.
From 1842 Harvey became involved in the early closing movement. The pattern when he first became head was that business would end at 9 pm (8.30 pm in winter). He got that down in his area first to 8 pm (7 pm in winter) and then in 1855 a unilateral decision was made to move to a 7 pm close all year round, closing on Saturdays at 5 pm. At this time Harvey made a number of speeches in favour of such moves. He was also involved in the work of the YMCA, which was begun in London by George Williams in 1844.
On August 12, 1851, Harvey's diary reveals that he made a long considered resolve to make the point of speaking to young employees words of Christian caution and advice as appropriate.
In his little book on his father Alfred Harvey has a chapter headed "The dread of wealth". There would appear to be no exaggeration in this phrase. Harvey was successful in business throughout his life. Nevertheless, his son comments “in spite of his success, there was never in the City of London, a man who set his mind on money making less than he.” Proverbs 28:20 was one of his watch words - “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent”. He hated all sharp practice in business. In an address to the YMCA at Aldersgate Street on February 28, 1878, having spoken of getting on in business, he said “Be careful, however, for what purpose you wish to get on.” Live according to your means. He quoted Proverbs 16:8 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” and urged fair play.
It was not simply that Harvey feared money but, more positively, he also had a strong sense of stewardship. On May 26, 1853 he made a remarkable resolution about his finances. He resolved not to spend more than one third of his income on himself and his family, not to save more than another third and to give another third of his income to religious and charitable purposes. He also resolved, perhaps unrealistically, never to be worth more than £20,000. He renewed these vows from time to time. Because of the continual growth of his business he found it impossible to keep to his resolution about not being worth more than £20,000. It caused him some consternation but he sought to keep to the resolution as best he could and even carried it over into the terms of his will. His son remarks that this lifestyle made people think that he was much richer than he actually was. In truth he was simply very generous.
In 1850 Harvey became a member at Bloomsbury (see pic of orioginal building before the towers were removed in 1951) and was very soon made a church officer. He was very involved in evangelism in the nearby slums of St Giles. In 1852 we find him writing “I desire a wife, if it will help me to serve God better, to discharge my private and official duties more efficiently, and by these means to honour my Lord and Saviour; and not else.” Ever a very practical man, by November 1853 he was married – to a Miss Benham, the daughter of the head of a company in Wigmore Street. The son describes her as being a woman of judgement like Harvey himself. They were very practical about the arrangement though the son insists “Never did man and woman love one another in holier and more devoted love than they.”
They came to live in 22 Bloomsbury Square, though their time together was to be tragically brief. On August 17, 1855, Mrs Harvey gave birth to their only son. By August 27 she was dead. Two years we find Harvey writing of his his continuing faith despite what was undoubtedly a severe blow. His sister Rachel had been helping an invalid since the marriage. With his death around the same time, she came to Bloomsbury Square to look after Harvey and his infant son and became the son's “almost mother”
The son also has a brief chapter on his father's civic life. In 1853 he became a Liveryman of the City Company of Lorimers. He soon gained the freedom of the City and then became a Common Councilman. He retired from this in 1861 but not before he had made a resolute and successful attack, including the launch of legal proceedings, on abuses of poor law administration that were going on in his ward of Farrington Without.
He was Chairman of the Board of Guardians for many years. In this connection a dinner was given in his honour on August 6, 1859. In this capacity he was involved in the erection of a new West London workhouse, although he had retired by the time it was completed. This was necessitated by the building of the Holborn Viaduct (1865-69) sweeping business premises, including his own, from the area. He moved to Gresham Street in late 1865.
He was also active jury service and even in the last 20 years of his life, which were spent in Hampstead he was active in civic life. His love of strict justice and individual liberty was reflected in one particular way – in his efforts to get the law on oaths changed. The new law allowed witnesses to simply affirm rather than to go on oath, something that atheists preferred to do.

James Harvey 02

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Because he was employed by Henry Bardwell and had no fixed convictions of his own when he came to London, Harvey attended the old Surrey Tabernacle in Southwark along with Bardwell and so sat under the ministry of the leading Strict Baptist of his day, James Wells (1803-1872). Hampshire born, Wells had grown up a godless man but following an illness in his early twenties he came under deep conviction and was eventually converted through Hyper-Calvinist Christians. He himself was a gifted preacher and came to have a large and very loyal congregation (second only in size to Spurgeon's - with whom he tangled in the pages of the Earthen Vessel).

Harvey attended Surrey Tabernacle for some 15 years and became convinced of the doctrines of election and reprobation. He tried to convince others about these truths, says his son, but he himself did not think he was was elect. He was “unhappy and a stranger to the peace of God that passeth understanding”. He was clearly not finding Wells' ministry a blessing to his soul.

On December 5, 1848, the first purpose-built Baptist chapel in central London opened - Bloomsbury Chapel. The first pastor there was William Brock (1807-1885) the later abolitionist and biographer. Originally a watchmaker, Brock trained at the Baptists' Stepney College before spending 15 years working in Norwich. James had heard him there in the late 1830s and had not been impressed. However, he took the decision to attend for 6 months, to “give the minister and the doctrines which should be preached a fair trial”. “The first month had not passed away" he came to write "before I found what I had long been seeking in vain. I was able to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He began to keep a diary and one of the first entries in it, made at 7 am on Saturday, December 30th, 1848, related his conversion.

He wrote these words

This has been the most remarkable night of my existence, and the most precious. Not one wink of sleep have I had during the whole time, from eleven o'clock last night till seven this morning. Last night, as has been my custom recently, I noted down the most important circumstances which occupied my mind during the day; and having had many very important and apparently difficult matters to arrange when I arose in the morning, which during the day were arranged in a way and manner much more satisfactory than my partner and I had been able to conceive of, I felt impelled to record my gratitude to God for so marked (as it appeared to my mind to be) a manifestation of His over-ruling all things to accomplish in the end His own purposes.

On retiring to rest I committed myself to God in prayer, with more freedom of speech than usual; and in pleading for the pardon of sins, and realising the bare possibility of their being forgiven and blotted out for Christ's sake, I felt overwhelmed and could not say another word. In bed, I desired the Lord to have mercy upon me and accept of my imperfect gratitude for His abundant mercies and from that time till 4 am my mind was occupied on matters of business with which I had been concerned during the day, and as I appeared to be at an end of my musings, knowing that today is our stock-taking, and that I shall be engaged in the warehouse till twelve o'clock at night, I again tried to go to sleep, and breathed a desire (which, if it be the Lord's will, may He grant) that He might enable me to be a benefit amongst those under our own roof both for their temporal and spiritual welfare. When in a moment I was arrested by an idea, and these words were fixed in my mind “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.' As a father! - 'as a father pitieth his children.' Never did I realise the pity and mercy of God in such a sweet and endearing light. I could but repeat, 'As a father pitieth'. Seest thou a father embracing his son? Seest thou a father whose son is in trouble, whose son is in danger? Seest thou a father bestowing his riches and honour on his son in all the love of his heart? So, even 'the Lord pitieth them that fear Him'. A man may pity a faithful dog, a favourite horse; but as a father pitieth his children.' While lost in admiration in the thought, came one more precious still. 'Because you are children, God hath sent His Spirit into your heart Crying, Abba, Father.' 'God my Father' in this sense, and with these endearing words, can it be to me? When, lo! 'If children, then heirs, heirs to God and joint heirs with Christ.' This was too much for my heart; my only language was, Oh, for faith to believe!' - and I could not possibly restrain my tears. I could only cry, 'Lord, help! Can it be my portion?' And I continued with this threefold text in my mind adoring its beauty though its blessedness seemed far too great for me; when again: 'Can a woman forget bet sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee.' I laid thus for some minutes, for my heart was full to overflowing, and enquired 'What does this mean?' Then came as an answer: 'The love of God shed abroad in the heart.' Then followed: 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The words 'everlasting life' seemed fixed in my ears. There came as a climax: 'I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.' I could hardly repeat the words. Then came back the thought, 'As a father pitieth,' but I could not repeat the words;' God, my father, who hast loved me with such a love,' I could not say them for several times trying. The thought returned: 'The love of God shed abroad in the heart,' and 'God manifesting Himself to me as He doth not unto the world.' I remembered that I had pleaded with Him for this, and it appeared as an answer to prayer. I then enquired, and do so now I am writing, What is all this that is done ? Is it not to prepare one for some coming trial or difficulty? And my answer from my heart was Come sickness, poverty, peril or death, I can meet them all with the love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost. I resolved to write it all down, if God enabled me, as soon as I arose ... If this which I am writing ever be read by any other being, I pray that he may experience the blessedness which I this morning, from the hours of four till seven o'clock, have been made to feel.

The fatherhood of God was one of the truths that he particularly warmed to and continued to emphasise throughout his life.

James Harvey 01

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I came across the name of James Harvey (1816-1883) in the records for the church. Harvey lived in Hampstead and was involved in providing funds for a Baptist church there and the building we still use today in Childs Hill. In 1900 his son, a C of E Vicar, wrote a little biography which I have recently been consulting. Let me tell you his story.

Part 1

James Harvey was born in Badingham, in Suffolk (not far from Framlingham). He was the son of a farmer. He was born on May 16, 1816. Both parents were good living people if nothing more. James Harvey was the youngest of seven and the second son. He was known to the family as "Little Jems". He was educated first in the village dame school, then in Haveningham and finally in Framlingham.
Although his family was no doubt a good influence, sadly, the rector at the parish church (St John the Baptist, see pic) was hopeless and had no interest in teaching the way of truth. A new and better rector did come later on but by then Harvey was ready to leave for London where he was to make his fortune. His one positive experience of something better came when he was around 10 or 12 and a woman Methodist preacher came and preached on the village green.
On November 2, 1832, Harvey travelled to London on the Suffolk coach. He came to work in a warehouse at the bottom of the old Holborn Hill (where the Holborn Viaduct is now). His employer was a High Calvinist called Henry Bardwell. He dealt in woollen and cotton goods and such like, wholesale and retail. James started as a Junior assistant earning £12 per annum. That soon rose to £20 then £32 then £40. Back home his parents were in financial difficulties and he not only paid his outstanding school fees bu continued to send them help in their various needs.
After 5 years in London James became a Junior partner and then, when Mr Bardwell died in 1845, he became joint head of the company alongside his contemporary Joseph Bartrum. In this period James had saved up some £2,500 from his earnings. Bardwell also left him a thousand in his will.
Harvey's son later commented that the secret of his father's success was twofold. Firstly, James Harvey loved hard work. He had good health and did not take long holidays throughout his life. He was not obsessed with money. He was able to relax too. He liked to read "books of gristle" and liked foreign travel. He loved work for its own sake but was also driven by a strong sense of duty. The other factor was the high principles of conduct that he espoused even before he was eventually converted."Patient continuance in well doing" was his motto text often quoted (see Romans 2.7). Early on in message entitled "What traits of character are most desirable in a business man?" He spoke about these important character traits.
1. A proper degree of self-respect. Business is not all about profit and loss. Even tradesmen are capable of higher feeling.
2. Honesty. This must hold an important place. The golden law must be recognised. Honesty the best policy.
3. Persevering industry. He drew an interesting analogy from God upholding the universe to the need for business men to persevere in their task.
4. Clearness of purpose.
"Virtue and industry shall never go unrewarded" he said is one of God's laws.
Here was a very moral, church going man seeking to do what was right. However, as we shall see there was still more to learn and to experience.

Past ministers

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Here is some information about past ministers of the church.

1. William Thomas Rickard (1837-1896)

Born Pennycross, Devon.

Founder and first pastor. Minister 1865-1894.

Previousy at Hunton Bridge, Herts and Heath Street Hampstead.

Married to Mary S Rickard. Three children. Lived in Homelea, The Ridge.
2. J Sylvester Poulton (1861-1942)

Born Dalston, London.

Second pastor. Minister 1894-1928.

Previously at Winslow and Cote.

Married to Emily Poulton. Six children.
3. Ernest Kennard Alexander (1885-1956)

Born Newport, Monmouthshire.

Third pastor. Minister 1928-1953.

Previously a missionary in the Congo then minister at Highams Park.

Married to F Alexander (nee Clare). A first son died in the Congo. There was also a second, F H Alexander. Lived in Crewys Road and retired to Nant Road.

4. Leslie Wright (d 1990)

Fourth pastor. Minister 1954-1961.

Subsequently at Netherton (?), Potters Bar and Clacton.

Married with children. Lived in Crewys Road manse.
5. John Lionel Pretlove (b 1939)

Fifth pastor. Minister 1963-1970.

Subsequently ministered in Sheffield then America (Criswell College, Dallas)

Married to Rosemary Violet Wigan from the congregation. Two daughters born while in Childs Hill (and later a son). Lived in Crewys Road manse.
6. Anthony Sandys (d 2007)

Sixth pastor. Minister 1971-1975.

Subsequently involved in various churches and various occupations.

Married to Joy Sandys. At least one child. Lived in Crewys Road manse.
7. Mark P Sharman

Seventh pastor. Minister 1976-1981.

Subsequently ministering in Newcastle. Lived in Crewys Road manse.

Married to Sandy Sharman. Three children.

Mother church

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This is Heath Street, Hampstead as originally conceived

Membership Card

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I am unsure of the date of this item

Old Childs Hill

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This is a copy of an (idealised?) Childs Hill scene from the 18th Century

Childs Hill 1866

2008-05-13T01:39:00.000-07:00

In 1866 the Transactions of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science By National Association for the Promotion of Social Science (Great Britain) appeared under the names of George Woodyatt Hastings, Andrew Edgar, Edwin Pears and Charles Wager Ryalls. An interesting reference to Childs Hill appears on page 75.

... It is almost impossible under our present laws to initiate sanitary improvement in the villages and small towns of the country. The most gigantic nuisances are allowed to grow up without let or hindrance, and it is only when some terrible calamity visits a place, that any action is taken. The Metropolitan boundary is studded with villages that the Management Act does not reach, and which are a disgrace to our civilisation. Such a village exists at Childs Hill, in the midst of a farm belonging to the Lord President of the Privy Council. I mention this to show how defective our sanitary legislation is at the present moment, so that the representative of all sanitary authority in Her Majesty's Government is helpless to remove nuisances at his very door. ...

This fits with what Mr Poulton later wrote in a piece about the church's early days.

First Church Minute Book

2008-05-13T00:57:00.000-07:00

Pew number plaque

2008-05-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

This is an old pew number plaque, presumably from the earliest days (1870s).

Anniversary Dates

2007-10-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

September 4, 1865 - Arrival of William Rickard to work at Heath Street Home Mission
April 8, 1866 - First Sunday Service in Childs Hill in an upper room of 'The Model Laundry' in The Mead (later Granville Road)
May 20, 1866 - Launch of the Sunday School at Mr Elphick's Laundry in The Mead
January 10, 1867 - Mission Hall opened in The Mead
July 28, 1870 - Foundation stone of present chapel laid (by James Harvey)
November 17, 1870 - Chapel formally opened
June 12, 1877 - Formal founding of the Childs Hill church with the transfer of 63 members from Heath Street, Hampstead
June 24, 1877 - First pastor, William Rickard, formally received

Also note that it was in June, 1861 that the chapel in Heath Street, Hampstead, opened.

LBA Address

2007-07-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

Cover for the printed sermon delivered by JSP Tuesday, January 10, 1911, to the Western Group of The London Baptist Association.

Close of Mr Poulton's Ministry

2007-07-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

These two relatively uninformative sheets were used at the farewell service for Mr Poulton on Sunday September 30, 1928. Click to see full size.

The Poultons

2007-07-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

A picture, probably from the twenties of Mr J(ames) Sylvester and Mrs Emily Poulton. The Poultons had six children - Percy Sylvester (1894) Lesley Ernest (1895) Reginald Charles (1897) Marjorie Rose (1900) Edith Josephine (1901) and Kenneth James (1908)

Pastor and deacons 1910

2007-07-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

This picture was kindly sent to me from Australia. It was originally given to Miss Phoebe Edwards (as she then was) on November 26, 1910 by the then minister J Sylvester Poulton. He is seated in the centre of this photograph (presumably taken in his garden). The other men (the deacons) are named as Dickens, Howard, Wood, Nichols, Balfour, Higgins and Abbot .

Snippet 12 Background

2007-03-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

In 1593 the name ‘Childes Hill’ appears on a map of Middlesex (John Nordon’s). A Tudor hamlet behind the present ‘Castle’ public house was a flourishing centre for pottery and tiles, using local yellow and blue clay. By the mid-19th Century Childs Hill was famous for its laundresses, especially in The Mead. They made good use of the streams flowing from the Heath and the exposed fields for drying the clothes. Clothes washed in London were thought to be susceptible to water-borne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, and Childs Hill, then still in the countryside was thought ideal.
It was really the opening of the Finchley Road (1826-1829), with a tollgate at the Castle, that started the growth of the community. In the early 1850s a Colonel Evans built houses in a field called The Mead (later renamed Granville Road). In 1868 the Midland Railway came to Cricklewood (originally the station was called Childs Hill Station). In 1884 the Pyramid Light Works, a candle factory, was established, the first factory in the Hendon area.
Housing in Child’s Hill in the 1903 was described as a 'disgrace to civilisation' and in 1914 Hendon Urban District Council built its first council estate, with 50 houses. In 1901 the land between Childs Hill and Golders Green to the north was still farmland, but with the motorised buses (1906), the tube at Golders Green (1907), the trams (1909) and finally the Hendon Way (1927) farmland succumbed to suburbia. For entertainment Childs Hill had The Regal in the Finchley Road (1929), which was first a skating rink then a cinema then a bowling alley. In the early 1960s many of the small Victorian houses in the Mead and around the Castle Inn were demolished and three high rise blocks of flats built.
Both All Saints Parish Church (the third church in the parish of Hendon) and our own church began their meetings in local laundries before the present buildings were erected in 1856 and 1870 respectively. Further extensions were added to All Saints 1878-84. In 1940 the church was so badly damaged by fire that it was substantially rebuilt in 1952.
Evidently both churches were strongly evangelical at first. (The second vicar of All Saints, Rev William H Perkins was a signatory to the Address to the Prelates against the eastward position and vestments.) Sadly, during the time of Rev W D Petter (1893-1933) there was a change to a more Catholic position and this has apparently been the situation over since. Why Mr Petter should have moved from an evangelical position to a more Roman one, we do not know. We ought to give thanks to God that though things have not always been as one would wish with us, a broadly evangelical basis has been maintained. If we think we are standing, let us take heed that we do not fall. How easy it is to begin well but drift.

Snippet 11 Prehistory

2007-03-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

The district now known as Childs Hill formed part of the ancient Manor of Hendon with which St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury (d 988), endowed the Abbey of St Peter at Westminster in 959. In 1150 Abbot Gervase de Blois (illegitimate son of King Stephen) gave the land away. By 1295 the land was in royal hands again until Edward I gave it to Westminster Abbey as soul alms for his dead queen, Eleanor. In 1316 the Abbey exchanged the land for the Manor of Hodford and later in the same century Sir Richard le Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton, some time Lord Chancellor, held them before exchanging them with Richard II for lands in Yorkshire. Hodford and Cowhouse were again ceded to Westminster Abbey in soul alms for Richard and his first wife Anne of Bohemia, in 1399. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1550 the property came to the shortly-lived Bishopric of Westminster and from there into the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners via the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.
Two other dates worth mentioning are 1301 when Richard de Gravesend (Bishop of London) granted Walter de Wenlock (Abbot of Westminster) licence to celebrate ‘Divine service’ in the chapel which the monks of Westminster had built on their Manor of Hodford, provided that the consent of the Rector of Hendon be first obtained.
Then in 1321 The Black Book of Hendon included the name of Richard Child. It is from the Child family that Childs Hill derives its name.
Thus from quite early times Childs Hill was subject to the attentions of professing Christians. Sadly the state of the Mediaeval church was such that one wonders if any peasants in the area would have heard the gospel from the monks. We do not know, but God knows and one day in Heaven may be we will find that even in ancient times God had a people in this same area.

More Background

2007-03-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Childs Hill. A district on both sides of the Hendon-Hampstead border, Childs Hill took its name from Richard le Child, who in 1312 held a customary house and 30 acres, probably on the Hendon side. A similar estate was held at the same time by Richard Blakett, who gave his name to Blacketts well, which in 1632 was one of the boundary markers in the area and in 1801-2 was disputed in ownership.

By the mid 18th century the Hampstead part of Childs Hill was divided in two by the road later called Platt's Lane, which ran from West End and Fortune Green to the heath, Hampstead town, and Hendon. It was entirely occupied by two estates, both of which may have originated as land of the Templars. A farmhouse on the edge of the heath in the north part of the larger estate had apparently become detached from the farmland before 1811, when it was enlarged by Thomas Platt as a 'pleasing and unostentatious' brick house set in well wooded grounds.

The arrival of the Finchley road lessened the area's isolation. A house called Temple Park was built on the smaller Temples estate probably in the 1830s by Henry Weech Burgess, a prosperous Lancastrian. About the same time farm buildings were erected on Platt's estate fronting Platt's Lane. In 1843, on the western portion of Childs Hill estate, T. Howard built Kidderpore Hall, a stuccoed Greek revival house with a slightly projecting colonnade, side pediments, and a semicircular bay, for John Teil, an East India merchant with tanneries in the district of Calcutta from which the house took its name. The grounds became a private park and two lodges were added, one on the Finchley road in 1849, the other on Platt's Lane in the late 1860s. On a field of Platt's estate which jutted westward south of Teil's estate, four houses fronting Finchley Road were built in the 1840s in the district called New West End.

By 1870 the farm buildings at Platt's Lane had been replaced by a house. Two cottages were built in Platt's Lane by P. Bell of West End in 1875 and 13 houses, mostly by George Pritchard, between 1884 and 1886.
From: 'Hampstead: Childs Hill', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 9: Hampstead, Paddington (1989), pp. 73-5. URL: here

The Eight Ministers

2007-03-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

Top (Left to right): W Rickard, J S Poulton, E K Alexander, L Wright

Bottom (Left to Right): J L Pretlove, A J Sandys, M Sharman, G B Brady

Mark Sharman

2007-03-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Mark Sharman, the seventh pastor. Minister 1976-1981. Mark was a local man who had connections with the church prior to commencing studies at Trinity College, Bristol. He later returned as pastor for a five year stint. He subsequently moved to the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne area where he is currently pastor of an FIEC church.

Tony Sandys

2007-03-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

Anthony Sandys, the sixth pastor. Minister 1971-1975.

Tony studied at London Bible College and Childs Hill was his first charge. After various moves Tony and Joy ended up in Wales, in Cwmtwrch, where Tony was part of the eldership team in a local church. He went to be with the Lord early in 2007.

John Pretlove

2007-03-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

John Pretlove, the fifth pastor. Minister 1963-1970.

A graduate of Spurgeon's College, Dr Pretlove, as he has since become, went on to work in Sheffield and then in the United States where he still resides.

Chapel Fifties

2007-03-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

This shot is from some time in the later fifties and early sixties after the post-war remodelling at the front but before the removal of the railings.

The Chapel 1927

2007-03-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is how the Chapel looked in 1927. The railings were subsequently removed and war damage necessitated the remodelling of the rose window into its present form to save expense.

Maps Alexander

2007-03-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

Snippet 10 E K Alexander

2007-03-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Like his predecessors the church’s third pastor put in a long innings from 1928 until 1953. Like the present pastor, Rev Ernest Kennard Alexander was originally from the Newport area of Monmouthshire/Gwent in South Wales. Evidently his 'Nuwpaught' accent stayed with him all his life. Mr Alexander had worked with his father as a dock contractor, but in 1911 he felt called to the mission field and began to study at Harley College. At the outbreak of war the college closed and Mr Alexander went to Scotland to do welfare work. He opened a YMCA at Methil in Fife and worked on Inchkeith, an island from which the army guarded the Forth Bridge.

In 1915 he sailed for the Belgian Congo to help in the work of the RBMU (Regions Beyond Missionary Union). In 1919 he was married to a Miss F Clare also from Newport and a trained nurse. Sadly the conditions were not favourable to the family’s health and following the death of their baby and the sickness of their young son they were forced to return in 1925. After working for two-years in Highams Park Baptist Church, North East London, the Alexanders came to Childs Hill. Here they remained. The Congo was not forgotten, however, and their interest in overseas needs was communicated to the church and an enthusiasm for missionary work was kindled that has continued down the years.

Snippet 9 Rejection

2007-03-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we can have too rosy a picture of what bygone days were like. In 1925 a film depicting the life of the missionary and explorer David Livingstone was put on general release. At a meeting of the of the church in Childs Hill, “It being deemed desirable that it should be seen by as many people as possible,” it was proposed that enquiries to the managers of both local cinemas asking for the film to be shown. At a church meeting the following month Mr Poulton read a letter from the manageress of the Queen’s Hall Cinema stating that they “could not undertake to exhibit, owing to the poor response to such films by the public”.
Even at a time when church attendance was very good (some 22 members were added to the congregation here on one evening just before this reference) there was a marked lack of interest in the gospel, so that the story of David Livingstone could not begin to compete with the likes of Rudolph Valentino. And so it generally has been down the ages. Men naturally hate God and turn from what is good.

Hal Erickson in the 'All Movie Guide' writes 'Those familiar with 20th Century-Fox's historical biopic Stanley and Livingstone might find the British silent Livingstone interesting. In the Fox film, the emphasis is on H M Stanley, the intrepid newspaperman who trekked into Darkest Africa in the mid-19th Century to prove that renowned Scottish explorer David Livingstone was still alive. This 1925 film concentrates on the life and work of Livingstone, played by Douglas Pierce as a boy, and M A Wetherell as an adult. Produced on a massive scale and released at 10 reels, Livingstone was truly a "special" so far as the relatively uninspired British silent film industry was concerned. The film was reissued in 1933 with a new title and musical soundtrack.

Snippet 8 Indenture

2007-03-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

In the original indenture that outlines the lease and trustees of our present building certain interesting points are made concerning the nature of the congregation worshipping here. Amongst the legal jargon we find words such as these - The promises are to be employed ...

“For the use and benefit of a congregation of Protestant Dissenters attending (and to attend from time to time during the said term) the worship of God at the said chapel, maintaining the sole authority of the Holy Scriptures in every matter of faith and practice and that interpretation of the Holy Scriptures which is usually reputed Evangelical in contradistinction from the teaching of Unitarianism and the Church of Rome”.
Ministers of the church and those who ‘officiate’ must maintain: “The aforesaid interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and administer the rite of baptism by immersion only to those who profess their own faith in the Lord Jesus”.
Here we have something to thank God for. The same teachings that were preached and believed then are preached and believed here now. Sadly, in many Baptist churches that has not been the case. Despite an excellent beginning and. foundation the truths of historic Christianity have ceased to be preached and men and women have perished from a famine of the Word of God.
Let’s thank the Lord for our godly heritage and pray for grace to continue to maintain the evangelical faith in our own day.

C H Spurgeon

2007-03-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

Having mentioned C H Spurgeon (1834-1892) once or twice, it would be good to note here that a fine website in his honour can be found here. The wikipedia page is worth checking. Spurgeon preached in Childs Hill on just one occasion as far as we know. I must check the exact date.

The Pastors College

2007-03-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

At the official site for the present Spurgeon's College here we read of the history of the college.

It remains a mark of a remarkable man that the College that bears his name was founded by Charles Haddon Spurgeon when he was just 22 years of age. His vision was to train others to share in the task of bringing the ‘Good News’ to a needy world. His maxim ‘from the heart of London into all the world’ resulted in his students going to every continent to preach the gospel.
The original name for the college was ‘The Pastor's College’ and Spurgeon took an active part in its life right up to his death in 1892. Every Friday afternoon he would lecture his students and subsequently these lectures were published. He was President of the College and was called upon to give an annual report. In one such report he wrote, ‘I would far sooner do the work than talk about it.’ For the first 15 years of the College's existence it was financed largely from Spurgeon's own resources and was indeed his own.
Later the apostrophe was moved when others took a greater share in its government and financing, and it became ‘The Pastors' College’. For many years the College was housed within the Metropolitan Tabernacle at the Elephant and Castle in London.
There was no residential accommodation and when the present College building was made available in 1923 it allowed students to live on site. At this point the name was changed again, now it would simply be known as ‘Spurgeon's College’.
Many stories could be told of former students, of Sylvester Whitehouse who was martyred in China in 1900; of W Y Fullerton who wrote the hymn that remains a favourite today, ‘I cannot tell why he whom angels worship’.
One story dates from 1860, just four years after the College was founded. A former student, Mark Noble, went out to the prairie lands of Nebraska, USA, farmed a small holding and rode around the country contacting settlers until he gathered a church which remains to this day. By 1956, one hundred years after it was founded, a total of 465 students had gone overseas.

Snippet 7 Poulton Call

2007-03-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

The year 1882 must have been a momentous one in the life of young J Sylvester Poulton - not only did he marry that year but, more importantly, he finally decided definitely to begin training for the pastoral ministry. In February he led an evangelistic meeting here in Childs Hill. By August he had given up his career - and was ready to commence studying at C H Spurgeon’s famous ‘Pastors College’. By this time Spurgeon was at the height of his popularity and was the president of the college. Mr Poulton is quoted as saying that Spurgeon’s personality ‘Has left a lasting impression for good upon my life’.
Following his college course Mr Poulton’s first pastorate was in Winslow, Buckinghamshire. He was there for five years. He was then called to Cote, near Aston, in Oxfordshire. There he had charge of some six chapels - aided by as many as 27 local preachers. The work involved a great deal of travel (on horse back) but Mr Poulton loved the work. ‘I had the privilege of preaching regularly seven times a week to the same congregations’ he writes. ‘So happy and useful did my ministry at Coate seem that I did not think any church would have drawn me away but Childs Hill.’
Mr Poulton had preached in Childs Hill several times since his first visit in 1832. When Mr Rickard retired in 1894 it is not surprising that, with their old pastor’s prompting, the congregation asked Mr Poulton to be their pastor. Mr Rickard preached his farewell sermon on September 23rd. No time was lost in calling his successor and by December 9th of that same year Mr Poulton had commenced his 35 years of ministry in this area.

Evangelists Association

2007-03-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

This is a report from Spurgeon's magazine the Sword and Trowel, the year before Mr Poulton came to Childs Hill.

On Friday evening, Sept. 23, the annual meeting of THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE EVANGELISTS’ASSOCIATION Was held in the Lecture-had, under the presidency of Pastor C H Spurgeon. There was a large and enthusiastic muster of the workers and friends of the Association, and the proceedings throughout were of the most encouraging description. We beg our readers to observe the vast amount of work done by this Society. Mr Elvin presented the report, from which we learn that, during the year, the following services have been held: On Sundays, at the stations belonging to the Association, 603; at other mission stations, 728; in the open-air, 131; in connection with special services, 63; children’s services and supplies, 376; on week-nights, in various chapels and halls, 1,508; in the open-air, 76; or a total of 3,485 meetings at which the gospel has been preached in some part of London. As the evangleists usually adopt the Scriptural plan of going two by two, the number of addresses given is still larger, amounting to no less than 4,948. To accomplish this work 124 brethren and sisters have been more or less occupied as opportunities presented themselves. The cost of carrying on this effort has been exactly £200, a very small sum when we think how much has been accomplished by this agency towards the actual evangelization of this vast city. The addresses actually cost under 10d. each. We have been glad to meet rather more than half the expenses by sums left to our discretion, the churches visited have contributed £53 1s 6d, donations from various friends, collections, tea meetings, etc, have realized about £43, leaving a balance of £2 10s 0d in hand with which to commence the work of another year. As fresh openings are constantly occurring, it is necessary that the funds should increase in like proportion, and the Society will also be glad of more voluntary preachers of the right sort. The honorary secretary is Mr G E Elvin, 30, Surrey-square, Walworth, SE.

Snippet 6 Mr Poulton

2007-03-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

The second pastor at Childs Hill, following Mr Rickard’s retirement in 1894, was a man by the name of J Sylvester Poulton. Mr Poulton was born in Dalston, London, in 1861. His father was the principal of a private schoo1 - but he died when his son was only 10. No doubt that caused the boy to give some serious thought to life, but it was eventually the splendid singing of a large Baptist Mission that attracted him to the gospel. He began attending regularly when he was 15 and dated his conversion to a particular service two years later when he was 17.
It seems that from that moment he throw himself into the work of preaching the gospel with great enthusiasm. He preached in various lodging houses, work houses and mission halls, as well as engaging in open-air work.
At the ago of 19 he became a member of Vernon Baptist Chapel, Kings Cross. There he was very much influenced by the preaching of the minister, Rev C B Sawday. At the time one of London’s leading Baptist Churches met in the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Elephant and Castle. The Tabernacle had been built in 1860 to house the vast congregations that flocked to hear the Rev C H Spurgeon. Several helpful agencies were commenced by Spurgeon, including and Evangelists Association, which Mr Poulton joined. It was in connection with this association that Mr Poulton first came to Childs Hill, in February 1882, to lead a series of special evangelistic meetings. Little did those who heard him that week realise that he would later be pastor of the church for more than 30 years.

The Outlook 1940 B

2007-03-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Minister's letter, etc. Double click to read. Mr & Mrs Alexander had been missionaries in the Congo before coming to Childs Hill.

The Outlook 1940 A

2007-03-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

Here we see the first and the last two panels of the church's Outlook Newsletter for july 1940. the other three panels to follow.

Cote

2007-03-09T04:57:00.000-08:00

J Sylvester Poulton's second pastorate (1889-1894) was at the Baptist church in Cote, near Aston in Oxfordshire. That church goes back to Wycliffe's Poore Preachers who taught at Longworth across the River Thames in the late 15th Century. The first 'meeting house' is recorded in 1604 and the first minister of the Longworth/Cote meeting was appointed 1652. The first chapel at Cote was built 1704, the present one (no longer in regular use) in 1756. It is one of the oldest in the country and is under the ownership of The Historic Chapels Trust. See here.

Winslow

2007-03-09T04:43:00.000-08:00

J Sylvester Poulton's first pastorate was at Winslow in Buckinghamshire

where he served 1885-1889. See here for the history of that work.

Snippet 5 Mr Rickard dies

2007-03-09T01:28:00.000-08:00

William Rickard was pastor of the church from its beginnings in the 1860s until he preached his last sermon here in 1894. For more than a quarter of a century he was a stalwart of the faith, tireless and dedicated in all the work. Sadly, he died not very long after leaving Childs Hill. In the church minutes we read the following account.

“The last three or four years of his life were spent in much suffering. In March 1893 he had to go into hospital and underwent a serious operation. After six months leave of absence from the church he seemed to have recovered, and resumed his loved work; but his recovery was only for a short time, for increasing weakness at length necessitated his resigning the pastorate, and on Sunday September 23rd 1894 he preached his farewell sermon from Acts 20:26, 27: ‘Therefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God’, and 2 Corinthians 13:11: Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind. Live in peace and the God of peace will be with you’. The chapel on that occasion was crowded almost to suffocation, many having to go away not being able to find even standing room in the porch or on the staircases.
“Less than a month from his retirement he was taken ill and lingered in much bodily suffering until called to higher service on January 21st 1896. The funeral took place on the Saturday following when nearly the whole of the village seemed to go into mourning. The coffin was borne in and out of the chapel and to the grave by members of the Fire Brigade. Hundreds attended the Marylebone Cemetery (notwithstanding the rain) to show their love and respect to one who had for so many years been their friend, and who had loved and served them to his utmost.
“Thus closed upon earth the life of one who was faithful to his God. May we who serve the same Lord and Master be equally as faithful. ‘Blessed are the dead which die I the Lord from henceforth. Yes, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them.’

Leslie Wright

2007-03-09T01:15:00.000-08:00

The late Leslie Wright, the fourth pastor. Minister 1954-1961.

E K Alexander

2007-03-09T01:02:00.000-08:00

E K Alexander, the third pastor. Minister 1928-1954.

Map 2

2007-03-09T00:51:00.000-08:00

Early map of Childs Hill including the present chapel.

Double click to enlarge.

The buildings

2007-03-09T00:32:00.000-08:00

People make a church not bricks and mortar. However, we are thankful to God, for the buildings he has provided. Some of the changes over the years are listed below.

1867 Mission Hall built in Granville Road.
1870 Hall replaced by the present chapel. It cost £2,500.
1873 The Granville Hall built next door. It cost £600.
1885 First organ installed (replaced in 1908 by one that remainsbut is defunct).
1890 An extra room (now unused) built between the chapel and hall to form a triangle of buildings.
1920 Electricity first installed.
1925 Another room built above that linking the chapel and hall (now residential).
1970s While the chapel was out of action the church met for several years in the Granville Hall.

1980 Wooden pews in the chapel replaced by chairs.

Snippet 4 William Rickard

2007-03-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

On October 13th 1890 Rev William Rickard had been the minister in Childs Hill some 25 years. On this occasion the members presented him with the following interesting letter

“Dear Sir,
“As we review your quarter of a century of loving service in this part of the Master’s Vineyard, our hearts are full of gratitude to our heavenly Father for inspiring you with such untiring devotion - you have preached the word with great clearness, faithfulness and force, and your ministry has been constantly marked. with the fervent aim of arousing the conscience and driving the sinner from all false hopes to Christ, and. of leading the saints to a closer walk with God.
“And while this part of pastoral work has been nobly done, you have never neglected to visit us in our homes, being to us at all times a counsellor, comforter and friend.
“We are not forgetful also that this service has been rendered oftentimes by you in the midst of great weakness and suffering, and as we think of this our hearts are touched with deepest sympathy towards you in your present weakness and our prayer is that God may grant you renewed strength for future work.
“We recognise gratefully, too, the blessing you have proved to Childs Hill for you have not only been the principal instrument in founding the Baptist cause here 25 years ago, but you have undertaken the burden of establishing and finding the funds to carry on the day school where many hundreds of children have been educated. You have started and carried on very successfully for over 20 years the Provident Clubs for men and women which have encouraged thrift and afforded help to hundreds of families in times of sorrow and need.
“As a token of respect for you and appreciation of your work, we desire on behalf of the subscribers to present you with this address and a cheque for £210.
“We are, dear sir, yours faithfully,
“B A Lyon (Treasurer of fund), Richard Keevil, James Cox, E L R Miller, John Gilland, George Clark, Thomas Roberts (Deacons)”

J Sylvester Poulton

2007-03-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

J(ames) Sylvester Poulton, second pastor. Minister 1894-1929. Died March 30th, 1942.

Cricklewood Childhood 3

2007-03-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

This is the final part of the Wardley article from the same source as the previous two. Nothing about the chapel as such.[Pic: The Avenue Cricklewod Lane]

When Mother was a girl she said she seldom had meat to eat. We had it once week - a glorious sirloin of beef, hot on Saturday, cold on Sunday, made into shepherd's pie on Monday. For Sunday breakfast we had Dad's home made sausages, the most delicious things you can imagine.
Grandfather was a preacher in the 7th London Circuit of the United Methodist Free Churches. We have a photo of him with 28 other worthies. His heart was in his preaching and not in business, and he liked nothing better than travelling on horseback to preach.
When he died in 1899 he left Father with debts. The folk in the large houses thought nothing of running up large bills, and not paying them. Costers in the cottages were cute, sending their children to buy one ha'porth of pickle in paper or a ha'porth of jam, and the scales in those days did not balance but must go down.
I remember when Princess Christiana (of Schleswig Holstein, sister of the Princess of Wales, who was later Queen Alexandra) came to open the newly built Institute (June 30, 1896). Dad made an archway of greenery from Granville House to our Corn Shop (what was the Men's Institute in Cricklewood Lane is now Childs Hill Library).
I remember going in the wagonette to take Grandma and Grandpa to the Wesleyan Church opposite Willoughby Road. We went along the Finchley Road, up Frognal and through to Church Row, where we had to pay at a tollgate. We walked over the West Heath three times on a Sunday to go to Heath Street Baptist Church and Sunday School. As we walked up from The Castle to the top of the Sandy Gallop the fields belonging to Mr Rickett of Sunnyfield were on our left. (Mr RIckett was a JP and a benefactor of the churhc in the early days). The Hermitage (pulled down in 1974) was on our right, followed by the horses' drinking trough (very much needed, specially on the nights before Bank Holidays when the fair people with their caravans and swings and roundabouts moved slowly up the hill) and Telegraph Hill on which was Miss Schroeder's cottage. My eldest sister had an allotment on the top of that hill, where the artist Sir Frank Salisbury later built Sarum Chase.
Grandpa died in 1899, aged 80, and Grandma in 1904, aged 92. Our family consisted then of Gordon 3, Winifred 5, Bernard 9, (darling twins had died in between), Alfred 12. I was 15, Alice 17, Grace 20. Winifred remembers walking with Gordon down Cricklewood Lane to a private school in Elm Grove called Sparkbrook College. A sweet shop opposite The Tavern sold "wiggy waggy toffee" at 8 oz a penny. You could get a good-sized bag of the black wafery stuff for a farthing. Further down, on the left, was the Home of Rest for Horses.
In 1908 the trams came down to Cricklewood, and Granville House was pulled down to widen the Lane into a road. Trams with open wooden-lath seats and open tops ran down the Lane. Later they went all the way to Barnet. Horse buses went along Finchley Road from The Castle, all the way to Oxford Street for 4d. In 1974 the shops opposite Granville House were pulled down. Our house and garden at Ridge Road is now part of the site of two rows of maisonettes with a road in between. Our house and long garden next to the Hermitage, where we lived after Ridge Road, is now the site of a large block of greyish Council buildings. But I still see things as they were.

Cricklewood Childhood 2

2007-03-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

Cricklewood Childhood 1

2007-03-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

In a newsletter originally produced in 1979 and available here the Misses Wardley (Ethel speaking, Winifred writing then adding her won recollections) came up with this piece. Part 1:

I was born in 1888 at 2 Cricklewood Lane, opposite the Castle Inn, Childs Hill. When I was 4 years old Father and Mother and my two sisters Alice and Grace moved down the steep hill a little way. Grandfather, a cheesemonger, had come there in 1860 from Kensal Green to live in Granville House, an imposing building (next to the chapel) with two shops below and two storeys of living rooms above, as well as cellars and stables. He and Grandmother, who came from the North and had been a cook had a family of 4 girls and a boy (our Father).
Grandfather built five little shops opposite, with one-storey living rooms and stables and mews behind, in about 1877, intended as businesses for his 5 children. These were Nos. 1-5 Ridge Terrace. We went to live over No. 1, which was a Corn Shop, called Wardley's Granary. No. 2 was Ironmongery and No. 3 Drapery, with Miss Button managing it. Grandfather, Grandmother and three aunts lived at Granville House and the shop below was Wardley's Stores, selling grocery, meat, bread and cooked meat pies, etc which Grandmother made. At the side of Granville House was a lane called The Mead (now called Granville Road and more recnetly Mortimer Close) but then Granville Road ran through fields up to the Finchley Road.
In 1877 the Baptist Church had been opened in The Mead and nurseries and laundries were there. There must have been wells and ponds behind. The laundries served the large houses on the Heath and along Finchley Road as far as Oxford Street. I remember the excitement when tents were put up in the fields opposite the Baptist Chapel for a Sankey & Moody Mission in the 1890s, at which I signed the Pledge. Beside the church there was a soup kitchen and Grandfather gave bones, peas, etc, for soup.
Beside Granville House in Cricklewood Lane was the Red Lion Inn and a row of cottages with long gardens in front. Clark's candle factory was nearby.
Opposite the Red Lion was All Saints Church and the National School with Mr and Mrs Harvey as the Heads. For two or three years before I was born Mother and Father had lived with them at Garfield House, No. 5 The Ridge, with a long garden and a gate at the bottom opening onto Church Walk and a quick approach to the school.

Snippet 3 Early Days

2007-03-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

In the 1860s Heath St Baptist Church, Hampstead, had a very lively “Home Mission” group. On 4th September, 1865 a Mr William Rickard came to spearhead this mission work. J Sylvester Poulton (the second pastor at Childs hill Baptist Church) records

“Mr Rickard had only engaged in evangelistic work on Hampstead Heath for a few weeks, when, coming over to Childs Hill one day he found a large contingent of labouring men working in connection with the construction of the new Midland Railway, in addition to the usual inhabitants. He saw at once that here was a unique opportunity for working for his Lord and Master, and so, with the cordial consent and the prayers of the Heath St Church, Mr Rickard began open-air meetings where the chapel now stands. And in October of the same year, he began house to house visitation.”

Apparently at this time Childs hill was notorious for drunkenness, cock-fighting and everything that was bad. It was still really a village and Granville Road (or ‘The Old Mead’ as it was then) was often so muddy that tradesmen would have to leave their carts in Cricklewood Lane (or Child Hill Lane as it was then) and walk down to the laundries and houses to deliver their goods.
On 8th April, 1866 twelve people met in a small upper room at the “Model Laundry” in Granville Road for a Sunday evening service. On 20th May the Sunday School started, with 16 children meeting in Mr Elphick’s Laundry, again in Granville Road. This proved very successful and within two years some 145 children attended.
Throughout these early days the main workers were members of Heath Street but slowly people from Childs Hill itself began to become more involved until the actual formation of the church in 1877.

Constable Painting

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The famous artist John Constable lived in the Hampstead area near Childs Hill. This painting depicts Childs Hill as it may have been then with Harrow in the distance. The painting was sold at Sotheby's in 1989 and appears to be in private hands.

Architect's Drawing

2007-03-08T07:36:00.000-08:00

This is how the chapel was originally envisioned. It was built with a rose window. When that was damaged in World War 2 it was reworked, giving it its present appearance.

Pastors List

2007-03-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

Between founding pastor William Rickard (pastor, 1865-1894) and the present pastor, who came in 1983, some six different pastors have served the church. Their names and the years they served are as below.

J Sylvester Poulton
1894-1929

E K Alexander
1929-1954

Leslie Wright
1954-1961

John Pretlove
1963-1970

Anthony Sandys
1971-1975

Mark Sharman
1976-1981

Snippet 2 Beginnings

2007-03-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

The Rev William Rickard was the first pastor of Childs Hill Baptist Church. In the minute books we find some details about his life and work. In 1865 he came to Hampstead to work as an assistant with Heath Street Chapel. He had spent the previous three years as a pastor in Huntonbridge (near King's Langley, Hertfordshire).

At Heath Street he was particularly concerned with outreach.

The minutes state that

“whilst so engaged he visited this neighbourhood and was greatly impressed with
the neglected condition of the village (as Childs Hill then was). This ultimately led to his withdrawal from the work at Hampstead and to his devoting his whole time to Childs Hill, the work being supported by the late Mr James Harvey of Hampstead.”

Once started, the work evidently grew quite rapidly. A room was hired for Sunday services in October 1865. In 1866 Sunday School work began and soon there was a mission hall. In 1870 the present chapel building was erected, the church being constituted seven years later. Mr Rickard appears to have been a tireless worker, not only as a pastor and Sunday School teacher, but also with overseas mission, temperance work, and in the day school that was established early in the church’s history. He was, also active in the community with provident clubs, and in the formation of the local fire brigade. The minutes give us a picture of a godly pastor any minister would do well to emulate, and who any church should be grateful to God to have amongst them:

“He was a man who felt very deeply his responsibility and for many years it was his custom to schedule himself for an hour every day, in his vestry, to plead with God specially on behalf of the neighbourhood. He was a powerful evangelistic preacher and hundreds were converted under his ministry. His one great object in life was to preach Christ and he lost no opportunity of doing so. In season and. out of season he was ever pleading with sinners to trust their Saviour.”

Mrs Rickard

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Mrs Mary S Rickard, wife of the first pastor. She was born in Madron, Cornwall around 1837. The Rickards had three children (William, born in 1864, Marion, born in 1866 and Emily, born in 1868). The family lived in Ridge Road.

William Rickard

2007-03-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

William Thomas Rickard was both the founder and the first pastor of the church. Born in Pennycross, near Plymouth in Devon, around 1837, he had come first to Hampstead and then Childs Hill in the 1860s.

Map 1

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A map of Childs Hill can be found here. It predates the chapel, which is round the corner from the place marked Red Lion on the map. The Red Lion has been replaced by flats.

Background Material

2007-03-08T06:34:00.000-08:00

The following info is found here on a Barnet local government site

The settlement at Childs Hill is certainly medieval, possibly the 10th century settlement Codenhleawe and later called "Cowhouse". Although a John Knot de Childes Hill is associated with the Peasants' Revolt (1381), the earliest known use of the place name Child's Hill is in 1593. The name is probably taken from a family called Child in the 14th century. The Castle Inn was first recorded in 1751, when Child's Hill was a centre for brick and tile making during the second half of the 18th century, supplying material for building Hampstead, and run by the Morris family.
Being more than 259 feet above sea level (at the Castle Inn), Child's Hill is visible for miles around. From 1808 to 1847 there was anoptical telegraph station, one in a line from the Admiralty to Great Yarmouth. Only the name, Telegraph Hill, remains.
An Act of Parliament in 1826 allowed for the construction of the Finchley Road (completed by 1829) with a tollgate at the Castle Inn. In the early 1850s a Colonel Evans built houses in a field called The Mead, where the Morris brick works had been. The road was later called Granville Road.* In 1856 a new church, All Saints', was built. In 1940 the church was so badly damaged by fire that it had to be substantially rebuilt in 1952.
By the 1870s a number of laundries Childs Hill cleaned clothes for people in the new suburbs of West London and Hampstead. Clothes washed in London were thought to be susceptible to waterborne disease, such as cholera and typhoid, and Childs Hill, then still in the countryside, was supplied by a series of small streams coming off Hampstead Heath. In 1884 the Pyramid Light Works, a candle factory, was the first factory in the Hendon area. Victorian Childs Hill was a "very low" place, with cock-fighting, drunkenness, vice, and housing in Child's Hill in the 1903 was described as a "disgrace to civilisation" and in 1914 Hendon Urban District Council built its first council estate, with 50 houses.
With the motorbuses (1906), the tube at Golders Green tube station (1907), the trams (1909), and finally The Hendon Way (1927) farmland succumbed to suburbia. For entertainment Childs Hill had The Regal in the Finchley Road (1929), which was first a skating rink then a cinema then a bowling alley. In the early 1960s many of the small Victorian houses in the Mead and around the Castle Inn were demolished.

* The chapel is here (now in Mortimer Close). It was built in 1870.

Summary

2007-03-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

Our current church website includes the following info

Beginnings
Childs Hill was once a quiet Middlesex village full of laundries (Constable painted it when he was living in nearby Hampstead). Things began to change in the 1850s after the railway came to Cricklewood. As Childs Hill and the surrounding area began to grow it also became pretty "rough".
One day, in 1863, Cornishman William Rickard wandered over to the village from Hampstead, where he was assisting the minister of the Baptist Church in Heath Street. Seeing the great need he was soon, under God, able to begin regular meetings in one of the local laundries.
The present building was erected in 1870. The Granville Hall next door was added shortly after to accommodate a day school.

Early Days
In 1877 the first members covenanted together to form a local Baptist church, most having been in membership at Heath Street until this time. The church was founded on a decidedly Evangelical and Protestant basis. The great C H Spurgeon preached here on at least one occasion - as did students from his Pastors College. Mr Rickard was a pillar of the community and a faithful pastor until 1893, when he retired from the pastorate with ill health
He was followed by J Sylvester Poulton, a graduate of the Pastors College and an admirer of Spurgeon. He was here for 35 years and during his time the congregation seems to have continued to grow. Although there do not seem to have been any obvious concessions to liberalism there seems to have been some drift from preaching the good old fashioned gospel of Mr Rickard's time.

Between the Wars
From 1929 until 1954 the minister was E K Alexander. A native of Monmouthshire (now Gwent) in South Wales, Mr Alexander and his family had been missionaries in the Congo (now Zaïre) for 10 years but had been forced to return home due to ill health
During his time there was a slow but steady decline in numbers - as was the case in most churches in England at the time. There was also an increasing pre-occupation with the social side of church life rather than the gospel itself.

Since the 1950s
Since 1954 there have been five pastors (including the present one): all young men, fresh from college, evangelical in their convictions and preaching. Four of these served between 4 and 7 years. The present minister came in 1983.
Over these nearly 50 years the church has increasingly moved to a separatist position (we left the Baptist Union in 1984) and, though not uniformly, to a Reformed Baptist position as held by Spurgeon and others before and after him.
Though still small in numbers, things are presently more encouraging than they have been for a long time and we look to the Lord for increased blessing in the years to come.

Recent Events
The present pastor is Gary Brady who came to the church in 1983 after studying nearby in Finchley at the London Theological Seminary. He originally came from Cwmbran in South Wales. Before studying for the ministry he obtained an English Literature degree from the University of Wales in Aberystwyth. He later trained as a teacher in Cardiff University. In 2006, he obtained a Westminster Theological Seminary ThM through the John Owen Centre, Finchley.
He was married in 1988 to Eleri, from Aberystwyth. They have five sons. One is married and a university student, three are in local schools, and one is at the London Welsh School. Eleri and the boys are bilingual.
Gary is chairman of the Evangelical Library and serves as a trustee of the Grace Magazine Trust. He is also on the board of the London Theological Seminary. He has written two commentaries in the Welwyn Commentary Series on Proverbs and Song of Songs and a book on What the Bible says about being born again.
In July 2001, we were pleased to appoint our first assistant pastor, Robin Asgher. Robin is from Pakistan and studied at LTS. He has now moved on to a church planting work in Cranford, West London.
From August 2002-September 2003 our assistant pastor was Mark Raines. Mark was also previously at LTS and is now an assistant pastor in the USA.
From September 2006-July 2007 our assistant pastor was Ian Middlemist. Ian is yet another LTS man. Before that he spent two years with Birmingham City Mission. He is now a pastor in Haverford West in Wales.

Since this period it has not been possibel to employ assistants but we do mentor stuents from the LTS on a regualr basis.

Snippet 1 Covenant

2007-03-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

On June 12th 1877 Childs Hill Baptist Church met officially for the first time. The minister’s name was William Rickard and this is a copy of the covenant into which those first members entered as a church:

“We who are here present, having been brought by the providence of God to
worship together in Child’s Hill chapel, and being agreed as to the propriety of
becoming more closely associated. in the fellowship of the Gospel do hereby join
ourselves together, with the pledge of our reciprocal esteem and confidence, and
in devout dependence upon the blessing of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Ghost.
“And thus by our voluntary act, constituted into a church of Jesus
Christ: we will, from this time forth, endeavour to bear one another’s burdens,
and to rejoice in one another’s welfare. We will seek to walk in the ordinances
and commandments of the Lord; we will welcome to our fellowship brethren,
whether dismissed from other churches, or giving satisfactory evidence of
conversion to God. We will administer discipline if, unhappily, it should be
needed, as far as possible in the Spirit, and according to the directions of the
New Testament and, finally, we will watch and pray on the common behalf, that,
as a church, we may be like a light shining in a dark place; and as individuals:
the faithful and persevering followers of our Lord Jesus Christ unto everlasting
life.”

This is a founding covenant for which any church should be justly thankful. It would repay Christians in the present day to study the terms of the covenant and seek to live up to its demands. Not, of course, because we place traditions above Scripture, but because this particular covenant so accurately reflects much of what God’s Word expects of true churches.