Blackley Particular Baptist Church

Blackley Particular Baptist Church stands on Blackley Road, Elland.

• The First Church [1789]

• The Second Church [1878]

The First Church [1789]

This was built in 1789 by James Cartledge from Salendine Nook Baptist Church.

It accommodated around 270 worshippers.

Cartledge preached at the Church until Rev John Hindle arrived.

It is thought that a natural nearby stream – now gone – was used to perform baptisms.

Pastors at the Church have included Rev John Hindle [1791-1793] who left in 1793 owing to his irascible temper The Church was then without a pastor for 3 years Rev John Rowlands [1796-1798] who left in March 1798 after some difficulties in which the Church threatened to become a wreck and moved to Pershill Rev John Rigby [1798-1839] who decided to reform the Church, which had been described as a Cave of Adullam and dissolved the old order and established a new covenant subscribed by about 20 members. After his resignation, there was an interregnum of 3 years before the arrival of Rev Joseph Hirst [1842-1870] William Bottomley acted as a lay pastor [1870-1874] Rev Samuel Mann [1872] Rev Roger Briggs [1874-1910]

The Second Church [1878]

A new Church was built in 1878 to seat around 1600 people. The total cost was £7,000. [Some sources say £5,500].

Rev Roger Briggs was largely instrumental in building the new Church, the schoolrooms and the Minister's House.

The Church opened on 3rd September 1879. There was a debt of £2,900.

The debt was finally cleared – by selling £1 shares – in 1910, the year that Rev Roger Briggs left.

The earlier Church of 1789 subsequently became the caretaker's house for the later Church.

There are box pews on the ground floor.

In February 1895, an organ was installed at a cost of £500. On 26th February 1895, William Henry Garland gave recital to inaugurate the new organ.

The baptistry was build in the basement because of structural concerns.

Pastors at the Church have included Rev Roger Briggs [1874-1910] Rev F. W. Tinsley Such [1911-1917] Rev T. P. Skillings [1918-1920] Rev A. G. Haste [1921-1927] Rev Ronald A. Hardy [1928-1944] Rev L. J. Moon [1945-1959] Rev Roy Turvey [1960-1966] Rev David Pountain [1967-1977] Rev Alan Mair [1978-1987] Rev Nigel Howarth [1989-1996] Rev David Mackay [1997-2000] Rev Steve Harvie

This page used information from the booklet Blackley Baptist Church: A Short Historical Sketch with kind permission of Rev Steve Harvie

See Godfrey Beaumont, Blackley Baptist Church: Deacons, Blackley Baptist Church: Graveyard, Blackley Baptist School, Blackley Centre, Blackley Baptist War Memorials and Charles Pearson

Page Ref: WW_36

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