Our History 1: 1825 - 1925
Historical Notes and Brief Excerpts from the Records.
About the end of the 18th Century, Attleborough Baptists worshipped at the Baptist Churches at Gt. Ellingham and Kenninghall. In the year 1819, they began to meet on Sunday evenings for prayer in the home of one of their number, Mr. James Dawes, Watch and Clock Maker, of this Town. Owing to the increasing number at these meetings, to quote the records: "We established the preaching of the Gospel in a barn 20 feet long by 10 feet wide." Services were conducted by deacons and ministers of neighbouring Baptist Churches every Sunday, " except Lord's Supper days," when the members repaired to the Church at Kenninghall.
The Church was formed on August 25th, 1825. Pastor Jonas Smith, of Carlton Rode Baptist Church, baptised two believers in the pond on Gt. Ellingham Road (now called Chapel Road). This brought the number of Attleborough baptised believers to seven; and the other five having obtained their dismission from Kenninghall, they were united into a Church.
It is of interest to observe that of this little band, the deacon was the notable Theophilus Smith, who achieved local distinction by obtaining an interview with Queen Victoria and was subsequently honoured by being made the recipient of a Bible by the Prince Consort. Many years after, a son of Mr Smith raised considerable money for Foreign Missions by charging people 6d. each for the privilege of seeing this Bible.
For several years the Church in the barn continued to function with the help of local preachers from the Baptist Churches of Diss, Shelfanger, Kenninghall, and Carlton Rode. However, an epoch was marked by the advent of Joseph Green, a young local preacher from Diss, who in the year 1831 began to visit the Baptist Congregations of Old Buckenham and Attleborough. Such blessing attended his witness at the former village, that Mr. William Norton, a wealthy resident, built for him the Baptist Chapel, which now stands on the Green.
At this time Mr Green received two calls to give himself to the work of the regular ministry. One was at a stipend of £80 per annum and a manse, the other was from the Attleborough Church, which promised to attempt to raise an income for him of £25 per annum. The young preacher accepted the Attleborough call, stating that he was sure that God had designed him to preach the Gospel in Attleborough.
The barn had now become too small to accommodate the people who flocked to Mr Green's ministry, and the Records relate that just at the opportune time "However, the Lord opened the heart of Mr. Norton to build Him a house." That explains the existence of the present Baptist Chapel.
The Rev. Joseph Green was ordained the first pastor of the Church, the service being conducted by the Rev. Dr. Brock, Pastor Hatcher, of Gt. Ellingham, and the Rev. Cornelius Elvin, of Bury St Edmund's, who delivered a sermon of two hours' duration.
The first pastor exercised a brief and brilliant ministry of three years before his gifts brought him into a more extensive ministry. In the Attleborough Church, he baptised in this short time 36 men and 3I women, who had responded to the appeal of his preaching.
He was succeeded by the Rev. William Brown, who appears to have been greatly beloved, and he continued to labour as pastor for 38 years. During this period the Church and Sunday School attained their greatest strength. Mr Brown baptised upwards of 200 converts, and the School had over 200 children.
The following are the names of subsequent pastors, whose ministries the Church has enjoyed: Revs. E.Mason, Thos.Turner, J.H. Moore, E.J.Burrows, J.Wilkins, S.Wing, A.McHattie, H.J.Martin, J. Read.
Under the present pastor, the Church has been blessed with many tokens of Divine favour, and the congregation is celebrating its Centenary by raising £150 to complete the renovation of the chapel and school buildings.