Chronological History of Goodmayes Baptist Church, including background of World Events:
18/02/1901 – Goodmayes Railway Station on the Great Eastern Railway main line from Liverpool Street to Norwich is opened. Developer Mr A. C. Corbett uses the new station to promote development of the suburb.
1907 – Mr BJ Jones writes to ‘The denominational newspaper’ to call attention to the rapid development of Ilford.
1911 – Mr BJ Jones writes again to ‘The denominational newspaper’ saying that there is no Baptist Church in Ilford and:-
“that local Baptists were linking up with other denominations”.
1913 – The new Seven Kings Baptist Church open with 167 members. The old building is moved to the back of the site for use as a Sunday School.
1914 – 59 members withdraw to found another church at Goodmayes. Services are held in the Public Hall at Seven Kings Library.
12/06/1914 – Chairman of the Meeting, Mr Betts, calls upon the meeting to move the following resolution:-
“That this meeting is of the opinion that it is desirable to found a Baptist Church in Goodmayes and pledges itself to support in every way, any movement, that may be initiated for that purpose”.
28/06/1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia. This sparks off a series of events that lead to the start of World War 1.
05/07/1914 – This was the start of a three month series of meetings in the Public Hall.
15/07/1914 – It is decided to accept a site at the corner of Kinsfauns Road and Goodmayes Road.
28/07/1914 – Austria/Hungary declares war on Serbia. This is the start of World War 1.
04/08/1914 – Britain declares war on Germany, following Germany’s invasion of Belgium.
Monday 28/09/1914. Goodmayes Baptist Church formed at a special evening service. The service was conducted by Rev Charles Ingrem (president of the London Baptist Association). The Rev. J. Chadwick presided at the Communion Service, with which the proceeding closed. The number of members forming the church was 68.
25/12/1914 – Christmas Day truce in the trenches, during World War 1. British & German soldiers sang Silent Night / Stiller Nacht from their respective trenches. Soldiers on both sides lay down their arms, come out of their trenches, and exchange gifts. It is believed the German and British soldiers played a game of football. The next day they went back to shooting at each other…
1915 – Arrangements for the purchase of the site in Kinfauns Road begin.
19/07/1915 – The committee meets to discuss the calling of a new pastor.
1916 – Early in January the Rev. Alfred Garment accepts the call to our church and becomes our first pastor.
06/02/1916 – Rev Garment begins his ministry.
08 or 09/03/1916 [different sources state different dates]
- Recognition services held to welcome the first pastor, Rev A Garment. Afternoon service conducted by the Rev. Charles Spurgeon. Evening meeting was presided over by the Rev. F.J. Exley. Mr B.J. Jones (Church secretary) made a statement as to the Church’s call to their minister.
24/04/1916 - Easter Rising in Dublin by Irish Republicans to end British rule in Ireland and to establish an independent Irish Republic.
15/03/1917 (Gregorian Calendar) – Czar Nicholas II abdicates, following the March 1917 Russian Revolution.
16/03/1017 (Gregorian Calendar) – Provisional Russian Government announced.
1917 – A United Good Friday service was held with the Congregational and Presbyterian Church.
07/11/1917 (Gregorian Calendar) – Provisional Russian Government overthrown by the Bolsheviks in the November revolution (October in the Julian calendar).
May 1918 – The Committee resigns and the first deacons are elected.
16/07/1918 (Gregorian Calendar) – Execution/murder of Czar Nicholas II and his family at Yekaterinburg in the Urals by the Bolsheviks
11/11/1918 – End of World War 1.
21/03/1920 – Rev. T Sims-Davies begins his ministry.
21/05/1920 – Recognition Services held.
- A timber and asbestos (!) building is erected in Kinfauns Road.
06/12/1921 – Anglo-Irish Treaty. End of British rule in 26 counties of Ireland (out of 32 counties, which remain under British rule). Leads to the creation of the Irish Free State.
May 1922 – A manse is purchased in Kingswood Road, Goodmayes.
June 1927 – Rev. G E Hicks K.I.H. begins his ministry.
1927 – 1928 – A similar but smaller building is added. March – Rev. George Hicks becomes pastor.
1930 - Rev A Baldwin begins his ministry.
03/09/1939 – Britain declares war on Germany, following Germany’s invasion of Poland. This is the start of World War 2.
1942 – Mr FR Morrish becomes our first Lay Pastor.
08/05/1945 – Germany surrenders. Victory in Europe.
15/08/1945 – Japan surrenders, following the controversial dropping of the atom bombs. End of World War 2.
Sept 1945 – Sister Winifred Waller becomes our first woman pastor.
1952 - The first hut is burned down and replaced with a Nissan hut.
25/04/1959 – The Foundation Stone was laid to the glory of God on behalf of the London Baptist Association by the Rev. W Charles Johnson.
Thursday ?/09/1959 –A picture appears in the Ilford Recorder showing the new building with the old building in the background. The caption beneath it reads:-
“Our picture shows the new Baptist Church in Goodmayes Road, now nearing completion.”
Thursday ?/10/1959 – Peter Andrews records in the ‘Round the Churches’ section of The Ilford Recorder under the headline “New church opens” that “on Saturday week, Goodmayes Baptist new £11,000 brick-built church is opened and dedicated.”
Saturday 17/10/1959 – A permanent church is opened. Peter Andrews records:-
“About 400 people packed the new church and two halls to where the services were relayed.”
Greetings were offered by the Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches in Goodmayes.
Sunday 18/10/1959 – morning service was attended by the Mayor of Ilford, Cllr H G Root.
Thursday ?/10/1959 – Peter Andrews records in the ‘Round the Churches’ section of the Ilford Recorder that the opening services at Goodmayes Baptist Church have been tape-recorded by a “local firm” and played back to six elderly members of the congregation. The tape will also be sent out to the Belgian Congo to a missionary, the Rev Geoffrey Allen, a former member.
CHURCH HISTORY (FROM THE ILFORD RECORDER THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 1939).
Goodmayes Baptist Church began as a branch of the Seven Kings Baptist Church in Cameron Road, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex. This was established at the end of nineteenth century. Meetings were first held in a public hall in Kingswood Road, Goodmayes, but in 1914 the land the land was purchase to build the church. The chapel was erected shortly afterwards. A congregation of nearly one hundred worshipped there under the guidance of Rev Garment.
On the departure of Rev Garment, the Rev E Sims Davies took over the pastorate of the church and remained there for six years. He was followed by the Rev George Hicks, a returned missionary. In 1930 Rev Arthur Baldwin began his ministry there.
Rev Baldwin began his ministerial training at the Midland College, Nottingham, where he won special distinction among the students. He left college in 1917 for his first church at Salterforth, Yorkshire and went from there to a larger church at Normanton, where, during a short ministry of three years the membership was nearly doubled. The Young Men’s Institute especially felt the benefit of his attractive personality, its membership increased from five to thirty.
From Normanton Rev Baldwin went to Sheerness in Kent where he stayed for seven years prior to coming to Goodmayes. During his stay in Sheerness he did excellent work for many religious organisations in the district.
In Goodmayes, as in other places, Rev Baldwin revealed himself a sincere and energetic worker, not only for his church but also for the district. He was president of the Ilford Free Church Council and then president of the Ilford Sunday School Union.
AIR RAID PROTECTION
Rev Baldwin obtained ample protection for
his congregation in the event of an air raid. He told a Recorder reporter ‘I saw Mr Allen, an estate agent, who has erected a big steel shelter in his yard opposite our church for the use of his employees. I did not think it would be used on a Sunday. He was very kind and put the shelter at our disposal. In addition he has put to our use two Anderson shelters in unoccupied houses nearby. There is ample accommodation for anyone who is likely to come to our church.
‘This is the time for a cheerful and courage spirit’ - Rev A Baldwin
The need for the maintenance of a cheerful and courageous spirit and not become disheartened and lose faith under the present condition in which we are living, was emphasised by the Rev Arthur Baldwin, minister of Goodmayes Baptist Church, Kinfauns Road, Goodmayes, in his Sunday evening sermon.
They all knew, he said, the value of a brave and cheerful heart, especially when things had gone wrong, or when some grave danger threatened the security of those they loved.
A Worthy Ministry.
At a time like the present, they could hardly dedicate themselves to a more worthy ministry than the ministry of encouragement and comfort. Those who were doing that were rendering a magnificent service for man.
If they were going to render such a service they must themselves know the secret of self-encouragement. A disheartened man could never gospel courage to a neighbour. A man could not pass on to others something which he himself did not possess.
They would gain courage as they gazed on others who has fought a good fight and had defended their cause. Drinking in the valour of others would make them brave.
The situation which faced the world today would surely enable many to learn the wisdom and learning of Christ. Many people would perforce be exploring resources which were theirs in Christ. There was nothing like trouble to force people to do that.
Not the Time for Fatalism
“People will be saying presently that this is no time for the Christian faith” said Rev Baldwin. “We must say this is not the time for anything else. This is not the time for disbelief, fatalism or cynicism”.
“I have been deeply moved how heroes of faith were produced – never in easy times, but always in conditions that call for faith and courage of the finest order. It was in the blackest periods of history that the best prophets and psalmists arose. It was faith in God that inspired them.
It is for us, at this time, to produce a similar faith and courage that will not be dismayed”.
Special Prayers and Hymns
Rev Baldwin offered a special prayer for the protection of all God’s people affected in any way by the war, and appropriate hymns, including one in remembrance of those at sea. “Eternal Father” was sung. The lesson was taken from the book of St John, Chapter 16.
RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT IT APPEARS NOT EVERYONE WAS AT FIRST HAPPY ABOUT THE NEW CHURCH BEING ESTABLISHED AT GOODMAYES! Click-here
This page updated 18/11/2016