The History of Homerton Baptist Church

Often people believe that Homerton Baptist Church is as old as the building we worship in. They look at the building and conclude we've been established for about 35 years. It is a surprise to many when they hear Homerton Baptist was in fact one of the first churches to be established in Homerton. It predates the Parish church and the many churches of other denominations that are in Homerton today.

It cannot be ascertained when the church in Homerton did first meet together. In 1798 a Particular Baptist Church was formed in Shore Place (now Frampton Park Baptist). Within fifteen years of the establishment of this church they rejected the need for strict communion. It could therefore be that some members left not being able to agree to open communion and established a group that were strict Baptists. This cannot be confirmed. There are however, records showing that a group of like minded believers met for worship in two homes: one in Marsh Hill, owned by Thomas Frankland and one in Homerton Terrace, owned by David Ramsey. A Mr Eason was called to preach to those gathered in the homes and they made a declaration of their faith which was read at a special meeting on December 18th 1818. At the centenary anniversary in 1919, the secretary gave a surmise of the history of the church noting that a year and a half before this Church was formed twelve Christian persons living in the district met together for worship in a room in Homerton Terrace.  Mr Thomas Eason, one of the twelve who formed the church, laboured ministerially until July 1820-2 (he then continued until 1835). The daughter of David Ramsey, Mrs Deborah Baylis (marriage name) lived in the house at 8 Homerton Terrace until she died in 1869. Mrs Baylis came to know the Lord in 1821 and became a member of the Church.

Mrs Baylis was clearly involved in the origins of the church as the Earthen Vessel of September 1869 records:

It affords us pleasure to know that her [Mrs Baylis] father had a desire for the worship of God, and opened his house for the preaching of the everlasting gospel, and from that small beginning, God has blessed His own eternal truth, and Homerton-row Chapel was erected instead of that. Our departed sister, with others, laid a brick on a day appointed.

In about 1817, after meeting in the homes of these two members, the church then met in a hall in Bridge Street (now Ponsford Street) owned by Robert Fletcher, a church member. They registered the hall as a place of worship on the eleventh of August 1819. Mr Thomas Frankland, William Goodings, John Jackson and Benjamin Brett signed the request for registration. When the group moved to the hall in Bridge Street Mr Eason was officially called to the pastorate of the church. The congregation began to grow and there was a great need for a larger building. The building in Homerton Row Baptist Chapel was built in 1821-2. It was registered on the twentieth of August 1822 as a place of worship. The deeds were signed by Thomas Eason, John Jackson, Joseph Rosoma and Benjamin Brett. The official opening was on the eleventh of September 1822. The cost of the original building was £821. A gallery was required in 1842 because of the increase in numbers this amounted to £230, bringing the total cost of the building to £1,051. In 1893 the purchase of the building was considered, as the lease was soon to run out. The church made it a matter of prayer and said if they could raise �100 by the first meeting to be held concerning the buying of the freehold then they should take it as God's will to purchase the building. When the meeting was held £101 had been raised. The deeds were signed on 31st January 1894 by ten of the members, including Simeon Belcher, the pastor, and Ernest Booth (first Strict Baptist Mission missionary, located in India). The owner put the building up for sale at a cost of £500. This was accepted. There was an extra payment of £200 and the church raised the total amount. By November 1901 the church building was fully paid for and a thanksgiving service was held to thank God for his amazing provision. In 1903 a new Sunday School was built costing £700.

In 1961 the London County Council requested that the site be bought for the establishment of a secondary school. At the same time the Berger estate was being demolished and completely rebuilt. Part of the estate held a building that was once the meeting place of a Methodist church. The council claimed the sight in Barnabas Road for the new church building. They moved to Barnabas Road in 1962 and the church was named Barnabas Road Baptist. A thanksgiving service was held on November 17th 1962. R Cooke chaired the afternoon meeting and the speakers were Mr Wood and Mr Plail. The evening service was chaired by Mr Day. The speakers were Mr L Hill of the MASBC, Mr Cross of the SBM and Mr Barrett of the SBOM. In 1997 the members of the church felt that due to the long history of the church the name Homerton Baptist was more appropriate.

Jack and Jill Parkins have been attending the church since it met at Homerton Row Baptist Chapel. Jack shares some of his memories from his time in the church:

"My first association with Homerton Row Strict and Particular Baptist Church (as it was then called and situated in Homerton Row Baptist Chapel where Upton House School now is) was about 1942 when I returned to London after being evacuated for two years in Cornwall.

Mr Horace Crispin with his wife Elizabeth more or less ran the church as there was not a permanent pastor. The Sunday School and other activities took place in the School Hall, which had been hit by a bomb. The primary class was held up in the gallery of the church by Mrs Crispin. The Sunday School was taken by Mr Pardoe (superintendent) who worked as proof reader for printers in Morning Lane. There were about 10-15 children in each class and 20-30 in primary.

Mr Crispin lived in Rutland Road. During the cold weather he would light the 'Turtle' fires in Sunday School and Church on Saturday coming back 2 or 3 times to stoke them with coke to warm the premises. Mr Gray was a deacon and mostly went out preaching.

After Sunday School the Crispin family would have tea in the school hall and stay for the evening service. We had various speakers who came, arranged by Mr Crispin. Mr and Mrs Crispin also ran Women's meetings. Anniversaries would entail weeks of practice of songs and poems by Sunday School children to perform after a lavish combined church and Sunday School tea on a Saturday which also included a prize giving. I still have all my prizes!  When a number of Sunday School children reached their teens FOY junior and senior were run. Also a 'guild of work' where things were made to sell to the congregation and their friends.

It is reported that the doctor who developed the nerve/muscle transplant operation to help Leprosy sufferers attended Homerton. The Lady who did the original art work for flannel graphs attended Homerton and lived in a Mews house in Furrow Lane.

Sunday School outings involved a double-decker bus journey to the sea side or the country. We would take our own lunch and tea was provided. On the way home there would be a stop off to buy some flowers for 'mum' with carefully saved pocket money.

To fill the baptismal pool was a great effort, filling buckets from the tap and heating as much water as possible on gas rings and on top of the coke stoves. During the last few years at Homerton Row Baptist Chapel they obtained an immersion heater.

The church moved to the new premises at Barnabas Road and Mr and Mrs Barrett settled there. The Sunday School expanded having approximately seven teachers and Boys and Girls Brigade were run.

When Mr and Mrs Barrett died it fell on the deacons to continue the services. Dr Coffey made great input although very ill. We were then able after a while to employ Steven Richards as pastor. He and his wife Judy live in the flat above the church. His eldest daughter Madeline, is married to Stephen and they have three daughters Andrea, Stephanie and Shania.  His youngest daughter Bec, is married to John and they have a daughter, Ceri, and son, Ewen and currently live in Philadelphia, USA."