England Nonconformists Additional Records of Congregationalists, Independents (National Institute)

Other Congregational/Independent Records
The Congregational Library has a collection of minute books, church histories etc. Each chapel was self-governing, led by an appointed minister supported by an elected committee of deacons or elders. Their minute books include all the week-by-week happenings such as requests for baptisms, marriages and burials as well as lists of members. Membership records included reason for cessation of membership, for example by death, transfer or removal.

Records of theCongregational Historical Society, including the indexed Transactions since 1901, are now in theUnited Reformed Church Historical Society Library. The Surman Index of about 30,000 Congregational and Presbyterian biographies, as well as accounts of churches and ministers, are at Dr. Williams’ Library.The Congregational Library holds church rolls, various books and manuscripts, the collections of Thomas and Joshua Wilson and Rev. T.W. Davids, minute books of various congregations, committees and associations. The records of the largely CongregationalLondon Missionary Society and the Colonial Missionary Society from 1795 are at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Histories and transcriptions of registers of Congregational Chapels, for example Norwich and Great Yarmouth by Cozens-Hardy on. Minutes of the two churches show movement of families from Yarmouth to Norwich to create a new congregation there (shown below).

Chart: Minutes of Norfolk Congregational Chapels 1644

One can postulate that some of these women would have been the wives and other female relatives of the men in the first list. A glance at the transcribed baptism register for Yarmouth of 10 Sep 1643 shows, for example among others:


 * Symon son of John and Mary EYRE Hannah daughter of John and Mary BALDERSTON Mary daughter of John and Judith LEVERINGTON

Records of Congregational Clergy
There is a list of known Congregational clergy from 1640-1716 at Dr. Williams’ Library. Independent congregations selected their own ministers by audition, usually from amongst local men at first. Histories, such as that by Peel (These Hundred Years: A History of the Congregational Union of England and Wales 1831-1931. Congregational Union of England and Wales. ), often give biographical information and portraits. Among a host of other histories of chapels, The Hope Congregational Church in Salford have published theirs in which the chapters are arranged by the incumbency of ministers showing the accomplishments of each one.

The theological colleges also have histories which include information on students; Surman (Lancashire Independent College, Blackburn and Manchester 1816-1836. Notes on Congregationalism in Blackburn and some students’ careers. Times Printing Works, Blackburn, England. ) wrote one on Lancashire Independent College 1816-1836. Some of them served abroad, and there was the occasional foreign student as well, an example quoted from Surman is shown below.

Chart: Career of a Congregational Minister, Dr. Carl W. Buch (from Surman)

James’ work on Presbyterian and Independent ministers includes lists of ministers such as shown below.

Chart: Some Independent Ministers in Devon Chapels 1717-1731

Who’s Who in Congregationalism is a most useful reference work on with brief biographical details of most Ministers, Lay Pastors and Lay Officers (chart below), as well as Colleges, Schools, Societies and Institutions, as well as advertisements for organ builders, schools, typewriters and even hotels in the vicinity of the London headquarters.

Chart: Who’s Who in Congregationalism 1933 edition

Congregational and Independent References
Clifford (My Ancestors Were Congregationalists in England and Wales. How Can I Find out More about Them? Society of Genealogists, 1997) is the basic text to consult and relevant publications include:


 * The London Christian instructor 1812-1825.
 * The Congregational Magazine 1826-1845.
 * Home Missionary Magazine 1820-1840.
 * Christian Witness 1844-1878.
 * Congregational Year Book 1846 onwards.
 * Transactions of the Congregational Historical Society from 1901.

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