Collection LMA/4066 - UNITED REFORMED CHURCH (SOUTHERN PROVINCE) TRUST LIMITED

Identity area

Reference code

LMA/4066

Title

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH (SOUTHERN PROVINCE) TRUST LIMITED

Date(s)

  • 1808-1991 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1.18 linear meters

Context area

Name of creator

Congregational Church of England and Wales United Reformed Church

Biographical history

The first organised congregationalism in the area covered by the Southern Province (the area south of the River Thames) was the Surrey Mission formed in 1797 by James Bowden of Tooting, established to organise the visits of ministers to villages with the object of teaching the Gospel. The mission was not however purely congregational and increasingly there was a need for the development of organised congregationalism in its own right.

The Surrey Congregational Union was formed in 1863 'to promote the union and efficiency of the churches, and the spread of evangelical religion, to advance the principals of Nonconformity and to uphold and enlarge civil and religious freedom'. Main work was aiding smaller churches and fostering new congregations in the districts. It included the London geographical area of the ancient county of Surrey up to River Thames. With the extension of the London Congregational Union, churches belonged to both Unions until 1946 when a line of demarcation was agreed and the London Union was extended south. The Surrey Union formed part of the Southern Province of the Congregational Union of England and Wales.

In 1972 the United Reformed Church (URC) was formed following the union of the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church of England and Wales. The URC is divided into 13 Synods or Provinces and throughout England, Scotland and Wales there are around 1750 URC congregations served by some 1100 ministers, both men and women. The Church is governed through democratic Councils. The Synods give practical help to churches in legal and property matters, encourage training, discuss matters of faith and policy and provide links to Assembly. Each has a Moderator who is a minister with a pastoral and leadership ministry within each Synod Province. The Southern Province Trust was formed in 1981. In 2003, the Registered Office for the Southern Province was based at the Synod Office, Croydon and covered 7 districts and 181 churches.

Repository

The London Archives

Archival history

LMA/4066 1808-1991 Collection 1.18 linear meters Congregational Church of England and Wales

United Reformed Church

The first organised congregationalism in the area covered by the Southern Province (the area south of the River Thames) was the Surrey Mission formed in 1797 by James Bowden of Tooting, established to organise the visits of ministers to villages with the object of teaching the Gospel. The mission was not however purely congregational and increasingly there was a need for the development of organised congregationalism in its own right.

The Surrey Congregational Union was formed in 1863 'to promote the union and efficiency of the churches, and the spread of evangelical religion, to advance the principals of Nonconformity and to uphold and enlarge civil and religious freedom'. Main work was aiding smaller churches and fostering new congregations in the districts. It included the London geographical area of the ancient county of Surrey up to River Thames. With the extension of the London Congregational Union, churches belonged to both Unions until 1946 when a line of demarcation was agreed and the London Union was extended south. The Surrey Union formed part of the Southern Province of the Congregational Union of England and Wales.

In 1972 the United Reformed Church (URC) was formed following the union of the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church of England and Wales. The URC is divided into 13 Synods or Provinces and throughout England, Scotland and Wales there are around 1750 URC congregations served by some 1100 ministers, both men and women. The Church is governed through democratic Councils. The Synods give practical help to churches in legal and property matters, encourage training, discuss matters of faith and policy and provide links to Assembly. Each has a Moderator who is a minister with a pastoral and leadership ministry within each Synod Province. The Southern Province Trust was formed in 1981. In 2003, the Registered Office for the Southern Province was based at the Synod Office, Croydon and covered 7 districts and 181 churches.

Received in two accessions in 1998 and 2002 (B98/170; B02/084).

Records of constituent churches of the United Reformed Church Southern Province Trust, 1808-1991, including: Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church baptism registers 1846-1991 and Church Meeting minute books; Plumstead United Reformed Church baptism registers, 1924-1977; Clapham Congregational Church committee meetings minute book; George Street Chapel, Croydon, committee meetings minute book; Camberwell Green United Reformed Church property trust papers and Hither Green Mission property trust papers.

The records have been sorted into the following groups: Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/A); Plumstead United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/B); Clapham Congregational Church (LMA/4066/C); Croydon George Street Chapel (LMA/4066/D); Camberwell Green United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/E); Hither Green Mission (LMA/4066/F).

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright: Depositor
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

See other Southern Province United Reformed Church collections: Streatham (LMA/4272), deeds for churches in Plumstead, Putney, Tooting and Woolwich (see LMA/4308-4311) and Plumstead United Reformed Church (LMA/4144). There are also holdings for Thames North and Thames South Provinces (LMA/4303) and records catalogued under individual United Reformed Churches.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. January to March 2009 Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church x Bridge Road West Wesleyan Methodist Church United Reformed Church Southern Province Trust Religion Churches Congregationalists Protestant nonconformity Religions Congregationalism Christianity Ancient religions Protestantism Nonconformity United Reformed Church Primary documents Church records and registers Information sources Documents Parish records Baptism registers Nonconformists Organisation and management Administration Church administration Property Church property Religious groups Christians Protestants Protestant nonconformists Methodists Plumstead United Reformed Church x Plumstead Congregational Church Clapham Congregational Church George Street Chapel , Croydon Camberwell Green United Reformed Church Hither Green Mission Wandsworth London England UK Western Europe Camberwell Lewisham Clapham Lambeth Hither Green Kent Battersea Southwark Croydon (district) Croydon Surrey Greenwich Plumstead Religious buildings Europe Buildings Architecture

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received in two accessions in 1998 and 2002 (B98/170; B02/084).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of constituent churches of the United Reformed Church Southern Province Trust, 1808-1991, including: Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church baptism registers 1846-1991 and Church Meeting minute books; Plumstead United Reformed Church baptism registers, 1924-1977; Clapham Congregational Church committee meetings minute book; George Street Chapel, Croydon, committee meetings minute book; Camberwell Green United Reformed Church property trust papers and Hither Green Mission property trust papers.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The records have been sorted into the following groups: Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/A); Plumstead United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/B); Clapham Congregational Church (LMA/4066/C); Croydon George Street Chapel (LMA/4066/D); Camberwell Green United Reformed Church (LMA/4066/E); Hither Green Mission (LMA/4066/F).

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: Depositor

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See other Southern Province United Reformed Church collections: Streatham (LMA/4272), deeds for churches in Plumstead, Putney, Tooting and Woolwich (see LMA/4308-4311) and Plumstead United Reformed Church (LMA/4144). There are also holdings for Thames North and Thames South Provinces (LMA/4303) and records catalogued under individual United Reformed Churches.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area