The History of Charlton United Reformed Church

(formerly Congregational)

1902 - 2002

Foreword

I have written this history of Charlton United Reformed Church to mark the centenary of its founding in 1902. It is not meant to be a learned historical thesis; it simply records the facts for members and friends. The information on which this history is based is taken from the minutes books of the Deacon/Elders and Church Meetings, an early history of the Church written in 1906, a scrap book covering events from 1902-1923 and the memories of our oldest Church Members. What I can say about the history of the Church is defined by the sources available to me. The minutes of the Deacons/Elders and Church Meetings are in the main accounts of the business of the Church. The early minutes are very brief. Mr Felstead who was Church Secretary from 1927-1962 seems to have prided himself on getting the minutes of each meeting onto one side of one sheet of paper. There is little of the early Church's Theology that comes across. Later minutes are rather fuller and so a flavour of the Church's Theology and the different approaches of the different Ministers are revealed.

To set the founding of the Church in context I look briefly at the growth of Congregationalism at the end of the nineteenth century and the growth of Charlton as a London suburb. The history of the Church and its development is dealt with chronologically. I have said more about the early years than the later. I think most readers will be more interested in the formation of a church, and its struggle to build premises and establish itself, than in the every day affairs of a settled church.

• E.M.A. Moss, 2002

About the author

Miss E.M.A. Moss first joined Charlton Congregational Church Sunday School in 1955. She was made a Member in 1960 and an Elder in 1993. She has served as Church Secretary since 2000. She has a degree in history and, following early retirement from the civil service, has obtained a postgraduate diploma in theology and religious studies from Kings College, London.

Background

The nineteenth century saw an increase in the strength of non-conformist churches, both numerically and as a political power base. By the third quarter of the century they enjoyed full civil liberties. Congregationalism grew in strength, as did other denominations. In 1875 there were 2,980 Congregational churches in England which had grown to 3,433 by 1900. The Daily News Census of church attendance of the Winter of 1902-1903 showed there to be 345 Congregational churches in London.

Charlton had been largely an agricultural area until the middle of the nineteenth century. What industrial activity there was confined to shipbuilding and repair at the naval dockyard at Woolwich and in the docks at Greenwich. The railway in the form of the North Kent line from Chatham to London came to Charlton in 1849, and encouraged industrial development along the riverside. Some industries grew from the manufacture of local raw materials such as sand and gravel e.g. United Glass Bottles; while others like British Rope were reliant on raw materials, jute, hemp and sisal, imported from far flung parts of the Empire to the docks along the river Thames. One of the biggest employers in the area was to be Siemens whose telegraphic and later wireless and telephone cables were manufactured in Charlton and exported all over the world. Census statistics show the population of Charlton to have been 747 in 1801, 4,818 in 1851, 18,061 in 1901 and 19,785 by 1911.

Gradually the large estates, which had been owned by individuals or by large companies or guilds, were sold off for housing for the workers needed by the manufacturing boom in the area (see map at Appendix 1). The Eastcombe Estate was purchased by the Norwich Union Insurance Company and between 1902-1910 sites were leased to builders. They built terraces of three up two down houses in the roads bounded by Eastcombe Avenue and Wyndcliff Road, which were to become the catchment area for Charlton Congregational Church.

Founding the Church

The early history of the Church records:

"The possibility of forming a Congregational Church at Charlton had been suggested from time to time and the Rev E J Penfold of Eltham paid visits to Charlton at various times with that object without however achieving any definite result. At a meeting of the Metropolitan Kent District Union held at Rectory Place Woolwich on 14 October 1901 a letter was read from Mr Savage of Charlton calling attention to a statement that had been made to the effect that Mr Ruffle was understood to be willing to transfer Sundorne Hall on certain conditions to a properly constituted Nonconformist body, and the writer suggested that the Congregational Union should take steps to verify the statement and if possible acquire the building."

The history goes on to record that in 1901 a sub-committee of the Metropolitan Kent District Union composed of local Ministers and officials from the Union was set to look into the matter. Although visits to Sundorne Hall and discussions took place the sub-committee reported back:

". ..that it had been impossible to do anything at Charlton"

Little spare capacity for additional members. Records show that in 1902 membership (which would only have been a proportion of those attending Sunday services) was as follows: Blackheath 533 with 412 children, Maze Hill 100 and 254 children, Woolwich 293 and 265 children at the main church plus an additional 298 scholars at Pellipar Place (presumably an annexe used for Sunday school work) and at Eltham 110 and 202 children. Between them Mr Harry Savage and Rev'd Landell Jones raised interest in the founding of a Congregational church in Charlton. Those interested met weekly in each other's houses, and arranged a public meeting to discuss the matter. That meeting was held on 9 October 1902 in the Assembly Rooms in Charlton Village and attended by 43 people. The meeting resolved to form a Congregational church in Charlton and elected a committee to effect that resolution. A collection of £1. 3s was taken up to defray expenses. The duly elected committee of five men, Rev'd Landell Jones as Chairman and Mr Harry Savage as Secretary commenced its work. From the outset they wished to buy land and to build their own church premises, but temporary accommodation was needed in the meantime. Negotiations with Greenwich Borough Council led to the renting of meeting rooms at the Board of Works in Charlton Village at the cost of £1. Ss per week for Sunday and mid-week services. Services commenced on Sunday 7 December 1902. Little is recorded about that first service, but minutes of the founding committee record soon afterwards of the need to purchase 25 chairs in addition to the 50 provided with the rooms. A Sunday School was started in January 1903. The committee soon appointed officers and an organist, and set up a bank account.

Calling a Minister and Inauguration of the Church

Very soon after the founding of the Church thoughts turned to calling a Minister. Preaching at Sunday and mid-week services was undertaken by visiting Ministers and students. But the Church would doubtless have wanted their own Minister for reasons of continuity, leadership and for pastoral work among the congregation. Calling a Minister was a very great financial commitment for a church. There is evidence in the minutes that the London Congregational Union (LCU) advised against the calling of a Minister at this early stage. But once the Church had made up its mind the Union agreed that it was a matter entirely for the Church to decide and indeed provided a grant towards the salary of the Minister.

Amalgamation with Sundorne Hall

Mention has already been made of the non denominational fellowship meeting at Sundorne Hall (on the corner of Swallowfield and Sundorne Roads and now the site of an Anglican Church hall) in what was known as 'the iron building'. The church had been founded and the building erected by Mr Ruffle, obviously a fairly wealthy man living in Hassendean Road. Conversations continued between Charlton Congregational Church and the Sundorne fellowship with the result that 5 men from the Sundorne fellowship joined eight from the Congregational Church to form the committee of the united Church. The union was celebrated with a tea and public meeting on 14 January and Sunday services commenced on 17 January 1904 in the iron building in Sundorne Road. The rented premises in Charlton village were given up.

Search for a site and the building of Church premises

The intention of the founding Members of the Church had always been to buy a plot of land and to build new church premises. They, in common with many churches at the time, had what the historian R Tudur Jones described as 'the itch to build chapels'. Negotiations had been going on with the Drapers Company for a site on the west side of Victoria Road (now Way) and the southern corner of a new road to be the continuation of Wellington Road. However these negotiations ran into the sand and by 1907 the Church had abandoned this site in favour of a site on the corner of Bramshot Avenue and Wyndcliff Road. The site was bought in 1907 for £1,300. The money for the acquisition was raised through the generosity of Blackheath Church. They provided £655; a grant of £130 from the LCU and £515 from the Church's own building fund made up the purchase price.

Having secured a plot of land little time was lost before the Church set about inviting architects to draw up plans for church premises. It was agreed that the new premises should comprise a church seating 600 and a separate school hall with a capacity for 300 children and 100 infants - see the architect's drawing below.

The planned building

The Church expected to pay £1,500 for the construction of the hall, to be built first, and £4,000 for the church. Invitations to tender for designs for the buildings were sent to three companies. The designs chosen were from Messers Griffin and Woollard, Mr Griffin being aDeacon of the Church. The construction of the church hall was undertaken by Mr Parker of Peckham. By October 1908 building work was well underway and in October the foundation stones laying ceremony took place, with the Pastors of Charlton and Blackheath each laying stones. The final cost of building the hall was some £2,255. The money was raised by a grant of £225 from the LCU, a loan of £1,000 from Mr Parker the builder, a loan of £400 from Mr Griffin the Architect and Deacon of the Church and from the Church's own fund raising events.

 The scrapbook contains programmes for other fundraising events such as organ recitals, concerts and sales of work. Another scheme adopted was that of pew rents, a system more usually associated with the established church. Those who wished would pay quarterly for the pews in which they sat. It did not seem to be a particularly successful scheme as the minutes frequently have fervid pleas for those in the scheme to pay up.

Despite these fund raising efforts the Church continued to be heavily in debt and unable to pay some of its bills. In April 1911 the Minister, Secretary and Treasurer had to appear before Woolwich Police Court on a summons of non-payment of £59 for the Church's share of paving Wyndcliff Road, and again in 1913 for non-payment of £115 for paving Bramshot Avenue. Luckily the three were able to persuade the Magistrate to let them pay by instalment and so avoided custodial sentences. Despite the severe financial difficulties of the Church it was extremely generous in its giving towards other needy causes, and at least every month a collection was made by Church Members in support of these..

War Years 1914-1918.

The minutes reveal very little about the impact of the First World War on the life of the Church. Bomb insurance was taken out as a precaution, and times of Church services were altered to take place in daylight hours to avoid contravening any blackout regulations. A roll of honour was started for all those connected with the Church who had 'joined the colours'. However a very important social revolution took place in the country as a whole at this time, which was reflected in the Church. The role of women began to change during the war when women took up the jobs at home that the men had given up on joining the forces, and women were found to be capable of doing them. The question of having 'Lady Deacons' was first raised in the Church in 1916, and in 1919 the first three'Lady Deacons' were appointed. It has to be said however that at this time they were given special responsibilities, which were largely visiting and organising refreshments, rather than matters to do with finance or the premises. Indeed it would be a long time before the Church had a woman Secretary and has never had a woman Treasurer.

Building the manse

After the war there was throughout the country a turning away from the church and a decrease in the numbers attending church. Historians believe that the horrors experienced during the war, and in particular by those in the trenches, had made people question the existence of God. Added to which the development of a better transport system and the rise in private ownership of cars and bicycles, meant that there were increasing opportunities for leisure activities on Sundays away from the home. At Charlton Congregational Church Membership fell from 169 in 1922 to 86 in 1932. By the mid 1920s it was clear to Charlton Congregational Church that they would not need to build their ambitious 600 seater church. It was therefore decided to make the Hall the permanent church, to sell off some of the land and to build a manse. Most churches had a manse for the Minister and his family to live in. Up to this point Ministers at Charlton had either found themselves digs or rented flats or houses - the Rev'd and Mrs Lloyd Davies had lived in Wellington Road and later Mycenae Road. A Church would be made much more attractive to a prospective Minister, particularly if he were a family man, if there were a manse. In 1925 the plot of land at the end of Bramshot Avenue (now numbers 113119) was sold off for building. The proceeds of the sale, amounting to some £354, were put towards the cost of building a manse. The three-bedroom manse (now 111 Bramshot Avenue) was built in 1927 at a cost of £900 in time for the newly appointed Minister the Rev'd Harold Pinchbeck to move into with his new bride.

Committees, Clubs and Social Activities.

From the very earliest days, Members of the Church could spend all their spare time on Church activities, either in an official capacity as members of committees or of the social clubs that were organised by the Church. The minutes of the Deacons' meeting of 22 November 1906 record that the running of the Church should be undertaken by the following committees: Maintenance, Entertainment, Choir, Building and Finance, which were in addition to the Church Meeting and Deacons' Meeting. In later years the minutes tell of a Sunday School committee, a Ladies' committee, a Ministerial Fund committee, a Bazaar committee (with 50 members) as well as ad hoc committees for specific purposes such as The New Piano committee, the Furniture for the New Hall committee, the Foundation Stones Laying committee and so on. For the sporty there were cricket and tennis clubs participating in local leagues, as well as chess and bicycle clubs. All these clubs eventually closed as numbers attending Church could no longer sustain all these activities or compete with the diverseleisure activities that attracted people away from Church based societies. One society has however survived from the earliest years of the Church, the Dramatic Society. The Society became known as the Bramshot Players, then the Bramshot and Sherrington Players and in 1957 on the building of the Church Hall, the Alexandra Players. One of the founding Fathers of the Society was Mr Peckham, a Deacon of the Church, who produced and acted in plays. His daughter Joyce Peckham (later Marshall and then Baker) followed in his footsteps of acting and producing until her death in 1996. The Alexandra Players are still going strong, producing some three or four plays a year. Relationships have not always been harmonious: reading between the lines of the following quotation from the minutes of the Deacons' meeting of 29 November 1937 it would seem that some of the plays produced by the Society were not considered suitable by the Deacons;

"After discussion it was agreed that the Dramatic Club be requested to amend their rules as per following resolutions: 1. That the Church Secretary and Treasurer, by virtue of their office, are entitled to serve on the committee. 2. The properties are Church property. 3. No alteration to the building or electrical apparatus to be carried out without first obtaining the consent of the Diaconate. 4. No undue expenditure to be permitted without consulting the Diaconate. 5. All plays, for presentation, to be approved by Diaconate".

Annual outings, often to the seaside, for both adults and children have always been a feature of church life at Charlton. The church magazine for 1914 records the following idyllic Sunday school outing just before the outbreak of the First World War:

"The Annual Excursion took place on Saturday July llth, when about 75 scholars and 25 teachers and friends paid a visit to Herne Bay. The journey was shortened by the provision of a special direct train from Charlton. The weather was all that could be desired and warm air, blue sky and sea breezes contributed to the enjoyment of a happy day. Boating, walking and other recreations were freely indulged in. Tea was provided in St George's Hall to which all parties did ample justice, the day concluding with the return journey to Charlton, which was reached about 9 o'clock, all well."

The Church continues to enjoy annual outings. In 2001 we went to Eastbourne, and although numbers were far fewer than in 1914 just as good a time was had by all.

War Years 1939-45

The Second World War had a much greater impact on the Church than had the First, because of enemy bombing. The dockyards and industry along the riverside were targets for German bombers, and many mis-hits fell in Charlton. The church premises suffered extensive bomb damage, no direct hits but much roof and window damage. The times of services were again altered to daylight hours to avoid trouble with the Air Raid Wardens. Fuel was strictly limited for civilian purposes, and in 1939 it was agreed to carry on services in the church until fuel ran out and then to retreat to the lower hall. It was later decided to offer the lower hall as an air raid shelter. Structural alterations were made to it, strengthening the roof to withstand bomb damage, and the Government paid rent to the Church for its use. After the war, because of the scale of war damage throughout the country, and the shortage of building materials, it took a long time for repairs to be carried out. All work had to be approved by the Government's Compensation Committee and it was not until 1949 that services were resumed in the church.

The Lower Hall today. Signs of the wartime roof reinforcement are just visible.

It was clear from the very outset that Rev'd Frost-Mee had ambitious plans for the Church, and that the Church needed a good shaking up. The minutes of her first Deacons' meeting on 2 July 1951 (the day after her ordination) record:

" The Minister stated that she had two aims a) to develop the spiritual life of the Church b) to evangelise. The Diaconate agreed to do everything in their power to make this possible. It wasagreed, to commence a Bible Study Group in October, Church Membership classes as soon as possible, and a young wives club."

And the following month the Deacons agreed to the formation of a Youth Club. Those in the Church who remember Rev'd Frost-Mee (or Frosty as we called her) agree that her dynamism breathed new life into the Church. In her care numbers of Church Members rose from 67 in 1952 to 109 in 1962 - against the national trend of a decline in church attendance. She is particularly remembered for her interest in young people and her youth work. Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts met on Church premises as well as the newly formed Youth Club. When children became too old for Sunday school they became "Frosty's Young People" who met in the manse on Sunday evening after Church. Animated discussions on the Bible and ethical questions would carry on well into the evening. She also led exchange visits to the church in Burnham-on-Crouch, and youth hostelling weekends.

Alexandra Hall

As early as 1935 suggestions had been made that a hall should be built on the land between the church and the manse. The Second World War intervened and matters lapsed until after the war. By 1951 plans for a new hall had been drawn up with estimated building costs of between £7,000 and £13,400. Money to build the hall was sought from the LCU who promised a grant of £6,000, the rest to be found by the Church. However it was through the generosity of Penge Congregational Church that the building of the hall was financed. Their Alexandra Hall had been destroyed by bombing in the war and as they decided not to rebuild they generously donated their war damage compensation money to Charlton. In 1956 the War Damage Commission approved the sum of £9,590 for a new hall and on 3 November 1956 three foundation stones were laid by Rev'd Frost-Mee, Mr Felstead, Church Secretary and Rev'd Green Minister of Penge. Construction work sped ahead and on 1 June 1957 the new Alexandra Hall was officially opened. It comprised a large hall with a stage, an entrance lobby with lavatories and a small hall to become known as the'minor hall', to distinguish it from the old 'lower hall'. These new facilities enabled more activities to take place: square dancing, badminton, and the drama club was now able to produce its plays here rather than having to rent theatre space at Greenwich Town Hall or other venues.

The development of ecumenism

In 1971 the Rev'd Bob Scribbins decided to resign from the pastoral Ministry to take up social work full time with the London Borough of Bexley. On his departure the Church called a husband and wife team of the Rev'ds Brenda and Graham Stephenson to the joint ministry of Blackheath and Charlton Congregational Churches, there being a vacancy at Blackheath at that time. Rev'd Graham Stephenson was a Minister in Bradford while his wife was a final year student at Mansfield College Oxford. Their induction service in September 1972 was also the occasion for the ordination of Revd Brenda Stephenson. In 1972 after many decades of discussion the Congregational Union and the Presbyterian Church joined together as the United Reformed Church. The Church at Charlton voted unanimously to become URC.

By 1974 the sad decision was taken to close Blackheath Congregational Church because of dwindling numbers. Blackheath had been a very large and rich Church; it was only through its generosity that Charlton had been able to build its church premises in 1908. Eight Members from Blackheath transferred to Charlton. Charlton retained the services of both Rev'ds Brenda and Graham Stephenson, each one part-time making up one post. Both in addition took up part-time teaching posts at local schools. In 1975 Rev'd Graham Stephenson decided to take up a full-time administrative post, and Rev'd Brenda Stephenson became Charlton's full-time Minister.

In parallel with national discussions about church unity, churches in Blackheath and Charlton were exploring practical ways in which to co-operate. Ecumenical Sunday services were held as well as other joint activities. In the light of falling numbers discussions were held between three local URC Churches, St Andrews Blackheath, St Mary's Woolwich and Charlton about the possibilities of sharing a Minister. However in 1977 Rev'd Graham Stephenson gave up his administrative job and was appointed Minister at Sunfields Methodist Church, continuing to live in the Charlton manse with Brenda. In 1981 a resolution was passed at Church Meeting that on the departure of the Rev'ds Stephenson Charlton URC and Sunfields Methodist Church should form a joint pastorate. Since Sunfields had had a URC Minister in the Rev'd Graham Stephenson, it was decided that the next Minister for the Churches should be a Methodist. So, on the departure of the Stephensons to become Ministers to a group of churches in Somerset the Rev'd Brian Webb was appointed as Minister. The sharing of a Minister with Sunfields proved to be an unhappy time for the Church. The Church having always had a Minister to itself found difficulty in having to share. The workings of the Methodist circuit were alien to the Church and caused many Members to think that they were not enjoying sufficient Sunday services conducted by their own Minister. Figures of Church Membership reflect these unhappinesses with a drop from 76 in 1982 to 28 in 1992. Since the Rev'd Brian Webb lived in the Methodist manse the decision was taken to sell the Charlton URC manse, perhaps recognising that the Church was unlikely ever again to have a Minister of its own. The manse was bought by one of the Elders of the Church who wished to live nearer the Church, and the proceeds of sale improved the Church's finances significantly.

Rebirth of evangelism

Rev'd Brian Webb moved on in the Methodist circuit in 1989, and the old plans for a joint pastorate with St Andrews Blackheath and St Mary's Woolwich came to fruition. Rev'd Derek Baker, Minister at St Andrews and St Mary's, took up the pastorate of all three churches, with Mr Bert Worrall, a lecturer in Theology at Avery Hill College as the Pastoral Assistant at Charlton.

The organ had to be dismantled, transported to Charlton and reassembled. The platform of the church had to be extended to accommodate the organ. The opportunity was taken at this time to add the pulpit, and shortly afterwards the wooden screen at the front of the platform. An organist was appointed at £12 pa and an organ blower at 2/6 (12½p) per week. The organist usually took the role of choirmaster and the minutes over the years reveal several fallings out between choir and organist. Charlton has always enjoyed singing and had adult and junior choirs sitting on the platform behind the organist, until congregations declined to such an extent that there were more in the choir than the pews. Maintenance of the organ has been an ongoing anxiety. In 1947 an electrical organ blower was bought. The last major overhaul was in 1986 when the console was moved from beneath the pipes on the platform to the side of the communion table - a somewhat exposed position, some visiting organists feel.

Under the ministry of the Rev'd Brenda Stephenson, the musical side of church life was much encouraged. She is herself a talented musician and organist, and served on the editorial committee which produced the URC hymn book "Rejoice and Sing". Not only did church services take on a more musical aspect, but the church also enjoyed concerts and operas produced or performed by the Rev' d Stephenson and Martin Hazell, a church member.

Looking to the future

The number of Church Members at Charlton has continued to drop, which is in line with the national trend of a decline in attendance at formal church services. But the unexpected so often happens. Looking back over the history of Charlton URC it can be seen that it has overcome many problems. Indeed of the four big neighbouring Churches, Blackheath, Maze Hill, Woolwich and Eltham which were in existence when Charlton was founded only Eltham and Charlton still survive today as URC's; Woolwich remains a Congregational Church. People emerge, like Mr Bert Worrall and Mr Richard Lodge, whose faith and enthusiasm is infectious. At Charlton URC today there is a loyal body of Members with deepening faith and with open minds, ready to discover the way that God will lead them. There are encouraging events such as the Carol Service and Remembrance Sunday when we see the Church full. We pray and trust to God that there will be a role for Charlton URC to play for the next hundred years.

1903-1918 Rev'd Samuel Loyd Davies

1920 - 1923 Rev'd George H Llewellyn

1924 - 1926 Rev'd David Smith

1927 - 1933 Rev'd Harold T Pinchbeck

1934- 1945 Rev'd Samuel W Smith

1947 - 1950 Rev'd Harry S Cresswell

1951 -1967 Rev'd Florence E Frost-Mee

1967-1971 Rev'd Robert G Scribbens

1972 - 1975 Rev'd J Graham Stephenson and Rev'd Brenda K Stephenson

1975 - 1983 Rev'd Brenda K Stephenson

1983 - 1989 Revd Brian Webb

1989- 1992 Rev'd Derek Baker

1989 - 2005 Bert Worrall (Pastoral Assistant)

2005 - Rev,d Harry Lanham

NOTES

Figures taken from Year Book for following year. 1904 is the first year when Charlton made an entry in the Year Book.