CAMPSBOURNE BAPTIST CHURCH HALL
Address : 1-3 The Campsbourne
Post code : N8 7PN Location : TQ 30352 89350 The Campsbourne Baptist Church Hall was built 1906-1907 to a design by Arthur Keen, architect to the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland. It opened on 30 January 1907. It was used for a variety of purposes, including educational use. The planning application for the building, together with the plans and associated correspondence is in Bruce Castle Museum (Ref.: 1/HLA/B2/6 ROADS AVE-CHO |
"The new school buildings erected in connection with the Campsbourne, Hornsey, Baptist Church were opened last night with dedicatory prayer meeting. Today, at 4 p.m., in connection with the opening. Dr. Campbell Morgan will preach in Ferme Park Chapel, and a public meeting is to held in the evening. The Campbourne Mission has been taken under the wing of the Ferme Park Church, and the Rev. Charles Brown and his co-workers are fostering the young cause with considerable care and much hopefulness. " - The Daily News, 31 January 1907, p. 3.
Description of the building
Arts & Crafts red brick, with stone dressings
The stones
The stone-laying ceremony
"Yesterday afternoon a big step forward was taken by the Ferme-park Baptists. What has been called the Campsbourne extension commenced in right good earnest, the foundation stones being laid of a new school and institute in Campsbourne-road, Hornsey. In the course of a statement the Rev. Chas. Brown gave some interesting particulars with regard to the project. The neighbourhood that is positively crying out for something to be done. To the east of Hornsey there has sprung up a large population of the industrial classes amongst whom for 14 years, in spite of of crippled accommodation, good work has been done. During the last five years, again, the Priory Estate has gone up to the west with its houses of little better quality, but for all that nothing has been done with the exception of the erection of a Church of England. This, of course, refers only to the immediate neighbourhood. In these particular limits really no movement of the Free Churches had taken place since the second Ferme-park Church bad been put up. The psychological moment has been accelerated by the generosity of Mr. W. C. Parkinson, L.C.C., who kindly bought and presented a site to them. Then Mr. W. J. Collins gave another plot of land and house, and after that of course thev could not disregard the distinct call to proceed. The cost of the whole is estimated at £5,000. There would be one large hall—two smaller halls—club-rooms, etc - accommodation for oyer 800 people. They are already in touch with people, and the place will be open every night. Later on it intended have a chapel—but that is for future consideration. For the present the ambition of the church is confined to raising the complete amount required before the work is finished. The meeting, which took place in rather disagreeable weather, was quite an enthusiastic one. In spite of drizzling rain there was a large crowd present when Mr. McAlpine, of Accrington, took the chair. After prayers the Rev. Dr. Rowlands, the Chairman expressed his friendship for, and his appreciation of, C. B.— no, not the C.- B. of Westminster—(laughter)— but the C. B. of Ferme-park. After this reference to Campsbourne, he harked back to the political C.-B. “We are both.” said, “strong Conservatives ” - (laughter) - he explained that they were Conservatives in that which was good. At this point the crowd began to be uncertain whether C. B. stood for Campsboune, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, or the Rev. Charles Brown ! He lauded the extreme generosity of Mr. Parkinson. and hoped the work would be completed without accident. The stones were then laid—laid with that very historical trowel which was needed by Dr. Clifford in laying the first foundation-stone of the first Ferme-park Chapel. How it came back to its present owners may br explained in two words —Dr. Clifford is Passive Resister! Bailiffs were put into his house for the rates and the trowel was seized. It was bought by a Ferme-park member, and was used once more in the initial function of the erection of Mission. Miniature trowels were presented to Mr. W. C. Parkinson and Mr. Marnham—who laid the two foundation-stones. Mr. Parkinson said that they trusted that the buildings would completed bv the beginning of next year . He was glad to be treasurer because could assist them. They had already raised £l,OOO, and be trusted they would make a big bid for the second ..." - Islington Daily Gazette and North London Tribune, Thursday 20 September 1906, p. 3.
The names on the stones
Herbert Marnham (1863-1935) was Treasurer of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Mayor of Hampstead (1925-1926)
"We all regretted to hear of the death of Mr. Herbert Marnham, which took place at Hampstead on Monday at the age of 72. The very name is synonymous with generosity, and there is scarcely a Baptist Church around about which has not benefited from the contents of his purse. Besides that, we appreciate him particularly in our midst as the Chairman of the Mount Vernon Hospital, in whose cause he worked unremittingly. We remember him as a man of an extraordinary kindly nature, one who went out of his way to cheer and encourage those in lower walks of life, or lifted up those who had suffered misfortune. His epitaph might well be : "He went about doing good" - Middlesex Advertiser and County Gazette, Friday 12 April 1935, p. 6
"We all regretted to hear of the death of Mr. Herbert Marnham, which took place at Hampstead on Monday at the age of 72. The very name is synonymous with generosity, and there is scarcely a Baptist Church around about which has not benefited from the contents of his purse. Besides that, we appreciate him particularly in our midst as the Chairman of the Mount Vernon Hospital, in whose cause he worked unremittingly. We remember him as a man of an extraordinary kindly nature, one who went out of his way to cheer and encourage those in lower walks of life, or lifted up those who had suffered misfortune. His epitaph might well be : "He went about doing good" - Middlesex Advertiser and County Gazette, Friday 12 April 1935, p. 6
William Coulson Parkinson (1841-1912) was a gas meter manufacturer, resident of Hornsey from 1901 until his death.
He served as a member of the Progressive Party on the London County Council, representing Islington North from 1889-1907. Committee member of the Baptist Missionary Society for twenty-two years. He died at his home, Carleton House (later Kitchener House?), Hillfield Avenue, Hornsey,
He served as a member of the Progressive Party on the London County Council, representing Islington North from 1889-1907. Committee member of the Baptist Missionary Society for twenty-two years. He died at his home, Carleton House (later Kitchener House?), Hillfield Avenue, Hornsey,
The architect
Arthur Keen (1861-1938) was a pupil of Richard Norman Shaw. Architect to the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland.
Summary of Keen's life and works in Gray, A. Stuart Edwardian Architecture : a Biographical Dictionary. London : Duckworth, 1985, p. 229.
Summary of Keen's life and works in Gray, A. Stuart Edwardian Architecture : a Biographical Dictionary. London : Duckworth, 1985, p. 229.
The minister
Charles Brown (1855-1947) was an eminent Baptist preacher who served at the Ferme Park Baptist Chapel from 1890 until his retirement in 1925. A convinced pacifist he held a number of positions within the non-conformist community, for example, President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland (1910) and the Free Church Council (1912). He died as a result of a fall when on holiday in Llandudno. He was the subject of at least one biographical text, and 28 February 1936 was on a radio programme reminiscing about his life and career.
Dr Brown was a lifelong friend of Highgate resident Alfred Benjamin Cloutman (d. 1933), governer-director of the furnishing shop Maples & Co. It was Cloutman who bought the site on the which the YMCA stands in Crouch End. |
Dr Brown was instrumental in converting Hornsey-born Violet Hedger, the first woman to enter a Baptist college for ministerial training (Regent's Park College on 1919), and the first woman minister to conduct a broadcast service in the British Isles in 1937.
Bibliography
The Daily News, 21 Sep 1906, p. 3
Islington Gazette and North London Tribune , 20 Sep 1906, p. 3; 10 Sep 1908, p. 4
Young, John N. The Campsbourne Story London, 2006.
Islington Gazette and North London Tribune , 20 Sep 1906, p. 3; 10 Sep 1908, p. 4
Young, John N. The Campsbourne Story London, 2006.