THE GOSPEL CENTRE
Wightman Road
Postcode : N8 0LT
Location : TQ 31101 89355
The church known as The Gospel Centre since 1977 is a United Apostolic Faith Church, formerly known as the Hornsey Tabernacle and the Hornsey Church of Christ.
The stones
The stone-laying ceremony
From the Islington Gazette, 19 August 1910, p. 4.
This afternoon a numerous company attended the corner-stone laying ceremony of the Church of Christ (late Tabernacle) Wightman-road, Hornsey. “This work,” stated the programme in an historical sketch and financial statement, ‘‘was started as a Christian Mission in 1890 the late Dr. J. W. Kirton, Gospel-Temperance lecturer and writer. A temporary iron building was opened January 1st, 1891. In the summer the same year Dr. Kirton passed away, and a faithful ten-year pastorate was entered upon by W. Durban, B.A., followed brief but fruitful one by E. J. Todd, B.A. The present pastor took up the work in August, 1901 dividing his time between the pastorate and the general secretaryship of the Christian Association. A definite church organisation was not formed until 1888. The work has been greatly handicapped, especially during the past ten or more years, by the character of the building, and by the elusive hopes for new one. However, many members have stood by the work from the beginning, and by their faithfulness and gifts, and those of others, the cost of the temporary building and the freehold site, added to by additional purchases 1898 and 1908, making it double the original size, has been paid, totalling about £1,150. The final payment of £383 16s. 10d., less donation of £83 16. l0d. generously made Mr. and Mrs. J. [sic] Coop, whom the money was due, was made July last. The sum of £74 received for the old building and seats, the purchaser paying cost of removal. And now, largely the generosity of Mr & Mrs C. Traxler, who have contributed in cash more than one-half the entire cost of the new building, including furnishing, have the sum of £1,380 10a. lOd. in the bank. Forty-six members of the church and congregation have pledged themselves to make weekly envelope offerings totalling about £3 10s. per week for current expenses and building fund. This sum will be largely augmented by open collections, by pledges from various societies connected with the church and other means, so it hoped that a considerable sum will available from year to year to pay off any building debt that may remain ... the new church in Wlghtman Road will formally be opened on Thursday afternoon, December 1st.
This afternoon a numerous company attended the corner-stone laying ceremony of the Church of Christ (late Tabernacle) Wightman-road, Hornsey. “This work,” stated the programme in an historical sketch and financial statement, ‘‘was started as a Christian Mission in 1890 the late Dr. J. W. Kirton, Gospel-Temperance lecturer and writer. A temporary iron building was opened January 1st, 1891. In the summer the same year Dr. Kirton passed away, and a faithful ten-year pastorate was entered upon by W. Durban, B.A., followed brief but fruitful one by E. J. Todd, B.A. The present pastor took up the work in August, 1901 dividing his time between the pastorate and the general secretaryship of the Christian Association. A definite church organisation was not formed until 1888. The work has been greatly handicapped, especially during the past ten or more years, by the character of the building, and by the elusive hopes for new one. However, many members have stood by the work from the beginning, and by their faithfulness and gifts, and those of others, the cost of the temporary building and the freehold site, added to by additional purchases 1898 and 1908, making it double the original size, has been paid, totalling about £1,150. The final payment of £383 16s. 10d., less donation of £83 16. l0d. generously made Mr. and Mrs. J. [sic] Coop, whom the money was due, was made July last. The sum of £74 received for the old building and seats, the purchaser paying cost of removal. And now, largely the generosity of Mr & Mrs C. Traxler, who have contributed in cash more than one-half the entire cost of the new building, including furnishing, have the sum of £1,380 10a. lOd. in the bank. Forty-six members of the church and congregation have pledged themselves to make weekly envelope offerings totalling about £3 10s. per week for current expenses and building fund. This sum will be largely augmented by open collections, by pledges from various societies connected with the church and other means, so it hoped that a considerable sum will available from year to year to pay off any building debt that may remain ... the new church in Wlghtman Road will formally be opened on Thursday afternoon, December 1st.
The names on the stones
John William Kirton was born in East Smithfield on 3 January 1831 and died on 15 June 1892 at his home at 17 Duckett Road, Harringay.
From the Islington Gazette, 17 June 1892, p. 2 :
We regret to have to announce the death of Dr. John William Kirton, which took place at his residence, 17 Duckett-road, Harrlngay, on Wednesday afternoon last. He was the author of the famous book, "Buy Your Own Cherries," and will long remembered for his extremely able lectures on health, thrift, temperance, and home life. As temperance speaker, he was almost universally known. Some 12 months ago, he built a hall in the neighbourhood of Hornsey, and religious services have been held there without a break every Sunday, over which be presided. Dr. Kirton had no children, but leaves a widow, and a large circle of friends to mourn his loss.
A prolific author on the subject of temperance. His books, articles and tracts include :
A Bunch of Cherries. [Collection of Temperance Tales.] Gathered by J. W. K. 1871.
Buy Your Own Cherries . 1863.
Buy Your Own Goose. By the Author of “Buy Your Own Cherries”. 1868.
Cheerful Homes, How to Get and Keep Them: Or, Counsels to Those about to Marry, Etc. 1882.
The Christian Growth; Or, Seed, Flower, and Fruit of the Life of Grace. 1893.
(with Elihu Burritt) Dr. Guthrie. Father Mathew. Elihu Buritt. Joseph Livesey. 1885.
The False Key, and Other Stories. 1884.
The Four Pillars of Temperance. 1865.
Frank Spencer's Rule of Life, and How It Led to His Prosperity. (Founded on Fact.). 1870.
The Good Templar Pocket Book and Diary, 1875. Edited by J. W. Kirton, Etc., 1874.
The Happy Home. 1858.
Happy Homes, and How to Make Them; Or, Counsels on Love, Courtship, and Marriage. Etc. 1870.
Happy Homes ... One Hundred and Twentieth Thousand. 1895.
The History and Mystery of a Glass of Ale. 1863.
How Sam Adams's Pipe Became a Pig. 1864.
Intoxicating Drinks, Their History and Mystery. 1879.
John Cassell, His Life and Work, Etc. 1891.
John Wesley: His Life and Work. 1884.
John Wesley, Methodism and the Temperance Reformation. 1873.
The Life of Joseph Harrap, of Leicester, including Portrait. 1873.
The Life of the Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury. By Dr. J. W. Kirton, ... A True Nobleman, Who, by His Self-denying Labours on Behalf of the Poor, Is Entitled to Be Called the Greatest Philanthropist of Modern Times. 1885.
Moody's Talks on Temperance, with Anecdotes and Incidents in Connection with the Tabernacle Temperance Work in Boston. Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1877.
The Mysterious Parchment. An American Prohibition Story. Revised and Edited by J. W. K. 1890.
The New Penny Temperance Hymn Book, Containing 124 Hymns, Selected by J. W. Kirton. 1864.
“Only Give Me a Chance.” Founded on Fact. 1885.
One Thousand Temperance Anecdotes, Facts, Jokes ... Suitable for Speakers ... Original and Selected. Collected and Edited by J. W. K. 1868.
Oratory and Orators. ... Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1880.
The Priceless Treasure; Or, Thoughts and Stories about the Bible. 1873.
Rays of Sunshine for Every Home: Or, How to Be Happy All the Year Round. 1889.
Real Greatness; Or, Friendly Counsels on the Culture of a Noble Life. 1888.
Sacred Heroes and Martyrs. Biographical Sketches of Illustrious Men of the Bible. ... Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1876.
A Second Thousand of Temperance Anecdotes, Jokes, Riddles, Puns and Smart Sayings. ... Collected and Edited by J. W. K. 1877.
The Secret of Success, and How to Attain It. 1889.
The Standard Band of Hope Reciter. A Collection of ... Readings in Prose and Poetry, Etc. 1878.
The Standard Comic Reciter. Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces, Suitable for Readings ... Selected and Edited by J. W. K. 1878.
The Standard Little Folks' Reciter. A Collection of Recitations and Dialogues ... Collected ... by J. W. K. 1891.
Standard Popular Dialogues, Etc. 1883.
The Standard Popular Reciter, Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces ... Selected and Edited by J. W. K. 1879. 2nd ed. 1911.
The Standard Speaker and Elocutionist; a Popular ... Guide to the Art of Reading and Elocution, Illustrated by Choice Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1880.
The Standard Sunday School Reciter. Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1878.
Standard Temperance Dialogues: Being a Collection of Original Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1883.
The Standard Temperance Reciter. Edited by J. W. K. 1877.
The Temperance Daily Text-Book and Birthday Record, Etc. 1883.
The Temperance Hand-Book, Consisting of Choice Extracts from the Writings ... of Distinguished Persons ... Selected and Arranged by J. W. K. 1874.
True Nobility; Or, the Golden Deeds of an Earnest Life. A Record ... of Anthony Ashley Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury ... With ... Illustrations. 1886.
True Royalty; Or, the Noble Example of an Illustrious Life, as Seen in the Lofty Purpose and ... Deeds of Victoria, Etc. 1887.
The Water-Drinkers of the Bible. 1885.
The Way to Victory: The Life-story of a Brave Boy. Edited by J. W. K. 1890.
The Young Abstainers' Reciter ... Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1893.
Bibliography
Ellis, James J, Life of John William Kirton ... Second Edition. 1895.
From the Islington Gazette, 17 June 1892, p. 2 :
We regret to have to announce the death of Dr. John William Kirton, which took place at his residence, 17 Duckett-road, Harrlngay, on Wednesday afternoon last. He was the author of the famous book, "Buy Your Own Cherries," and will long remembered for his extremely able lectures on health, thrift, temperance, and home life. As temperance speaker, he was almost universally known. Some 12 months ago, he built a hall in the neighbourhood of Hornsey, and religious services have been held there without a break every Sunday, over which be presided. Dr. Kirton had no children, but leaves a widow, and a large circle of friends to mourn his loss.
A prolific author on the subject of temperance. His books, articles and tracts include :
A Bunch of Cherries. [Collection of Temperance Tales.] Gathered by J. W. K. 1871.
Buy Your Own Cherries . 1863.
Buy Your Own Goose. By the Author of “Buy Your Own Cherries”. 1868.
Cheerful Homes, How to Get and Keep Them: Or, Counsels to Those about to Marry, Etc. 1882.
The Christian Growth; Or, Seed, Flower, and Fruit of the Life of Grace. 1893.
(with Elihu Burritt) Dr. Guthrie. Father Mathew. Elihu Buritt. Joseph Livesey. 1885.
The False Key, and Other Stories. 1884.
The Four Pillars of Temperance. 1865.
Frank Spencer's Rule of Life, and How It Led to His Prosperity. (Founded on Fact.). 1870.
The Good Templar Pocket Book and Diary, 1875. Edited by J. W. Kirton, Etc., 1874.
The Happy Home. 1858.
Happy Homes, and How to Make Them; Or, Counsels on Love, Courtship, and Marriage. Etc. 1870.
Happy Homes ... One Hundred and Twentieth Thousand. 1895.
The History and Mystery of a Glass of Ale. 1863.
How Sam Adams's Pipe Became a Pig. 1864.
Intoxicating Drinks, Their History and Mystery. 1879.
John Cassell, His Life and Work, Etc. 1891.
John Wesley: His Life and Work. 1884.
John Wesley, Methodism and the Temperance Reformation. 1873.
The Life of Joseph Harrap, of Leicester, including Portrait. 1873.
The Life of the Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury. By Dr. J. W. Kirton, ... A True Nobleman, Who, by His Self-denying Labours on Behalf of the Poor, Is Entitled to Be Called the Greatest Philanthropist of Modern Times. 1885.
Moody's Talks on Temperance, with Anecdotes and Incidents in Connection with the Tabernacle Temperance Work in Boston. Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1877.
The Mysterious Parchment. An American Prohibition Story. Revised and Edited by J. W. K. 1890.
The New Penny Temperance Hymn Book, Containing 124 Hymns, Selected by J. W. Kirton. 1864.
“Only Give Me a Chance.” Founded on Fact. 1885.
One Thousand Temperance Anecdotes, Facts, Jokes ... Suitable for Speakers ... Original and Selected. Collected and Edited by J. W. K. 1868.
Oratory and Orators. ... Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1880.
The Priceless Treasure; Or, Thoughts and Stories about the Bible. 1873.
Rays of Sunshine for Every Home: Or, How to Be Happy All the Year Round. 1889.
Real Greatness; Or, Friendly Counsels on the Culture of a Noble Life. 1888.
Sacred Heroes and Martyrs. Biographical Sketches of Illustrious Men of the Bible. ... Revised and Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1876.
A Second Thousand of Temperance Anecdotes, Jokes, Riddles, Puns and Smart Sayings. ... Collected and Edited by J. W. K. 1877.
The Secret of Success, and How to Attain It. 1889.
The Standard Band of Hope Reciter. A Collection of ... Readings in Prose and Poetry, Etc. 1878.
The Standard Comic Reciter. Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces, Suitable for Readings ... Selected and Edited by J. W. K. 1878.
The Standard Little Folks' Reciter. A Collection of Recitations and Dialogues ... Collected ... by J. W. K. 1891.
Standard Popular Dialogues, Etc. 1883.
The Standard Popular Reciter, Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces ... Selected and Edited by J. W. K. 1879. 2nd ed. 1911.
The Standard Speaker and Elocutionist; a Popular ... Guide to the Art of Reading and Elocution, Illustrated by Choice Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1880.
The Standard Sunday School Reciter. Being a Collection of Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1878.
Standard Temperance Dialogues: Being a Collection of Original Prose and Poetical Pieces, Etc. 1883.
The Standard Temperance Reciter. Edited by J. W. K. 1877.
The Temperance Daily Text-Book and Birthday Record, Etc. 1883.
The Temperance Hand-Book, Consisting of Choice Extracts from the Writings ... of Distinguished Persons ... Selected and Arranged by J. W. K. 1874.
True Nobility; Or, the Golden Deeds of an Earnest Life. A Record ... of Anthony Ashley Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury ... With ... Illustrations. 1886.
True Royalty; Or, the Noble Example of an Illustrious Life, as Seen in the Lofty Purpose and ... Deeds of Victoria, Etc. 1887.
The Water-Drinkers of the Bible. 1885.
The Way to Victory: The Life-story of a Brave Boy. Edited by J. W. K. 1890.
The Young Abstainers' Reciter ... Edited by J. W. Kirton. 1893.
Bibliography
Ellis, James J, Life of John William Kirton ... Second Edition. 1895.
William Durban "... married Mary Lang at Mile End Old Town in London in 1866 and despite working, he must also have been studying as by the next census in 1871, he had been awarded a Bachelor of Arts and was a Professor of Languages. At this time he was living at Carisbrooke on the outskirts of Newport on the Isle of Wight, so the places he could have been teaching languages would have been limited. By 1881, William had taken religious vows and accepted a post as a Baptist Minister at Chester St Mary on the Hill in Cheshire. After his stint in Chester, William moved his family back to Fulham in London. The reason behind the move may have been William’s reassessment of his religious outlook, as his next post was as an ‘Undenominational’ Minister. William was strongly influenced by what has come to be described as the ‘Restoration Movement’. Simplistically, this was a Christian movement that began in America in the early 19th century which sought to restore the church and the unification of all Christians in a single body patterned after the church of the New Testament. The founders of the movement wanted to abandon all denomination labels. These beliefs were brought across the Atlantic to a church at Fulham {sic] on the corner of Raleigh and Wightman roads where William
Durban was pastor and in 1893 the Hornsey Tabernacle, Wightman Road, was registered for nondenominational worship on behalf of the ‘Disciples of Christ’. Extra land was purchased and a new building started in the summer of 1910 with one of the corner stone’s being laid by ‘Mr. W. Durban, Minister from 1891 to 1901, in memory of Dr Kirton the founder and first Minister of the Church.’ On the 1911 census return, William described himself as a Baptist Minister, and also as the Editor of the Homiletic Review. In 1908 William and Mary travelled to the United States, probably to visit their daughter Lillian but perhaps the trip was too taxing for Mary who died at Chester within months of their return that same year. William died at the family home in Catford on 7 December 1912 and was described by his friend Sir John Alexander Hammerton as ‘one of the quietest and least pretentious of literary men, endowed with great gifts, which, owing to his utter lack of ambition, were never pressed to full issue. With all his stores of learning he was accounted worthy of one line and a half of small type in the Times. Yet sometimes noisy nobodies, by the simple act of dying, attain to half a column or more in the Valhalla of its obituary columns’." - Camden Valley Voice, Vol. 24, issue 5 (June 2018).
Durban was pastor and in 1893 the Hornsey Tabernacle, Wightman Road, was registered for nondenominational worship on behalf of the ‘Disciples of Christ’. Extra land was purchased and a new building started in the summer of 1910 with one of the corner stone’s being laid by ‘Mr. W. Durban, Minister from 1891 to 1901, in memory of Dr Kirton the founder and first Minister of the Church.’ On the 1911 census return, William described himself as a Baptist Minister, and also as the Editor of the Homiletic Review. In 1908 William and Mary travelled to the United States, probably to visit their daughter Lillian but perhaps the trip was too taxing for Mary who died at Chester within months of their return that same year. William died at the family home in Catford on 7 December 1912 and was described by his friend Sir John Alexander Hammerton as ‘one of the quietest and least pretentious of literary men, endowed with great gifts, which, owing to his utter lack of ambition, were never pressed to full issue. With all his stores of learning he was accounted worthy of one line and a half of small type in the Times. Yet sometimes noisy nobodies, by the simple act of dying, attain to half a column or more in the Valhalla of its obituary columns’." - Camden Valley Voice, Vol. 24, issue 5 (June 2018).
"One of London's busiest journalists has passed away in the Rev. William Durban, B.A., who died on Saturday at the age of seventy. Mr. Durban had interviewed an enormous number of interesting men and women of the day. He had been a regular contributor to the "Homiletic Review" and the " Christian Commonwealth," [1] as well as to the daily Press. Mr. Durban had travelled in many parts of the world, and he had an intimate acquaintance with affairs in America. Few men studied the trend of religious life in peculiar aspects with more assiduity. In his earlier days he had graduated at London University and entered the ministry. He passed may at his home in Catford. " - Westminster Gazette, 10 December 1912, p. 10.
[1] The Christian Commonwealth magazine was started in 1881 by W. T. Moore, John Kirton, and Henry Varley. In 1879 Moore, an American, founded with Timothy Coop in the North of England a paper called "The Evangelist." Is Timothy Coop related in anyway to the donor to the building fund of the church, J Coop?