Part 2: Billy at Worship - 1896-1897

Sunday 16th February 1896 (back at Hampton Court)

Kingston Congregational Chapel this morning. After tea trained to Richmond. Went to the Free Church Channing Hall. Very snug little place. Seats about 50, only 20 or 30 present. Seemed to be a very “respectable” congregation. No choir, consequently singing rather tame. A form of service including prayers, chants etc. is used, doesn’t include Lord’s Prayer. Very reasonable address by Rev. S Farringdon. On the whole I think that we at home beat them in all respects. I’m afraid there’s not much real demand for the new church in course of construction. Certainly very little could be done at Channing Hall on account of its size but this evening, fine as the weather was, the place was hardly half full.[1]
 
Sunday 12th April 1896

St Albans Teddington.
 

St. Albans Teddington this morning. Grand service, lasted from 11 to 2 p.m. High church ritual fully carried out there – overdone in fact. Music very fine – trombones, cornets, harp and drums. This evening walked to Richmond and back via Kingston, Ham and Petersham. Very pretty walk. Went to Channing Hall, it being the last service to be held there. Mr Farringdon, instead of a sermon, gave a few reminiscences of his 6 years ministry there, rather interesting to me. Was invited to the opening of the new chapel next Thursday. Don’t suppose I shall go. Will endeavour to find it next Sunday.
 
Sunday 19th April 1896
Went to first Sunday service at the new Free Church – a neat little building seating about 160. Great improvement on Channing Hall.
This evening to Surbiton Wesleyan Chapel but was obliged to leave before sermon. Couldn’t put up with the young fellow who conducted the service. To him the whole thing was a matter to shed tears upon.
 
Sunday 28th August 1896 (back in Horsham for the weekend)
Chapel this morning once again. Have never been away so long before. Last time I attended was Whitsuntide. Very few there, especially in the choir. Sorry for that. Mr Marten deserves a much larger congregation than he’s in the habit of getting.
 
Sunday 22nd November 1896
Stables with Dad before breakfast then got ready for Morning Service at Chapel. Mr Marten gave a very touching address on the havoc Death has played among the Chapel Flock lately. Only a few weeks ago, Mr William Nash died, then Mr James Kensett who was buried on Wednesday last, both of whom were very active workers in the cause of Liberal Religion.
 
Sunday 31st January 1897
Mr Marten gave two splendid addresses today both more or less on the proverb “Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. This evening told what he called a story further illustrating same thing.
 
Friday 16th April 1897
Drove to Crawley with a party of Baptists (10 of them in Heath Trap). Had tea with them in Rev. McAuslane’s Chapel and attended meeting afterwards but soon got disgusted with that. Rather a dull day but we had fine journey home.
 
Sunday 23rd May 1897
Services taken today by Rev. T.E.M. Edwards, Minister at Large for the S.E. Provincial Assembly. Rather like his style, very outspoken. Took my class at Sunday School this afternoon for first time. Got on pretty fair I think.
 
Whit Sunday 6th June 1897
Had the Chapel full for both services as per usual on Whit Sunday. The pulpit was occupied by Rev. Fletcher Williams of Hackney, a truly wonderful man, as good a preacher as I’ve ever heard.
 
Sunday 10th October 1897

                                                   Brompton Oratory.
 

Jill [Denny] kindly came with me. On arrival [we] found the service commenced, were allowed the privilege of paying 1/- each for our seats which, by the way, were in the front row, so we had a fine view of all the ceremonies. Service as I expected. The singing was very fine of course. I couldn’t understand a word but enjoyed the music for all that. After the service, we had a walk round the building: the marble and jasper work in the Chancel and the various shrines and altars were grand beyond anything I have seen.
Bert and I had decided to visit Hampton Court today but altered our minds again. I having an idea I would like to hear some music, suddenly decided to do Brompton Oratory[2]
 
Sunday 26th December 1897
Called for Alice Denny and with Bern and Annie had a stiff walk to Hampstead and attended the service at Dr Brooke Herford’s Chapel at Rosslyn Hill[3]. Very pretty building, lays back in its own grounds. The style rather suggests it was an Anglican Church, don’t know if it was! Certainly the Minister would make a first class dignitary as far as personality went. Beyond that of course everything was very different, thank goodness!
 
Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, Jamie Barras,
Photo credit.

• [1] Lady Frances Russell, Bertrand Russell’s grandmother, was influential in organizing the Unitarian congregation in Richmond, Surrey. Her last public appearance in 1896 was at the dedication of Channing Hall, built for the Richmond Free Church. Billy was attending the original hall.
• [2] The London Oratory in Brompton was opened in 1884 so was still a considerable novelty.
• [3] Dr Brooke Herford was Minister of the Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel from 1892 to 1901.
  
  
  
• Part 3 - Billy at Worship - 1898-1899
  
  

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