Journey back 140 years. The Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel has stood as a beacon of faith in this South London area. We are standing in front of the Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel.
The Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel began with friends uniting as a church on December 5th 1867. They first gathered in a cottage. It was located on the corner of Mostyn Road. Later, they moved to the North Brixton Hall. It stood on St Anns Road. This is now Southey Street.
In 1871, they relocated to a schoolroom on Lothian Road. During this time, Mr J. Brindle erected the first Brixton Tabernacle. It was on Russell Street, now Hillyard Street. Charles Cornwell led the opening services on July 31st 1871. He soon became the pastor in April 1872.
The chapel expanded in 1874. A Sunday school was added. The school began in 1871. Tradition says it started in a nearby stables.
The congregation grew. A new chapel was built in 1884. Charles Cornwell designed it to seat over 600 people. It stood on land leased from the Angell Park estate. Today, the famous Skate Board Park occupies that site. The old chapel became the Russell Street Independent Mission Hall.
Mr Cornwell actively participated in the Sunday school. He published Juvenile Original Hymns. It was a book for Strict Baptist Sunday schools.
Three pastors consecutively led the church for its first 60 years. Mr Cornwell had a stroke in 1906. He died the following year. But he appointed Mr Sapey as his successor.
The Surrey Tabernacle needed renovation. It seated over 2000 people. But its congregation was only several hundred. Ernest Roe negotiated a merger with Mr Sapey. This happened in February 1920. Mr Sapey retired and Mr Roe moved to Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel. The hymn book changed to A Selection of Hymns by James Wells.
In 1931, Mr Roe suddenly resigned. He moved away. Some Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel members followed him. This marked the start of a decline. Few families attended after the war. But the Sunday school thrived. It had 120 children in the 1950s.
For over 20 years, the church lacked a pastor. In 1953, Mr W. J. Holt became pastor. He served until 1967.
In 1966, the council needed to widen the corner. They told Mr Holt they had to leave. In 1975, they moved to the present chapel. Lambeth Council built it for them on the opposite corner.
The new chapel welcomed many visitors. However, the local population was transitory. Many stayed only a few months.
After Mr Holt left, Mr Jabez Laver became pastor in 1981. He was 70 years old. He retired in 1990. But he continued to preach weekly. Mr Kenneth Appleton became pastor in 1998.
Mr Appleton’s pastorate was short. It ended in 2004. The church adopted Christian Hymns as its main hymn book. In 2002, a Romanian-speaking church met on Sunday afternoons. It merged with a church in Stratford in 2012.
Today, the Brixton Tabernacle Baptist Chapel has an international congregation. It includes people from Africa, the West Indies, Romania, Iceland, and the Philippines. Some are British.
The church has journeyed through time adapting and enduring. It stands as a testament to faith and community. It welcomes all who seek reverent worship. It is conveniently located near Brixton Underground and mainline stations.