Our Church's
History

Before 1869

Some time between 1614 and 1626 the first congregation of Baptist Christians began to gather in Coventry, probably under the leadership of Rev Helwys.
25 August 1822 William Jarvis held the first General Baptist meeting in a room in Bell Court, a brewery yard in Much Park Street, and by 1823 a church was formed.
24 April 1825 They opened St.Mary’s Mission chapel in Whitefriars Lane able to seat 300.
In 1851 classrooms and a gallery were added increasing the capacity to 500.

4 May 1869 A new chapel opened in Gosford Street (opposite the William Morris building).
26 August 1922 A new hall was added behind.
25 October 1928 Coventry celebrates 300 years of Baptist churches in the city.
In 1930s Gosford St church members express interest in new housing estates in Stoke where no church existed.
20 October 1940 A Nazi bomb damages the chapel in Gosford Street, so for three weeks the congregation worships with St Michael’s Baptist congregation in Hay Lane.
14 November 1940 The building in Hay Lane is destroyed. so the combined congregation meets in rear hall at Gosford Street behind the damaged church.

The War Damage Commission offers money to rebuild both churches in Gosford Street and Hay Lane.
Vacant land on the Poets estate in the eastern suburbs is obtained for the Gosford Street congregation.
14 January 1950 A basic hall with a small kitchen, vestry and baptistry opens its doors on corner of Meredith Road and Tennyson Road, with the Sunday School using Ravensdale Junior School.
30 September 1954 The Hay Lane congregation move into Quinton Park Baptist Church.
1 December 1956 A sunday school room was added behind Meredith Road and named after Joseph Garlick.
And an extension with more toilets and a further meeting room were added behind.

During that time the following were our ministers:

1940-1955 Rev Joseph Richards

1955-1959 Rev Elvet Bryn-Jones

1960-1966 Rev Richard Garrett

19 October 1968 Family services begin in the newly-opened octagonal sanctuary.
A lounge named after Joseph Richards is added behind the platform.
9 September 1972 we celebrated 150 years since the first congregation gathered in Much Park Street.
1984 In partnership with St Bartholomew's we helped to plant a church in Binley Woods. Around the same time some members moved to strengthen Lawrence Saunders Road Baptist in Coundon.

Recently the following have been our ministers:

1966-1972 Rev David Beer

1972-2009 Rev Maurice Markham

2009-2014 Ian Burton

2014-2022 Rev Mike Asbery