Church of the Messiah, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Messiah |
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Former Church of the Messiah, Broad Street, Birmingham.
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| 52°28′41″N 1°54′40″W / 52.47792°N 1.91102°W | |
| Location | Broad Street, Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Unitarian |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | John Jones Bateman |
| Groundbreaking | 1860 |
| Completed | 1862 |
| Construction cost | £10,000 |
| Demolished | 1978 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 950 people |
| Length | 106 feet (32 m) |
| Width | 65 feet (20 m) |
| Height | 150 feet (46 m) |
The Church of the Messiah was a special church in Birmingham, England. It was a Unitarian church, which is a type of Christian faith. This amazing Victorian Gothic building was built between 1860 and 1862. It was quite unique because it was built right over the Birmingham Canal! Even though the church building was taken down in 1978, the church community (called the congregation) still exists today. Many important people, including famous politicians, used to go to this church.
Contents
History of the Church of the Messiah
The story of this church community began a very long time ago, in 1692. That's when their first meeting house was built in a place called Deritend. As more people joined, the community grew too big for this first building.
So, in 1732, they moved to a new chapel on Moor Street. But by the 1860s, even this chapel was too small for everyone! That's when they decided to build the grand Church of the Messiah. The old Moor Street chapel was then sold and became St Michael's Church.
Building the New Church
The new Church of the Messiah was designed by a skilled architect named John Jones Bateman. The builders were George Branson and Edwin Gwyther. The first stone was laid on August 11, 1860. The church officially opened its doors on January 1, 1862. It cost about £10,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then!
The location of the church was very unusual. It was built right over the Birmingham Canal, making it part of the Broad Street canal tunnel. Imagine a church built over water!
Famous People at the Church
Many important people were part of the Church of the Messiah's community. The Martineau family were early members. This family produced many Lord Mayors (like a city's chief leader) for Birmingham over the years.
Another famous person who attended services here was Joseph Chamberlain. His son, Neville Chamberlain, who later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940, also worshipped at this church.
In 1973, the church community moved to a new building specially built for them at Five Ways. The old Church of the Messiah building was taken down in 1978.
Church Organs
When the church first opened in 1862, it had an organ made by Nicholson of Worcester. An organ is a large musical instrument often found in churches.
Later, in 1882, the church decided to get a brand new organ. This one was built by William Hill and Son and cost £1571. This new organ was later rebuilt by Nicholson's in 1923. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Ministers of the Church
A minister is a leader in a church. Here are some of the people who served as ministers at the Church of the Messiah:
- John Sillitoe, 1692–1704
- Thomas Pickard, 1705–1747
- Samuel Bourn, 1732–1754
- Samuel Blyth, 1747–1791
- William Hawkes, 1754–1780
- Joseph Priestley, 1780–1791
- John Edwards, 1791–1802
- David Jones, 1792–1795
- John Kentish, 1803–1853
- Joshua Toulmin, 1804–1815
- James Yates, 1817–1826
- John Reynell Wreford, 1826–1831
- Samuel Bache, 1832–1868
- Henry William Crosskey, 1869–1893
- Lawrence Pearsall Jacks, 1894–1903
- John Worsley Austin, 1903–????
Organists of the Church
An organist is someone who plays the organ.
- John Gilbert Mills, around 1923
