Catalogue description TRINITY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, ST ALBANS

This record is held by Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies

Details of NR4
Reference: NR4
Title: TRINITY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, ST ALBANS
Description:

The United Reformed Church was founded in October 1972 by union of the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England. However not all the churches belonging to these two denominations agreed to accept the 1972 Scheme of Union. The records of those Hertfordshire churches which remained separate are catalogued under the reference NC.

 

CLASSIFICATION SCHEME

 

NR4/2 Church Meeting

 

NR4/3 Deacons

 

NR4/4 Registers

 

NR4/5 Committees and Church Organisations

 

NR4/6 Church Finance

 

NR4/7 Church Property

 

NR4/8 Sunday School

 

NR4/9 Choir

 

NR4/10 Membership

 

NR4/12 Church Magazines

 

NR4/13 Miscellaneous

 

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH RECORDS

 

NR1 Barnet, Wood Street United Reformed Church

 

NR2 Bushey United Reformed Church

 

NR3 Barley United Reformed Church

 

NR4 St Albans, Trinity United Reformed Church

 

NR5 Letchworth Free Church

 

NR6 Ware United Reformed Church

 

NR7 Royston United Reformed Church

 

NR8 Hitchin United Reformed Church

 

NR9 Radlett United Reformed Church

 

NR10 Wheathampstead United Reformed Church

 

NR11 Hemel Hempstead, Adeyfield Free Church (affiliated to the United Reformed Church

 

NR12 Bishops Stortford United Reformed Church

 

NR13 Harpenden United Reformed Church

 

NR14 Hertford United Reformed Church

 

NR15 New Barnet United Reformed Church

 

NR16 Knebworth United Reformed Church

Date: 1899 - 1990
Related material:

For Walkern United Reformed Church see D/EX838

Held by: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Trinity United Reformed Church, St Alban's Hertfordshire

Physical description: 103 files
Access conditions:

RECORDS UNDER 30 YEARS OLD IN THIS COLLECTION ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records concerning Trinity United Reformed Church deposited in 1978 by Northamptonshire Record Office and in 1989 and 1995 by the Church Secretary and Archivist respectively

 

Accessions 1657, 2429, 3034, 3605

Subjects:
  • St Alban's, Hertfordshire
  • Religion
Administrative / biographical background:

INTRODUCTION

 

Although there was already an Independent Chapel in Spicer St (see NE4) in St Albans, it was decided that there was enough interest to merit the formation of another Independent Chapel affiliated to the Congregational Church. On 3 July 1901 the Church Meeting, of what was later to be known as Trinity Congregational Church accepted the plans submitted by Messrs C. Miskin and Sons for a church to seat 900 people at a cost of £8,173. The organ was to be supplied by Bishop and Son of London and Ipswich. Building began in May 1902 and the foundation stone was laid on 17 July of that year. The Chapel finally opened on 8 October 1903. The Chapel in Spicer St and its mission church at Bricket Wood (which later became part of Trinity) continued to have very close links with Trinity, the Minister at Spicer St being the assistant minister at Trinity and vice versa. This continued until the 1920s when Trinity took over Bricket Wood and Spicer St became fully independent.

 

The Church Rules were first published in 1905 and a Church Magazine begun in 1909. In 1916 because of the shortage of men due to the war a Ladies Committee was elected to help the minister and diaconate. By 1924 it was obvious that the Sunday School (averaging about 170 pupils) had outgrown its buildings and on 30 June 1927 the Faulkener Memorial Hall was opened. The late Alderman Faulkener, a loyal member of the church as well as serving as mayor of St Albans, made a very significant contribution to the Building Fund. In 1926, another church member, Mr Ryder presented the manse in Ridgmont Rd to the church. In 1935 the Sunday School moved from the afternoon to the morning during the service.

 

In 1928 the Women's Guild was established (see NR4/51 - 4). In 1930 it was decided that in the future Trinity, Spicer St and Bricket Wood should form a fraternity and hold an annual joint meeting on matters of mutual interest. (see NR4/2/11, 3/14).

 

In 1950 the spire was in dire need of repair and through an anonymous donation this was done within a few months. In 1953 the church celebrated its golden jubilee with a week of festivities and the launch of a new church magazine. The church was redecorated in 1955 and services had to be held in the Faulkener Memorial Hall.

 

In 1957 the Chiswell Green Church was formed as a "daughter church" of Trinity, although by 1971 it had become completely independent of Trinity and a new church building had been erected. (For a full history of Chiswell Green see NR4/13/9).

 

In 1972 Trinity, Chiswell Green and Bricket Wood all became United Reformed Churches. Spicer St had become a free evangelical church in 1966 and therefore was not involved in this. The churches shared services as numbers dropped.

 

Trinity was restored and reopened in 1983 (see NR4/13/4)

 

In order to raise funds for alterations to the Church buildings, the Faulkener Memorial Hall was sold and in 1981 was demolished. The alterations to the Church commenced in March 1981, but on 13 July that year a fire occurred which gutted the Church.

 

The Church was rebuilt and reopened with a rededication service in March 1983 (see (NR4/13/4).

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