Above is the Leadership Team from around 1901
An introduction to the History of Park Road Baptist Church
The Baptist church in Rushden was first established in 1722 with Mr John Wollaston recorded as the first Minister. A Sunday School for children was started in 1810. The church affiliated to the Baptist Union in 1880.
The present impressive Victorian building was built in 1901 and facilities included a Minister’s office, Deacons’ and Choir vestries. An extension was built in 1960 comprising a large hall, kitchen, four smaller meeting rooms and toilets. A further project in 2001 provided a large office, storage facilities, a well-equipped crèche and redeveloped toilets with access for the disabled. In 2008 the interior of the worship area was renovated and modernised including a new heating system. Glass entrance doors and a glass walled vestibule opened up the front of the worship area creating a modern and welcoming feel for church services, concerts and local events. Pews were removed downstairs and comfortable chairs now seat up to 250 in the main worship area, with additional seating in the gallery when needed.
In 1936 a daughter church was planted at Highfield Hall. It became an independent Baptist Church in 1963.
To
date Park Road Baptist Church has had 27 Ministers (click here to see the full list). Over the years the church
has been involved in many different ministries including: Boy Scouts, Boys and
Girls Life Brigade, Christian Endeavour Society for young people, the Monday
Club for the elderly and unemployed, Campaigners – a uniformed organisation for
children, church summer holidays for the elderly and families, partnership with
FAIR (Family Action in our Region), Meet n Eat Luncheon club, Sunbeams Toddler
group, various children’s and youth groups, partnership in the Heavenly Cuppa
Christian coffee shop, Bible holiday clubs, Sewing, Knitting and Crafting
Angels, Christian drama group, Food Parcel Ministry and Jungle Care – aid to
refugees living in the ‘Jungle Camp’ at Calais.
Historical Information on the Web
The Rushden Hearts and Soles Web Site contains a large amount of detail on the history of Park Road Baptist Church - rushdenheartsandsoles.co.uk
The link to the old PRBC Church Building known as the "Top Meeting" is - rushdenheartsandsoles.co.uk/churches/OldBaptist
The Link associated with the current PRBC building is - rushdenheartsandsoles.co.uk/churches/ParkRoadBaptist
Important Dates in Park Road Baptist Church History
1672 The house of "Mr. Wuleston" of Rushden, licensed for worship
1680 Members from Stevington Meeting appointed to visit members at Rushden
1689 Dissenting communities allowed to meet freely in their own registered meeting houses
1722 A properly constituted church already established in Rushden
1723 Treasurers account book started
1735 Covenant renewed during pastorate of John Woolaston (1723 - 1737)
1749 Covenant revised
1752 to 1794 William Knowles of Keysoe ordained as pastor
1768 Trustees appointed for the church property
1777 Two cottages and gardens adjoining meeting house in Little Street purchased
1796 Meeting house in Little Street built
1810 Sabbath School opened in the house of John Knowles
1810 Galleries added to the meeting house
1827 Cottage in Little Street purchased for a manse
1848 The minister, Jonathan Whittemore imprisoned in Northampton for debt incurred due to unpaid printing bills for church literature.
1856 House to house visitation organised by the three Sunday Schools in Rushden
1857 Derelict cottage bought to improve approach to the meeting house
1860 New Sunday School building erected and opened on the school's jubilee
1866 Land in Park Road acquired to enlarge burial ground
1869 New manse built in Little Street
1873 New front added to meeting house as part of an enlargement
1880 Affiliation to the Baptist Union
1884 Erection of new Sunday school known as the Assembly Rooms
1892 Land purchased in Park Road or a new chapel
1896 Centenary of the building of the meeting house in Little Street
1897 New Austin organ installed in the meeting house in Little Street. The organ was subsequently moved to the new chapel on Park Road.
1901 New chapel in Park Road opened
1910 Centenary of Sunday School celebrated
1915 First Gordon Troop Boy Scouts formed (1915 to 1919)
1919 Recreation Club founded
1922 Bi-centenary of the church celebrated
1922 The recreation field in Allen Road was purchased
1924 Chelveston Chapel erected
1926 Girls Life Brigade formed
1927 Boys Life Brigade formed
1936 Highfield Hall opened
1949 Austin organ re-built and memorial plaque installed in remembrance of those who gave their lives in WW1 and WW2.
1951 Jubilee of the Park Road Chapel celebrated
1953 Christian Endeavour Society for young people formed
1958 Manse for Highfield Church constructed
1959 New Church Covenant
1960 New Sunday School adjacent to chapel opened on 150th anniversary of the school
1963 Highfield became an independent Baptist Church
1964 Assembly Rooms sold
1966 BBC Songs of Praise recorded at Park Road Baptist Church
1970 New manse constructed in Park Road on part of the garden of the old manse
1971 Little Street manse sold
1977 Part of the Allen Road recreational Field sold for housing, bowling ground retained
1980 The Monday Club was formed for the elderly and the unemployed
1981 The church joined the "Campaigners" a uniformed organisation for children
1982 The first in a long series of Church Summer Holidays took place. These were mainly for the elderly and some families and were usually at the coast.
1983 Redevelopment of the church considered but not undertaken
1984 The church burial ground was cleared and grave stones relocated
1987 Chelveston Chapel sold due to falling attendance
1989 Burial ground sold and the church took one of the new houses as second manse
1989 Billy Graham crusade at church via live link.
1997 Remainder of Allen Road recreation field sold for housing
1999 Partnership with FAIR (Family Action in our Region) started
2001 Centenary celebration of the opening of the Park Road Church
2001 New office, store rooms and disabled toilet constructed
2007 The children's Campaigners closed
2007 The second manse in Park Road was sold
2007 Meet 'n' Eat Luncheon Club started, continued until 2013
2008 Redevelopment of the main church, new heating, new entrance and chairs replaced pews
2008 New commercial kitchen installed
2010 Partnership in the Heavenly Cuppa Christian coffee shop
2010 Tri centenary celebration of the Sunday School
2014 The FAIR family charity closed
2016 Patrick Barker started as Associate Minister in training
2017 Heavenly Cuppa Christian coffee shop closed
2018 Purchased a second Manse
2019 Church floor relayed
2019 Diamond Anniversary of the Ladies Fellowship
2020 Sunday services went online via YouTube due to Covid-19 pandemic no meetings within the building
2020 Patrick Barker completed his training and appointed Minister at Tiverton Baptist
2020 Sunday services held back in the building at the end of the year
2020 Live Streaming of Sunday services started at the end of the year
2021 Early part of year all services back to online, no meetings within the building
2021 Mid-year all meetings back in the building
2022 300th Church Anniversary year