Bury St. Edmunds Congregationalists

Bury St. Edmunds, Congregationalists. The following account is taken from T. J. Hosken, History of Congregationalism and Memorials of the Churches of our Order in Suffolk.  Ipswich, 1920. DWL 5106.SK.1.

 Thomas Waldegrave was pastor from 1771-1803.  When he began his ministry there in July of that year his “settlement” was witnessed and signed by Thomas Robinson, Sr (J. Duncan, History of the Congregationalists in Bury St. Edmunds, p. 154).  Rev. Lincolne was the Presbyterian minister at Bury St. Edmunds until his death in 1792, after which Evan Johns replaced him.  Johns resigned in 1800 over differences with his congregation’s growing Unitarian sentiments.  Some of his members left when he did and joined the Congregationalists at Whiting Street (Duncan 159).  Abraham Maling was a deacon in the Whiting Street church for many years (160).  

    Thomas Harmer (1714-88) was pastor of the Congregational (Independent) Church in Wattisfield from 1734-1788.  He compiled a detailed history of the Congregational churches & most of the dissenting churches in Norfolk & Suffolk up to the year 1774 (known as the Harmer MSS, now at DWL).  He was succeeded by Habbakuk Crabb, son of a deacon and a native of Wattisfield.  “He settled in 1789, but differences between himself and the congregation caused him to resign the next year” (n.p.) [from Tercentenary Celebrations, Wattisfield Congregational Church, 1654-1954; DWL 5106.SK.44]. He was born at Norwich, Harmer was educated at Moorfields and immediately began his ministry as pastor of the Independent Church in Wattisfield in 1734, remaining there until his death in 1788. He compiled a detailed history of the Congregational churches & most of the dissenting churches in Norfolk & Suffolk up to the year 1774, a manuscript now at Dr. Williams’s Library, London. He was succeeded by Habbakuk Crabb, son of a deacon in the church and a native of Wattisfield (and the uncle of Henry Crabb Robinson, the famed diarist). See Harmer’s obituary in the Gentleman’s Magazine (1788), Part 2:1127.

    Habbakuk Crabb was ordained in 1772 at Stowmarket, and the service was attended by Thomas Harmer (15).  On June 5, 1781, Zechariah Crabb (father of Habbakuk and Jemima) became a deacon at Wattisfield (16).  Duncan writes, “It is sad to relate that the successor--The Rev. Habbakuk Crabb, undid some of the work which Mr. Harmer had built up.  He was born at Wattisfield in 1750, was the son of a deacon of the Church, entered the Academy at Daventry 1766, invited to Stowmarket 1771, removed to Cirencester in 1776, assistant at Devizes from 1787 and invited to Wattisfield 1789.  He came and settled Feb. 25th apparently in much peace and harmony, but as some difficulties arose in consequence of a difference in sentiments between himself and the people he resigned his charge Aug. 15th 1790 and settled at Royston Herts, in 1790 where he died Dec. 25. 1794” (25).  [from Rev. Thomas Harmer, 1714-1788, by J. Duncan, 1959, DWL 5106.SK.27].

    Waldegrave pastored at Bury until 1801, when his mental faculties began to fail.  He was replaced on 28 May 1801 by Charles Dewhirst, a student from Hoxton Academy, who was ordained that day as his co-pastor (53).  Dewhirst had first visited the church in November 1800.  At his arrival he stirred the waters considerably, for he brought a missionary and evangelical zeal to the congregation.  He would minister there for 43 years.  This is the church that the Bucks attended [Catherine Buck became Mrs. Clarkson.] [see These Three Hundred Years.  Being the story of Congregational work and witness in Bury St. Edmunds, 1646-1946.  A. J. Grieve and W. Marshall Jones.  London: Independent P, 1946.  DWL 5106.SK.5.

    In T. J. Hosken, History of Congregationalism and Memorials of the Churches of our Order in Suffolk.  Ipswich, 1920. [DWL 5106.SK.1], another reference to Evan Johns is found.  The author notes that the Independent congregation and the Presbyterian one in Bury often held joint services.  He writes: “To the end of the eighteenth century the attendants at Churchgate [Street Chapel, who were Presbyterian, were in doctrinal sympathy with the Independents, though the church book contains allusions to differences on the questions of church government, and the admission of members.  That doctrinal agreement is witnessed by the constant interchange of services between the respective ministers, and the presence and assistance of pastors of each denomination at the settlement of ministers in the other.  The last record of such interchange at Bury is given in the Wattisfield church book in 1792, where the pastor, the Rev. John Driver says: ‘I attended the settlement of the Rev. I[E]van Johns, at Bury, with the people late under the pastoral care of the Rev. William Lincoln.  Mr. Johns had been ordained previous to his coming to Bury; he is a native of Wales, about 29 years of age.  May the Lord greatly bless him among that people, and may they, though few in number, be much increased!’ Mr. Johns continued his ministry here till 1800, when he resigned and removed to Berlin, Connecticut; and from this time it appears that a considerable difference of sentiment became manifest.  The Whiting Street Church Book [the Independent chapel in Bury that Thomas Robinson attended] records that ‘Upon Mr. Johns leaving Bury, several persons, both men and women, had their relation (at Churchgate Street) dissolved, and were, in Christian affection, and at their own request, admittted to communion and fellowship with us, on the recommendation of their late pastor’” (148-49).  Waldegrave was replaced by Charles Dewhirst, who led the church to an increased attendance and enlargement of the building.  On 2 September 1802 the chapel was re-opened, and at the dedication Robert Hall preached in the evening! (150).