The MS. Diary of Joseph Ash of Bristol, composed between 1797 and 1823, can be found in seven bound volumes in the Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford, acc. no. 4.1.3 (6-13).  

These volumes were first introduced to the public by Ernest A. Payne in “The Diaries of Joseph Ash,” Baptist Quarterly 22.7 (July 1986), 352-59. Joseph Ash (1771-1842) was the youngest son of John Ash (1724-79), Baptist minister at Pershore, 1751-79. In the early 1790s he  removed to Birmingham to be near his sister, Elizabeth Ash Hopkins (at nearby Alcester) and to learn a trade (he eventually became an undertaker in Bristol). He may have arrived in Birmingham from Pershore in 1789, shortly after his the marriage of his eldest sister, Elizabeth (b. 1752) to Joshua Hopkins of Alcester. He remained in Birmingham (most likely serving an apprenticeship) into 1794, when he removed to Bristol, where one sister was already residing. He had joined at Cannon Street during his time in Birmingham (under the ministry of Samuel Pearce) and would eventually join at Broadmead in 1799 (during the ministry of John Ryland, Jr.) with his wife, Susanna Day, whom he met not long after his arrival in Bristol and whom he would marry in August 1797, and his sister-in-law.  His wife died in January 1814, but not before she had bore six children, of which at least two died young. In later life, according to Ernest A. Payne, Ash lived in Horsley and "moved in the Nailsworth-Shortwood circle," also noting that his daughter, Ann Ash (b. 1798), married Joseph Baynes, who served as the Baptist minister at Wellington from 1820 to 1860 ("The Diaries," 353).  He worked as an undertaker early in his time in Bristol (possibly with Isaac James, who also worked in that business among many other occupations he pursued), but later worked in the linen trade in association with two brothers named Heineman (Payne, "The Diaries," 357) until 1820, at which time he moved to Horsley, though he seems to have maintained his membership at Broadmead to the end of his life. He served as. a deacon at Broadmead for many years. He died in Bristol on 30 April 1842.

Volume 1: 1 January 1797 – 10 September 1797.

Fast Day, 8 March 1797:

In the evening he heard William Jay of Bath at the Tabernacle in Bristol speak from Ephesians 6:20— “Mr. Jay First called our attention to our National crimes as the source of our present calamities. And Secondly. To the Gospel of the ever blessed God as the remedy.  The Discourse was delivered with great Boldness, Zeal and Faithfulness. in speaking of our National iniquities he adverted to the Slave Trade Sabbath-breaking, Drunkenness, Swearing, Pride & Ambition, Our neglect in not Evangelizing our Heathen Subjects in the East Indies & the opposition of the Directors to those efforts which have been made to accomplish it.” (pp. 24-25) 

On 15 April 1797 he attended the ordination service for William Belsher, with the charge given by Samuel Pearce.

During 1797 he attends the Baptist meetings in the Pithay and at Broadmead, as well as the Tabernacle in Bristol, and sometimes the Anglican churches at St. Maryport and St. James (the latter to hear T. T. Biddulph).

On Sunday 9 July, he records that Dr. Ryland preached at “Wesley’s Room” at half past 10 o’clock, from Luke 8:18 (p. 91).   On the evening of 16 July, he hears John Rippon speak at the Tabernacle. (p. 96)  He hears him again on 30 July, but he doesn’t say where, but at half past it is probably Broadmead (p. 102). 

On Thursday, 24 August 1797, he married Susanna Day at St. Peter’s Church (pp. 111-12). This is the daughter of a “Mrs. Day” who appears often in the first volume of his diary; it is at her place that he often dined.

On Sunday afternoon, 3 September, John Ryland, Jr., speaks again at Wesley’s Chapel in the afternoon from I Thess. 5:17. (p, 114)  He is there again on 10 September 1797 (p. 116).

Volume 2: 11 September 1797 – 20 August 1798.

Ryland preached at Wesley’s Chapel on 17 September 1797 (1), 8 October (6), 12 November (14), 26 November (18), 1 December (19), 17 December (25), 7 January 1798 (33), 28 January 1798 (37), and so on until the rebuilding of the church is completed by Sunday 11 February 1798. John Sutcliff preached on the morning of 10 December and 17 December, and Ryland in the afternoon on those Sundays (22). Sutcliff also preached in the Wesley Room on Tuesday morning 19 December (25).

On the evening of Tuesday, 16 October 1797, Ash says “the City was Illuminated on account of the Victory obtained by the defeat of the Dutch Fleet” (7). 

On 1 January 1798 Ash writes that he attended the “Monthly Prayer Meeting for the revival of Religion etc. at the Ebenezer Chapel, Old King Street.  Four Ministers Pray’d Mr. Roberts [then a student at Bristol Baptist College, later pastor at the Pithay and King Street after 1807] delivered a very pertinent Address in which he supported Religion against the [p. 31] false accusations to which it is exposed & then spoke more to the design of the present meeting & offered some very forcible motive to actuate the attainment of Zeal & continued activity.  There appeared through the whole of the service a spirit of holy zeal & fervour & an evident manifestaton of the Lord’s presence.  The audience was numerous the place though large was very much crowded.  The sight was animating” (30-31). 

On Thursday Evening 18 January 1798, he writes, “Attended the Monthly Lecture which by appointment should have been held at Broad Mead but that place being shut up it was delivered at the Pithay by Mr. Sharp” (35). 

On Sunday Morning 21 January 1798, Robert Hall preached at the Wesley Room in the morning, and Ryland in the afternoon, and Hall once again in the evening.  On Sunday morning 4 February Ash hears Hall again, this time at the Presbyterian meeting at Lewins Mead (38). On Monday morning 5 February Hall prays at the Monthly Meeting held at Lady Huntingdon’s chapel (40).

On 11 February 1798 Ash attends Sunday Morning at Broadmead for the first time in eight months. He writes:

The Church statedly worshiping in this place this day returned to it after an absence of 8 Months during which time it was repaired & altered.—Oh! that their return to it may be as a return to the place where the LORD delighteth to dwell & may a blessing from the MOST HIGH GOD attend all their meetings & may additions frequent additions be made to their number of such & such only as shall adorn the doctrines of GOD their SAVIOUR in all things & may a Union like that of branches to the Vine cement & remain amongst them as a people devoted to the LORD having [sic] one universal HEAD even CHRIST till time with them shall be no more & then be received to GLORY & BLESS[ing] everlasting to the praise of the Triune JEHOVAH. Amen (41).  

Ryland preached that morning and Hall that night on Prov. 23:23, “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (41).  

Hall preached on Sunday Evening 18 February from John 6 on “the excellency & desireableness of eternal life & the way in which it was to be attained” (43). On Tuesday evening Hall preaches again at Broadmead from I Tim. 6:12 on “‘Fight the good fight of faith’ A most charming Sermon may the Lord make it very profitable to many yea to all that heard it if it be his will” (44).

On Sunday morning 18 March 1798 and on the Sunday the 25th (afternoon) Andrew Fuller preached at Broadmead (48). Samuel Pearce of Birmingham preached at Broadmead on Sunday morning 12 August 1798.  Ash considers him to be his “spiritual father” for he sat under his ministry for 3 years” (86). 

By this date Ash is working as an undertaker, a similar trade that Isaac James, also of Broadmead and Bristal Baptist College, also engaged in (among many other occupations).

Volume 3:  21 August 1798 – 30 September 1799.

Ash writes on 3 October 1798:

“Wednesday.  Business till tea time my attention was then necessarily called to an Illumination which was general throughout the City on account of the Victory obtained by Admiral Nelson over the French Fleet.  O that while so much honour is heaped upon man more glory was given to God & instead of delight in War—Peace more earnestly prayed [10] for & more diligently sought after by uprightness of conduct & dependance on the universal Governor who is “GOD over all blessed forevermore” (9-10). 

On Monday 23 October he writes, “Business till 7 o’clock was then interrupted by an Illumination on account of Admiral Warren’s Victory.—” (13).

A few days later he “attended the Prayer Meeting on the state of the Nation” at the Baptist chapel in Broadmead (19).

On 5 December Dr. Ryland “drank tea with us.  And dedicated our first born by reading Psalm 116 & Colossians 3" (22).

On Thursday 17 January 1799 he “supt at Dr. Ryland with Mr. Daniel mentioned to the Dr my wish to make a public profession of Religion & join the Church of which he was Pastor” (32). 

On Sunday morning 20 January 1799 James Bicheno preached at Broadmead. 

On Monday 21 January 1799 “Dr Ryland drank tea with us.  My wife had a conversation with him relative to her intention of making a public profession of Religion etc. & I had a second conversation on the same subject” (33). 

On Friday afternoon 25 January 1799 Ash “had another interview with Dr. Ryland.—O that the God of all grace may enable me to adorn the profession I am about to make for I know that without thy aid I can perform no good thing” (34). 

On Monday 28 January he writes:  “Tomorrow Even.  if spared I am with my Dear Wife & Sister to appear before the Church now under the care of Dr. Ryland—to give a reason of the hope that is in us—O gracious GOD assist us to do it with meekness & fear—not in our own strength but thine we wish to go—thou has promised to be with them that love thee at all times we plead thy promise & as we have found it fulfiled again & again in our experience we still confide in it—& now, (as we trust it ever will be) our hope is in Thee” (35).  They officially join after the Church Conference on 29 January 1799. His sister Martha Ash is accepted at the Church Conference on Tuesday Evening 26 February 1799.

[In the Broadmead Records, 1779 to 1817 [Bd/M1/3], we find this entry by John Ryland, Jr.:

Jan. 29. 1799.  Mrs Susannah Ash & her husband Joseph Ash, (youngest son of the late Dr Ash of Pershore) . . . gave a satisfactory Acct of the Work of God upon their Souls, & were accepted” (ff. 185-86).]

By March 1799 he is attending the “prayer meeting, previous to the more public service” at Broadmead on Sunday mornings (45).  He, his wife, and 8 others are baptized by Ryland on Thursday 14 March 1799. Ash writes:

The public service on this occasion was conducted in the following manner.  Dr. Ryland read the 3rd Chapter of Matt. & from the 10th to the 10th verse of the 6th Chapter of Romans.  Preached from Acts 10-47 & 48 “Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?  And he commanded them to be babtized [sic] in the name of the Lord” (47). 

They are all received into the church on Sunday morning the 17th, and for the first time he partakes of the Lord’s Supper at Broadmead.

On Thursday 18 July  he attends the Monthly Lecture at Pithay preached by Ryland on the subject “The Importance of regarding the Divine Word instead of Impressions on the Imagination” (85).  

On most week days Ash records when he leaves “business” (usually around 7) and where he drinks tea and eats supper (often his mother-in-law’s).  On Sunday evenings if he doesn’t attend the meeting he reads a sermon at home (keeping the Sabbath). 

On Monday 5 August 1799 he attends the Monthly Prayer Meeting for the Spread of the Gospel held at Hope Chapel.  He says “the prayer’s were very fervent & particularly refer’d to the mysterious providence of God in permiting [sic] the Ship Duff to be taken by the French.  An event I doubt not (contrary as it may appear to us) will prove to the glory of God & the promosion [sic] of his cause in the world.—O that it may excite in my heart Prayer and Faith” (90). 

At the Conference at Broadmead the following evening, the text was from 2 Cor. 4:5— “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. . . “(90).

On 1 Sept. 1799 Robert Hall is back preaching at Broadmead. That Sunday afternoon he preached from Hosea 14: 18. 

On Thursday 5 September 1799 there was “an illumination on the surrender of the Dutch Fleet to Adml Mitchell” (97). 

Volume 4: 1 October 1799 – 31 December 1800.

On Friday evening Oct. 3, Hall preached at the Tabernacle.  [This is the month when Hall will preach his famous sermon on Infidelity at Lewin’s Mead.]

He notes the death of Samuel Pearce in late October 1799.

On Sunday morning, 15 June 1800, John Foster preached at Broadmead from Amos 4:12 (61). On Sunday afternoon 22 June, he preached again, from Rev. 21:7 (62). On Sunday 29 June, he preached the morning service from Phil 3:21 (63).

On Sunday 20 July 1800, James Bicheno preached at Broadmead. John Foster preached that evening (69). 

On the evening of 12 October 1800, Joseph Hughes preachedn at Broadmead from Luke 7:35 (87). [Apparently the rift between Hughes and Ryland and others at Broadmead had healed by that time.]

Volume 5: 1 January 1801 – 15 July 1802.

On Sunday morning 5 April 1801, Andrew Fuller preached at Broadmead (23).  He preached again that evening, and the next day preached at the monthly prayer meeting and again on Tuesday evening (25).

On 31 July 1801, Ash attends “for the first time the Monthly Meeting of the Book Society at Mr. James’s Wine Street.— (Sale of Books--)” (76).  On Friday 14 August he “attended the Annual Dinner of the Book Society at the Montague Tavern Kingsdown--Mr. Kieth. President—a very comfortable & pleasant meeting.  14  Members present—” (80). It appears that the reading society was meeting at Samuel James’s house on the last Friday night of each month.

On Monday 12 October, he ‘Witnessed a very general & splendid Illumination on account of the Preliminaries of Peace between France & England being ratified, which information arrived here yesterday” ((95).   

Robert Hall preached at Broadmead on Sunday evening, 18 October 1801, on Joshua 24:15. 

On Saturday, 21 November 1801, he writes that he “saw Charles Bragge Esq. enter the City in grand procession & declare himself a candidate to Represent this City in Parliament” (102).  On Monday 23 November, he “saw Mr. Bragge carried on his being reelected M.P for Bristol” (103).  On  Wednesday 7 July 1802, he writes that “Mr. Bragge & Mr. Baillie were Chaired – attended Mr. Baillie in Procession” (144).

Volume 6: 17 March 1803—April 6, 1803; after a long delay, the diary begins again: 16 April 1809-31 December 1815.

On 13 July 1810, his son John (aged 14 months) died (31). 

Mr. Thorpe (Independent minister) is preaching in 1810 at Broadmead occasionally.

Andrew Fuller preached on 17 June 1812 (72). 

On Monday, 25 April 1814, he writes that on the evening he “found the Town quite gay in preparation of an illumination to celebrate the downfall of Buonaparte & a general Peace” (127).  

On Wednesday evening, 25 May 1814, he attends the Book Society at Mr. Biggs (142).

On Tuesday, 21 June 1814, he writes:

 Yesterday the Proclamation of Peace with France was made in the usual forms in London. And this day I witness’d the largest concourse of People I almost ever saw assemble to gather to welcome the arrival of the Mail from London as bringing an [148] account of the transactions of Yesterday in regard to the blessing of Peace.  The Mail met with such Detention by the public expression of congratulation in the  different Towns it passed throught hat it did not arrive at the Bush Inn till past 3 oclock—Four hours & half after its regular time. (147-48)

On Wednesday, 3 August 1814, he attended the annual meeting of the Bristol Education Society.  Joseph Kinghorn of Norwich preached at the meeting (155). 

On 22 July 1815 news arrived of Bonoparte’s surrender to the English (217).

On Sunday morning and evening, 16 July 1815, Robert Hall preached at Broadmead “on behalf of the Baptist Missions—which cause he pleaded with eloquence & zeal & faithfulness and very successfully—the Collection was—£120 (216).  He also preached on Sunday evening 30 July 1815 (218). Ash says that “to have the privilege of hearing Mr. Hall preaching so justly esteemed & eminent for talent & piety; is certainly a great favour & a high gratification” (218). 

His daughter Joanna dies on 31 December 1815, aged 8 (227). 

Volume 7: 1 January 1816 – 30 May 1823.

General Wellington arrives for a Corporation dinner in his honor (15).

On Friday, 24 July 1818, Ash writes:

This day with a select party of Friends took an excurtion[sic] by water to Tintern Abbey, a truly majestic ruin we also viewed Chepstow Castle—the day was very fine & our enjoyments many and I trust we were not unmindful of that almighty Being who while he grants pleasure upholds from danger. Beholding the works of nature & of art we past along in pleasing admiration and return home grateful to God & Man. (35)

On Sunday 16 January 1820 he was in London and visited the Baptist chapel in Battersea to hear Joseph Hughes “preach on the subject of the Christian’s Warfare--dined at Mr. [John?] Dyer’s, return’d to Margaret Street to Tea . . .” (77).

On Saturday,  18 November 1820, Robert Hall preached for the Annual Meeting of the Bristol Auxiliary of the Baptist Missionary Society at King Street.  He also preached on Sunday the 19th at Broadmead, and that afternoon at King Street.  On Monday evening the Reading Society met at the home of Mr. Sherrings, and Hall attended – “it  was a treat indeed” (123). Hall preached again on the 26th and on Tuesday the 28th at Broadmead on behalf of the British and Foreign School Society Collection (124). Hall is back again on 26 December 1821 (178). On 29 September 1822, Hall preached in the morning and Rippon in the afternoon (n.p. leaf). Hall preached for the Bible Society on 8 October 1822 (n.p. leaf).

On 17 November 1822, William Jay of Bath preached the morning service and Ryland in the afternoon at Broadmead.