Midland Churches: A History of the Congregations on - General ...

merchant ; John Williscr<strong>of</strong>t, hatter ; John Richards, butcher ; George Talbot
Gibson, bank cashier ; William Bodin, plumber and painter ; William
Summerhill, glass cutter ; James Whyte, insurance agent ; William Halkin
Nightingale, iron merchant ; William Henry Child, deputy town clerk ;
Charles Timings Finch, range knob manufacturer ; Edward Harper, <strong>the</strong>
younger, merchant's clerk, all <strong>of</strong> Dudley ; John Whitehouse, solicitor, <strong>of</strong>
Tipton ; and Henry Hughes, ironmaster, <strong>of</strong> Sedgley.
DUDLEY BOOK SOCIETY.
Intimately bound up with <strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting is that <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Dudley Book Society, which emanated from it. Mr. Joseph Ridgway,
in his interesting article on <strong>the</strong> Book Society's history," says that <strong>the</strong> exact
date <strong>of</strong> its origin, and how it was brought about, are matters mostly <strong>of</strong>
deduction from <strong>the</strong> following train <strong>of</strong> reasoning :-As our forefa<strong>the</strong>rs had
<strong>the</strong>ir social evenings at <strong>the</strong> most respectable hostelry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> towns in which
<strong>the</strong>y resided-among kindred spirits-so we find Dudley no exception.
The chief tradesmen <strong>of</strong> that time met at <strong>the</strong> Saracen's Head, at least <strong>the</strong>
nonconforming portion, where <strong>the</strong>y smoked <strong>the</strong>ir pipes over a quiet tankard
<strong>of</strong> home-brewed ; talking over <strong>the</strong> events <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day, business, politics,
and religion. It was in such a region and under such circumstances that
this society germed. This conjecture bears strong confirmation from <strong>the</strong>
fact that from <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> this century-<strong>the</strong> nineteenth-to <strong>the</strong> present
day this society has been located in <strong>the</strong> hotel mentioned, with only some
small interims-one at <strong>the</strong> Dudley Arms and again at <strong>the</strong> Bush I-Iotel.
Their meetings were monthly. Of <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> this society, it may be coeval
with <strong>the</strong> Baylies's family. Why we may be allowed to think so is this :
in <strong>the</strong> first decade <strong>of</strong> this century it flourished as a society that had
existed a long time before. The ministers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting have gener-.
ally been presidents. The society, however, is not a close one, it has
received into its company most sorts and conditions <strong>of</strong> men. The circu-
lation list <strong>of</strong> members comprehends every shade <strong>of</strong> creed and politics. In
that cosy meeting room <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society many schemes for <strong>the</strong> advancement
<strong>of</strong> education, reforms-municipal and parliamentary-have been hatched.
Church rates were opposed and some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> members suffered <strong>the</strong>ir goods
"Dudley Herald, 15 October, 1898.
to be sold on principle. The change in <strong>the</strong> representation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> borough
was effected through <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> Mr. H. B. Sheridan. The Mechanics'
Institute was floated in premises once occupied by Mr. John Finch, merchant,
who gave to <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting its silver communioil chalices. The library
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting was lent as a nucleus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present library; and on
<strong>the</strong> School Board and in <strong>the</strong> Council Chamber members have done much
honourable work.
Its secretaries in <strong>the</strong> nineteenth century include-Mr. Wm. Maurice,
elected at <strong>the</strong> annual dinner in 1805 ; Mr. Joseph Pitchfork, elected in 1836 ;
<strong>the</strong> late town clerk, Mr. W. H. Brooke, 1856-1860 ; Mr. Joseph Ridgway,
1860-1892 ; and Mr. H. A. Lewis, <strong>the</strong> present master <strong>of</strong> Baylies's Charity
School. The health <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society has been well maintained through <strong>the</strong>
century, and shows no signs <strong>of</strong> age nor decadence. Its membership has
been maintained-circling round twenty. More members have been tried,
but <strong>the</strong> books were too long in circulating. Floreat !
THE DUDLEY DOUBLE LECTURE.
The late James Scott, minister, Park Lane Chapel, Cradley, (p.v.),
1789-1827, says, in his illS. history <strong>of</strong> that society, TAe Rev. J. WiGlets
preached in <strong>the</strong> dzouse <strong>of</strong> &IT. Jos. Smith, situated on <strong>the</strong> tz~r@iit.e road kading to
~.t'oZverhal~@to~z [fro;l?z Dudley]. Here a replar society wns fomted; and <strong>the</strong>
ejected nzinisters in <strong>the</strong> ne~hbourhood agreed to preach a double lecture on Whitsun
Tz~esday, which, after <strong>the</strong> re??zoval <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society to <strong>the</strong> Chapel ziz Dz~diey, has been
ever since conti?zued <strong>the</strong>re."
In <strong>the</strong> original minute book (now in keeping <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> secretary for <strong>the</strong>
time being <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Monthly Meeting <strong>of</strong> Protestant Dissenting Ministers <strong>of</strong>
Warwickshire and neighbouring Counties, established 1782) <strong>the</strong>re is this
note on p. 4 : -"lj~d that <strong>the</strong> Dudley Double Lectz~re took place i?npnediate&
after, and in colzsepueitzce <strong>of</strong>; <strong>the</strong> Act <strong>of</strong> Confor~nity being passed, i.e., 1662. That
it atas established by <strong>the</strong> ejected ;r;lzi?zisters <strong>of</strong> Dt~riley [no minister was ejected
from Dudley] and <strong>the</strong> neighboz~rhood in contnze;lltoration <strong>of</strong> that event, and with
<strong>the</strong> view <strong>of</strong> nzairztaini7zg nnd extending <strong>the</strong> pri~zc@les <strong>of</strong> dissefzt. We have no
account <strong>of</strong> milzutes beJo~pe 1723, but I have ascertnined <strong>the</strong> folloz~ing-1723, 4'758,
1769, 1770, 1773."-J [ohn] P [alnier].