Wheeler Street Congregational Church
Wheeler Street and Park Road Congregational Churches joined together in a joint pastorate in 1962 and then moved forward as one fellowship to build a new church in South Aston in 1973. But the history of Wheeler Street goes back to 1832.
In that year a Mr. Benjamin Millichamp, who owned a piece of land on the corner of Wheeler street and Lozells Road, decided that a Sunday School was needed for the area. He was a member of Carrs Lane Congregational church which was and still is located in Birmingham City centre. The Sunday School thrived and in 1838 work started on building a church on the Wheeler Street site. The building was opened for
worship in May 1839 and a formal Congregational membership established in
February 1840.
By 1860 the congregation had outgrown the original church and it was decided to build a lager one. The chosen design featured an oval plan that accommodated over 1000 people. There was seating on the ground floor and two galleries. The minister at that time was the Rev. J. T. Feaston. He must have come from a wealthy family because it is recorded that he gave a considerable sum towards the building of the new church as well as paying for an infants day school at the newly opened Gower Street School. He retired from the pastorate in 1867.
In 1886 an organ was installed in the new church. The original church had remained and was used as an assembly room. It was referred to as the ‘Lecture Hall’;it was to feature significantly in the church’s life in later years as we shall read. In the early years of the twentieth century the Lozells Picture House was built on the ground formerly occupied by Mr. Millichip’s house. During an extensive refurbishment of the main church both the lecture hall and the cinema were used for church services.
In 1932 the centenary of the founding of the original Sunday School was celebrated by the holding of a four day ‘Old English Fayre’. Queen Mary sent a gift to the Church. During the 20’s and 30’s the Sunday school averaged attendances of 600 scholars.
The advent of war in 1939 was to have a dramatic affect on the church. Firstly, as in WW1 in 1914, many of the Church’s young men were called up into the armed forces. Specific precautions had to be taken with respect to air raids. However, these precautions did not prevent the main church being severely damaged when a bomb made a direct hit on the neighbouring Lozells Picture House killing the manager who was on fire watch duty. It is worth noting that the first ever outside radio broadcast was of an organ recital, performed by a Mr. Newton, from the Picture House.
The large building was never used as a church again. Initially it was use as a warehouse by the Ministry of Works. The Lecture Hall was let to the Theatre Royal as a stage scenery depository. The Wheeler Street membership was not able to use any part of the premises for nearly six years. In the meantime the members met at
St. Georges Church , Heathfield Rd., Handsworth. They were able to keep their own identity and in 1947 a decision was taken to start recovering the site in Wheeler St. The first service was held in the ‘Ladies Room’ in September that year.
The Lecture Hall, which was the original church, was re commissioned during 1948 and gradually the church began to get back to normal, although a full restoration was not possible until 1956.
Inevitably, the glories of former years were never to be fully recovered. As
with the majority of inner city churches, membership was falling as the
indigenous people moved to the outer suburbs of the city and were replaced, in
the main, by people of other faiths.
Ministers moving on has always been a natural feature of the free church and although never easy the communities learn to live with it. In 1959 the Rev. Dennis Ferguson resigned from the pastorate and the Deacons asked the advice of the moderator, Dr. W. J. Coggan, as to the chances of obtaining a suitable replacement. Park Road Congregational Church, less than two miles away from Wheeler St., was in a similar position. Dr. Coggan suggested that the two churches should consider
sharing a minister. The two churches agreed that this was the right way forward
and the Rev. Harold Stentiford was appointed to the position. He was ideal for
the job and the two churches prospered, albeit against a background of constant
change and deterioration of the respective neighbourhoods.
The rest, as they say, is history
as recorded on this site’s ‘About Us’ page.
The Aston Villa connection: -
A snippet taken from 'The Inspirational William McGregor, by Peter Lupson and John Lerwill.
William McGregor died in 1911 aged 65. He was a committed Christian and was widely respected for his honesty and integrity. The Reverend W.G. Percival, a pastor at Wheeler Street Congregational Church where McGregor worshipped for over 40 years, said at McGregor’s funeral service that the best thing about him “was not so much the genial, kindly, honest sportsman, but it was the Christian behind it all”. He
described him as “ a man of absolutely unblemished personal character.”
William McGregor was a founding member of Aston Villa F.C. and of the Football Association.
Wheeler Street and Park Road Congregational Churches joined together in a joint pastorate in 1962 and then moved forward as one fellowship to build a new church in South Aston in 1973. But the history of Wheeler Street goes back to 1832.
In that year a Mr. Benjamin Millichamp, who owned a piece of land on the corner of Wheeler street and Lozells Road, decided that a Sunday School was needed for the area. He was a member of Carrs Lane Congregational church which was and still is located in Birmingham City centre. The Sunday School thrived and in 1838 work started on building a church on the Wheeler Street site. The building was opened for
worship in May 1839 and a formal Congregational membership established in
February 1840.
By 1860 the congregation had outgrown the original church and it was decided to build a lager one. The chosen design featured an oval plan that accommodated over 1000 people. There was seating on the ground floor and two galleries. The minister at that time was the Rev. J. T. Feaston. He must have come from a wealthy family because it is recorded that he gave a considerable sum towards the building of the new church as well as paying for an infants day school at the newly opened Gower Street School. He retired from the pastorate in 1867.
In 1886 an organ was installed in the new church. The original church had remained and was used as an assembly room. It was referred to as the ‘Lecture Hall’;it was to feature significantly in the church’s life in later years as we shall read. In the early years of the twentieth century the Lozells Picture House was built on the ground formerly occupied by Mr. Millichip’s house. During an extensive refurbishment of the main church both the lecture hall and the cinema were used for church services.
In 1932 the centenary of the founding of the original Sunday School was celebrated by the holding of a four day ‘Old English Fayre’. Queen Mary sent a gift to the Church. During the 20’s and 30’s the Sunday school averaged attendances of 600 scholars.
The advent of war in 1939 was to have a dramatic affect on the church. Firstly, as in WW1 in 1914, many of the Church’s young men were called up into the armed forces. Specific precautions had to be taken with respect to air raids. However, these precautions did not prevent the main church being severely damaged when a bomb made a direct hit on the neighbouring Lozells Picture House killing the manager who was on fire watch duty. It is worth noting that the first ever outside radio broadcast was of an organ recital, performed by a Mr. Newton, from the Picture House.
The large building was never used as a church again. Initially it was use as a warehouse by the Ministry of Works. The Lecture Hall was let to the Theatre Royal as a stage scenery depository. The Wheeler Street membership was not able to use any part of the premises for nearly six years. In the meantime the members met at
St. Georges Church , Heathfield Rd., Handsworth. They were able to keep their own identity and in 1947 a decision was taken to start recovering the site in Wheeler St. The first service was held in the ‘Ladies Room’ in September that year.
The Lecture Hall, which was the original church, was re commissioned during 1948 and gradually the church began to get back to normal, although a full restoration was not possible until 1956.
Inevitably, the glories of former years were never to be fully recovered. As
with the majority of inner city churches, membership was falling as the
indigenous people moved to the outer suburbs of the city and were replaced, in
the main, by people of other faiths.
Ministers moving on has always been a natural feature of the free church and although never easy the communities learn to live with it. In 1959 the Rev. Dennis Ferguson resigned from the pastorate and the Deacons asked the advice of the moderator, Dr. W. J. Coggan, as to the chances of obtaining a suitable replacement. Park Road Congregational Church, less than two miles away from Wheeler St., was in a similar position. Dr. Coggan suggested that the two churches should consider
sharing a minister. The two churches agreed that this was the right way forward
and the Rev. Harold Stentiford was appointed to the position. He was ideal for
the job and the two churches prospered, albeit against a background of constant
change and deterioration of the respective neighbourhoods.
The rest, as they say, is history
as recorded on this site’s ‘About Us’ page.
The Aston Villa connection: -
A snippet taken from 'The Inspirational William McGregor, by Peter Lupson and John Lerwill.
William McGregor died in 1911 aged 65. He was a committed Christian and was widely respected for his honesty and integrity. The Reverend W.G. Percival, a pastor at Wheeler Street Congregational Church where McGregor worshipped for over 40 years, said at McGregor’s funeral service that the best thing about him “was not so much the genial, kindly, honest sportsman, but it was the Christian behind it all”. He
described him as “ a man of absolutely unblemished personal character.”
William McGregor was a founding member of Aston Villa F.C. and of the Football Association.
