90 Years in Hurst Green

At the end of the 19th Century Hurst Green was still a small village although growing in size. The Church of England had opened St Agatha’s in 1895 and they were preparing to build St John’s which would be completed in 1912.

For the non-conformists Pains Hill Chapel had been opened by the Surrey Congregational Union in 1893. Some families from Hurst Green would walk there on a Sunday for the services which would include open school in the afternoon.  Taking their lunch and lanterns for the way home they would spend the day there. Miss Dora Pointer would look after them making tea for them on the open vestry fire.

In 1912 Mr. & Mrs.Morphew came to live in Ice House Wood and took over the leadership of Pains Hill Chapel.  Mrs. Morphew was the founder of the Surrey Prayer Circle and during this time a great deal of prayer, evangelism and visiting took place. During the week there were four prayer meetings held as well as weekly cottage meetings for prayer and bible study in Holland and the surrounding areas. Open air meetings were a regular feature and weekly meetings were held at Plumbers Corner, Limpsfield, Holland, Lower Holland, Hurst Green, Mill Lane, Broadham Green and Oxted Station.  In addition tent meetings were held in Holland, Tanhouse Meadow, Broadham Green and Master Park.

	Miss Dora Pointer often spoke of the need for a chapel to serve the growing community of Hurst Green. At about this time Mr. & Mrs. Crittall had moved to Mill Lane, Hurst Green and saw the need for a Sunday School  in their neighbourhood and so started one in their kitchen.  The need for this was shown by the way the numbers increased until both of their rooms were full.
Blackman’s Laundry c1955  Copyright the Francis Frith Collection

Mr. Ryde, who had now taken over at Pains Hill Chapel, was asked to hold a Sunday Service somewhere in the Hurst Green.  

He was able to secure the laundry mess room at Blackman’s laundry on what is now Halsland Way and started Sunday evening services there sharing the duties with Mr. R Gurr.  

It was not considered safe to hold children’s meetings in the laundry because of the stables, water tanks and vans and so meetings continued at Mr. & Mrs. Critall’s home. 

When Mr. & Mrs. Critall had to move there was concern about how the work could continue.  

Opposite the laundry Mr. Blackman had erected two rows of cottages for his workers but there was still a plot of land between them. 

In 1922 Mr. Ryde was able to rent this for one shilling per year. It probably had been the intention to infill this with more cottages as the end of number 79 has the chimneys in place for another cottage. 

An ex-army hut was purchased and erected on this land and the Gospel Mission Hall came into being. Utilities were not available and so there was neither water, electricity nor gas and those who attended the services had to walk over on wet grass to get there. 

To clean the new Church the poor cleaners were allowed what they called "lovely" buckets of hot water with plenty of soap in it, which they had to carry over the Green from the Laundry.

The first service was held on 16th November 1922. Mrs. Gardener had taken over the Sunday School work, which was now on a Saturday morning, from Mr. & Mrs Critall
		Harvest Festival c1923
and this moved to the new hall.  In addition a meeting for prayer and bible study was held once a week and the open air meetings continued. In time a clinker path was laid over the green to allow better access. In 1939 the attendees at the Church wanted to establish the Church on a more permanent basis and the piece of land which covered part of what is now Meldrum Close was bought from Mr. Blackman for £300. To provide trustees for this and to provide the outside support that was needed the Hall joined The Friends Evangelistic Band (FEB) and ownership of the land was vested in them. After World War 2 the Church wanted to continue to grow and appointed its first full time pastor, Mr. Stanley Edwards and his wife Betty, in 1950. As there was no house available Mr. & Mrs. Edwards lived in a gipsy caravan on the land while a manse was built (this is the cedar shingle part of the current manse).

	By this stage the ex-army hut also needed replacing and the land which is now part of Meldrum Close was sold and the new Church building was opened on 1st August 1955.  The new building had utilities and gifts were given
The Manse c1955  Copyright the Francis Frith Collection
so that the baptistery and a new electric organ could be included. During Mr. Edwards time at the Church thirteen regular weekly meetings were held including seven for young people. In addition a monthly half day of prayer was held and ad hoc meetings such as coffee mornings. In 1964 Mrs. Edwards died and in 1966 Mr. Edwards retired and Mr. & Mrs. Richard Empsall came from an FEB Church in Braintree, Essex. The Manse was not big enough for them and their three children, David, Andy and Ruth, and so it was extended to provide extra rooms and an improved bathroom.

During their eleven years of ministry the Church continued to grow and the Sunday School, which was held in the extended manse, needed more room. After nearly ten years of planning the existing rear hall was constructed to  provide room for this as
	Children's Work
well as other activities in the growing community. When Mr. & Mrs. Empsall retired in January 1978 Mr. Stephen Swan, who was a deacon of the Church, took over with his wife Pauline until April 1982. Derry and Wendy Sullivan arrived in September 1982 with the gap having been covered by one of the Deacons, Mr. Andy Empsall the son of Mr. & Mrs. Empsall. During this period the two buildings were linked with the existing kitchen and corridor.

		When the Sullivan’s left in September 1987 Mr. Andy Empsall again stood in until the appointment of Alan and Gill Bass in the spring of 1988. During this time there was much emphasis on
Youth Bus 1999		the work with the children
and young people.  This included weekly activities, outings and holiday clubs which are still remembered fondly by many in the village who were either participants or parents of participants.  In addition there were evangelistic events including BBQ’s and garden parties.

At the end of 2003 after suffering illness Alan and Gill resigned and the Church entered an inter-regnum. The six remaining members of the Church considered the future and decided that three things had to be maintained
	BBQ in the Manse Garden
while they looked for a new Pastor. There would be a Sunday meeting, there would be a mid week bible study and there would be a mid week pray meeting.  This maintained the foundation of prayer on which the Church had been started,

In the summer of 2006 the current pastors, Steven and Margaret Cox, were appointed and the work of the Church could be developed.  Since then the Church has continued to grow and as a church we now undertake many activities including:

Continuing the three main meetings of Sunday, a bible study and a prayer meeting.   Working as part of Churches Together in Oxted and District.  This includes the Easter Walk of Witness and the joint Lent courses
	Harvest Festival 2012
Annual events including a Passover meal open to everyone and carol singing in Morrison’s. Using our buildings to support community activities including the Busy Bees nursery and various mother and toddler meetings.  Working with the local schools to provide assemblies and visits to the Church. This includes Christingles and providing an Easter Garden to the infant school.  Monthly services in various Old Peoples Homes.

	As we look to the future, we are excited about what God is doing in our community and church and we seek his guidance about how our ministry will expand.   It is likely that soon the Church will become an independent charity and we continue to explore what that will mean.
A Passover Meal
We thank God for these 90 years and look forward to continuing to serve him in our community.