Early 20th Century

As Coventry grew, the church - now led by William Henderson - grew too. He had worked as an evangelist after his conversion to Christ, and the church moved its worship services to the present building in Queen's Road in 1884. (The document which amounts to being the founding document of the new Chapel and other facilities is available to view by clicking here).

A deacon who was also a builder, John Worwood, saw to the new chapel - with its moveable central pulpit, gallery, 800 seats, and tower... the organ came later! Henderson, and three of his successors, went on to teach theology in various colleges, while Queen's Road attracted people prominent in Coventry industries (watch-making, silk-weaving, and so on).

The church continued to be popular! There are people in the church now who still remember the need to put extra chairs in the aisles on Sunday evenings in the 1920s; and in 1936 Queens Road established a church plant in Hearsall.

The minister from 1931 to 1943, Ingli James , influenced many young people to live out their faith in Christ in a concern for the needy, in renouncing war and a narrow patriotism, and in campaigning for political programmes of social justice and welfare (the heritage of this time is still with us in the church's present concerns for issues of peace and justice). During the Depression, the church used and funded a nearby house as a centre for the unemployed. A significant number of members were conscientious objectors when wartime conscription came.

Founding doc.for Queens Road