Our History
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In June 1892, at a church meeting at Montague Street Baptist Church, Blackburn, a committee was appointed for the creation of a new Baptist chapel in Blackburn. A site was purchased in Leamington Street on land formerly used by Blackburn Rovers Football Club and a new building was built and opened in May 1895.
Leamington Street later became Leamington Road and in 1910, the church premises were extended. Seventy men of Leamington Road Baptist Church served in the Great War of 1914 - 1918, of whom seven were killed. Over the succeeding years, Christian work and witness extended through the Sunday School, the Scouting movement and many other activities. The Second World War affected the church also, with five young men losing their lives, but the church's Golden Jubilee in 1945 happily coincided with VE Day. |
Our former church building on Leamington Road
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In the 1970s it was thought that the building would have to be demolished due to extensive dry rot. However, everyone pulled together in prayer and giving, and the ‘new’ church building opened in 1976. In 1995 the church celebrated its centenary with joyful celebrations.
By the early part of the present decade, it became evident that the costs of maintaining a large, mainly Victorian building were likely to be an increasing burden on the church, and the decision was made to put the building on the market. It was sold in late 2013 and for three years after that, the church hired facilities at Pleckgate High School in Blackburn for its Sunday worship, and also used facilities at a number of other venues in different parts of the town for other regular meetings and activities. See this article from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about the move in 2014. The name of the church was changed to ‘Blackburn Baptist Church’ (BBC) reflecting the change in venue.
During the time at Pleckgate, the church kept praying about a more permanent location as a base for its ministry and God graciously answered this prayer towards the end of 2016 through the kindness of another fellowship. This fellowship chose to donate their excellent premises at Bethesdsa Chapel in Galligreaves, near the town centre, to Blackburn Baptist Church in order to build on the outreach they had carried out there over many years. The church started to meet in its new location in early 2017 and is now serving the community there.
Ultimately the life of the church is tied up not in buildings, but in people, and continues, with our reflection that:
By the early part of the present decade, it became evident that the costs of maintaining a large, mainly Victorian building were likely to be an increasing burden on the church, and the decision was made to put the building on the market. It was sold in late 2013 and for three years after that, the church hired facilities at Pleckgate High School in Blackburn for its Sunday worship, and also used facilities at a number of other venues in different parts of the town for other regular meetings and activities. See this article from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about the move in 2014. The name of the church was changed to ‘Blackburn Baptist Church’ (BBC) reflecting the change in venue.
During the time at Pleckgate, the church kept praying about a more permanent location as a base for its ministry and God graciously answered this prayer towards the end of 2016 through the kindness of another fellowship. This fellowship chose to donate their excellent premises at Bethesdsa Chapel in Galligreaves, near the town centre, to Blackburn Baptist Church in order to build on the outreach they had carried out there over many years. The church started to meet in its new location in early 2017 and is now serving the community there.
Ultimately the life of the church is tied up not in buildings, but in people, and continues, with our reflection that:
Christ is the first and the last, his spirit will guide us safe home.
We’ll praise him for all that is past and trust him for all that’s to come.
We’ll praise him for all that is past and trust him for all that’s to come.