North Midland Presbyterian and Unitarian Association
The Association grew out of the annual meetings of Presbyterian ministers of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and South Yorkshire, established in 1798. In 1802 the meetings were expanded to include lay people. The churches attending the Association were usually called ‘Presbyterian’ until the mid-19th century, but were independent congregations which later accepted Unitarian tenets. The association is still in existence, under the name East Midland Unitarians.
Records
Early minutes of meetings of the Presbyterian ministers of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and South Yorkshire, 1798-1856, are in the High Pavement Collection at The University of Nottingham (Hi V 21).
Other records of the North Midland Presbyterian and Unitarian Association are also held at The University of Nottingham in a separate collection (CP). The collection contains accounts, minutes, correspondence and annual reports of the Association dating back to 1834, and also a series of printed books and pamphlets relating to Unitarianism. There are also minutes and annual reports relating to the North Midland Sunday School Association.
The collection also includes documents relating to individual Unitarian churches in the region, as follows:
- Belper (CP/A 2/1, CP A/2/2)
- Boston (CP/A/2/2, CP V 5/13)
- Coalville (CP/A 2/1, CP A/2/2, CP V 5/13)
- Derby [Friar Gate] (CP/A 2/1, CP A 2/2, CP V 5/13)
- Flagg Chapel, Derbyshire (CP/X/6)
- Free Christian Church, Newark (CP A 2/1, CP A 2/2, CP M 6/1, CP V 5/13, CP/X/4)
- Gainsborough (CP/A/2/2)
- Hinckley Great Meeting (CP/A 2/1, CP V 5/13)
- Ilkeston (CP/A 2/1, CP A/2/2, CP/D/1)
- Kirkstead Woodhall Spa, Yorkshire (CP/A/2/2, CP/X/7)
- Leicester [Narborough Road] (CP/A 2/1, CP A/2/2, CP V 5/13)
- Leicester Great Meeting (CP V 5/13)
- Lincoln (CP/A/2/2, CP V 5/13)
- Loughborough [Victoria Street Free Church] (CP/A 2/1, CP/C/2/2)
- Mottram, Cheshire (CP V 5/13)
- Northampton [Kettering Road] (CP V 5/13)
- Nottingham [Christ Church, Peas Hill] (CP/A 2/1, CP/C/2/2) – see also material in the High Pavement Collection (Hi Z)
- Scarborough, Yorkshire (CP V 5/13)
- Whitby, Yorkshire [Flowergate old Chapel] (CP/C/2/3)
Further Reading
Bolam, Charles Gordon. Three hundred years, 1662-1962 : the story of the churches forming the North Midland Presbyterian and Unitarian Association (London : s.n., 1962; Nottingham : Derry and Sons) [King’s Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Pamphlet Em. M73 BOL
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