Report: 21st Feb 2013 - The Dissenting Churches of Canterbury
HBM
At our latest meeting Ian Moat gave us a very informative talk on the “Dissenting Churches in Canterbury”.
He covered the history of the growth of the non-conformist church movement in Canterbury which included Baptists, Congregationalists, Countess of Huntingdon, Methodists, Presbyterian, Quakers and Salvation Army.
He also covered the background of the Jewish and Huguenot communities who settled in Canterbury over the centuries. He explained that his interest had grown from his own family's connection with the Plymouth Brethren chapel in Sturry where his great-grandfather, grandfather and father had all been preachers in the past.
One of the interesting stories was the story of Robert Cushman who was an apprentice grocer living in Canterbury in 1611 and questioning the teachings of the established church was imprisoned and excommunicated. After his release he went across to Leiden in Holland from where he established a separatist community with himself and John Carver as Elders. Finally in 1620 he sailed to England on the Speedwell meeting with the pilgrims on the Mayflower who were ready to sail to Virginia to start a new life free from the restrictive religious edicts of England. He served as agent of the New Plymouth Colony and representative of the colony with the company of Merchant Adventurers of London until he died in the spring of 1625.
David Birch, Chair, thanked Ian for his very illuminating talk with fascinating local and national history connections.
He announced that an extra feature of the next meeting would be the launch of the latest society's publication "Will Scott and Herne Bay" He said that both Kay Steventon and Judith Ford the authors, would be attending to explain the background of their researches. The main speaker for the meeting on Thursday March 7th at the Herne Bay United Church Hall, High Street, would be Anthea Bryant appropriately speaking on "Authors and Artists of the South East" starting at 7pm. Doors open at 6.30pm and visitors are most welcome at £2 members are free. For more information contact 01227 362666.
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