Rugby Meeting House Centenary 1909 - 2009
A Slice of Bournville in the Heart of Rugby by Nick Matthews
On October 19th 1909, the Rugby Advertiser reported that, "a Mrs WM Darby, of Birmingham, formally opened a new Friends Meeting House, which will be available for Adult School purposes." The paper liked the new building. "The new Meeting House is of a pleasing design, and reflects much credit upon the architect, Mr H Bedford Tylor of Bournville."
The aspiration to a permanent Quaker home in Rugby began in 1904 when Warwickshire North Monthly Meeting established a committee to take such action as might be deemed advisable. Two years later the Advertiser reported on "an Interesting Meeting at Rugby, present included Rendel Harris & A Neave Brayshaw (both of Woodbrooke), Wm Noble (Warwick), Caroline Cadbury (Birmingham), David Mort (Friends Tract Society Birmingham) and Mrs Adams and Mr Daffern (Coventry). At seven o'clock a public meeting was held. It began with the singing of 'Soldiers of Christ Arise' but in keeping with the custom of Friends there was no pre-arranged programme. Rendel Harris explained that they were not there on that night on a sheep stealing expedition."
They were right to be tentative there is little evidence of any significant Quaker activity in Rugby prior to the twentieth century. It was only in 1907 that Rugby Friends felt confident enough to form a Preparative Meeting. The first recorded Quaker funeral was not until 1908 (and the first wedding not until 1934). Just two years later on the 7th March 1909 a report went to Monthly Meeting outlining the plan for a building and appealing for funds.
Naturally a fundraising committee was set up and it contained some illustrious (and wealthy) Quaker names. There was a Cadbury and a Darby, a Lloyd (of Lloyds bank), an Albright and a Wilson (of the famous Oldbury chemical firm) as well as Rendell Harris. On March 9th, land was acquired, by May 11th an initial £750 had been raised and by June 12th plans were submitted by H. Bedford Tyler of Bournville Estates for a Meeting House to Rugby Council. On the 12th of October the meeting heard that the building would be ready for worship on the 16th. For Quakers that must have been a heady pace of activity. Rugby Friends owe Warwickshire Friends a debt of gratitude for their generosity as only £40 of the total cost of around £1000 cost was raised in Rugby. Further costs were hidden as the architect took a design off the Bournville drawing board and transplanted it into Rugby.
Rugby Friends have been celebrating the centenary throughout 2009 and there will be two events to mark the occasion in October.
On Friday 23rd October at 7.30pm there will be an illustrated talk on the links between Rugby Friends Meeting House in Regent Place, Rugby and Bournville. The main speaker will be Alan Shripton formerly Director of Estates at Bournville.
On Sunday 25th October there will be a centenary meeting for worship beginning at the usual time of 10.45am.
Any Friends who would like to attend would be most welcome.
Friends do not always rush about at such a frenetic pace. On 7th November 1909 the question was raised as to what should be done about the land behind the meeting house. A decision has not yet been taken.
Page last updated: 19th October 2009