'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son'
Our Church History
Luke 12 v32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”
Church History Braunstone EFC
Introduction
We have recently started gathering information with regards to our local Church history (Braunstone Evangelical Free Church). Whilst it’s difficult to gather this information owing to the fact that most of the original founders of this work are now with the Lord and not many records were kept other than Church meeting minutes, we are fortunate however to have a few of the originals remaining with us. Hopefully we will be able to glean as much information as possible from their earliest memories.
This is by no means a definitive history of our Church (Braunstone Evangelical Free Church) but it is a start and we hope to build on this in the coming months and years.
We do know that, at this present time (2019) all who have held the Pastorate at the church are still with us, with most living in Leicester, and one in the USA. Hopefully we can contact these men to gain information about our church.
Church History
Braunstone Evangelical Free Church (BEFC) was formed in 1949 but not under the name (BEFC). It was originally started as a youth work on the Braunstone estate at Bendbow Rise Infant’s school. The work was originally called The United Braunstone Christian Fellowship for Youth. We believe that the original founder of the work was
Mr George Humphries.
1950s saw the formation of a Sunday school and the name, The United Braunstone Christian Fellowship for Youth was still being used. even for the Sunday school.
Fact
Leicester General Hospital opened in 1905 but went under the name North Evington Infirmary.
Fact
In 1926 the Leicester Guildhall was opened as a museum. The Great Hall itself was built in about 1390 as a meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi, a small but powerful group of businessmen and gentry.
Fact
2 September – film The Third Man, with screenplay by Graham Greene, released. The film wins the 1949 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1999, the British Film Institute voted The Third Man the greatest British film of all time.
Fact
28 March 1949 astronomer Fred Hoyle coins the term Big Bang during a BBC Third Programme radio broadcast.
Fact
The best news of all, well, there was a big bang in Braunstone.1949 saw the formation of what is today known as Braunstone Evangelical Free church. The work started as a youth work at Bendbow Rise infant school, the original founders being George Humphries, Harold Cashmore and others. The work developed from a youth group at
Bendbow Rise infant’s school to Sunday school, services also being held at Cort Cresent community centre and finally to the church we have today in Didsbury Street.
Our Location
The Braunstone estate is a Leicester City council housing estate and was built after the Second World War to house returning service people and to provide much needed housing for the expanding population of Leicester. Many people were living in dreadful conditions in dilapidated Victorian housing: a large slum clearance of the centre of Leicester moved families up to new estates on the outskirts of the city like Braunstone. Braunstone folk came largely from the Wharf Street part of town and brought their strong sense of community with them.
In 1925 the Leicester Corporation made a compulsorily purchase of the bulk of land owned by the Winstanleys Braunstone Hall estate for £116,500.
The Braunstone estate is separated into two parts (North Braunstone, South Braunstone) by a large park known as Braunstone Park. The park contains the original Braunstone Hall and is set in 168 acres of parkland also containing two lakes (originally just one lake, the second lake was added in the 1970s as part of a flood relief system). Today the Hall is used as a hotel and wedding reception venue; it was originally the residence of the Winstanley family, later becoming a junior school. When the school closed in 1996 it stood for many years in a derelict condition but thankfully now restored. During the Second World War American forces were stationed on the park (American 82nd Airborne Division).
Our Church is situated on the North Braunstone estate quite close to the Braunstone Park. We are situated in the middle of Didsbury Street, on the right-hand side if you enter Didsbury Street from Bendbow Rise and left-hand side if you enter from Gallards Hill.
https://www.braunstoneefc.co.uk/our-location
Photo above shows the Sunday School held at Bendbow Rise infants school early fifties. Names that we know on this image are:
Mr H Cashmore, Mrs Hartwell affectionately know as Gran, Mr Phil Denton, Mr Alan Mee and Sheila Mee
Mrs Marion Punter and could that be a very young Josie Goodwin.
Mr John Punter outside Bendbow Rise school with one of the Sunday school classes, possibly 1950s.
Mr George Popple
Bendbow Rise school caretaker retired in the 1970s.
Witness Statement
We thank Mrs Marion Punter who joined the work at Braunstone in 1949 and has kindly written a short statement of her early memories.
Memories by Marion Punter
(Emphasis added)
The work in Braunstone started off as a youth centre, Mr George Humphries being the chief instigator. Miss Bailey was employed as warden over it, (No information on Miss Bailey at present time) I was invited by Mr Humphries as a new Christian to go over and support in activities there, I was twenty years old at the time.
As young people came along and younger children, it was decided to run a Sunday school. I was one of the first teachers and Mr Matthews of Braunstone Avenue Hall Church was our first Sunday school superintendent. He was there about two years establishing the work for us.
As more youngsters came along we needed more teachers. Sheila (Holmes) at that time (Later became Sheila Mee) came along and also Eileen Marlow etc after Mr Matthews left. Mr Hanson took over for a while then Mr Harold Cashmore.
We started to collect money for the building fund for a Church, as God gave us a vision for this. We had a special dedication of the land behind the Cort Crescent Community Centre which had been granted to us and we moved from having meetings in the Bendbow Rise school to Cort Crescent Community Centre which was a bigger premises for us.
We now felt it was time to start the building, for our Church funds had come in quite a bit. At the dedication of the land, we had a promise from the Lord given by Pastor Harry Sutton who was a very valuable supporter of our work, which was, Luke 12 v32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” (date could have been 1961/62. The land behind the Community centre was eventually purchased by the Church at the coast of £1,630. Phase one of the building program commenced approximately 1961/62)
We had several special meetings from time to time and invited different speakers. Ken Terhoven a South African missionary was one, a really anointed man and God used him. We had many more join the Church including my future Husband John Punter.
Philip Denton worked with him and John brought him along and he got saved.
Frank Ball from Carley Street Church came along to join us; he formed a boy Covenanters class. He helped with the building work and was a valuable asset; he began to run camps regularly most years for the boys. Frank did most of the cooking with my friend Rita Orton at the first camp.
We then formed a Diaconate and Frank became an Elder. Also my brother David Wesley who came not long after Frank and Betty who had recently married. David also had recently got married to Sheila who of course came along. Sheila Holmes and I were appointed Deaconesses and I was made minute’s secretary at the Elders meetings. Betty Ball became leader of the girl Covenanters with Josie (Josie Goodwin) a former pupil at the Sunday school. I led the junior girl Covenanters with Adelaide Monteith.
As time went by our building went up stage by stage and great was our rejoicing when our Church was dedicated and stands to the glory of God and His great faithfulness.
We held baptisms and our first wedding was between Peter and Sarah Dean (March 1975 in phase two building), the second wedding at the Church was between Tom Parker and Jane Ball, October 1975.
Bethel Free Church in Wigston provided many speakers for us and I believe today they provide input and much support to the Church.
I forgot to mention that as the numbers in the Church began to grow we invited Brian Davis to be our first Pastor. He stayed for a short time and then we invited Peter Swan to be our Pastor. He was with us a few years. Adrian Underwood became our next Pastor and he stayed some time.
By Marion Punter
Pastor Harry Sutton who was a very valuable supporter of our work.
Rev Peter Swan at the first wedding performed at the church between Peter and Sarah Dean.
The church was not licensed for marriage so a registrar had to be present at this wedding. The registrar took no part in the ceremony other than signing the marriage certificate at the end of the service. 22nd March 1975
The second wedding at the church was between Tom and Jane Parker.
Jane originally Jane Ball, Jane’s Father Frank Ball can be seen leading her to the church. October 1975. Service also performed by the Rev Peter Swan.
List of Pastors who have served at Braunstone Evangelical Free Church
Pastor Brian Davis September 16th, 1962, Induction 13th October 1962. Left June 21st, 1967
Pastor Peter Swan 1967-1975? Induction service September 13th, 1967
Pastor Adrian Underwood 1976-1977/78, Induction 11th December 1976
Pastor Alan Stenfalt 1985-88
Pastor Terry Martin 1989-1995
Pastor Peter Allen, September 1996 to present, Induction September 28th, 1996.
Pastor Peter Allen present Pastor at Braunstone EFC.
Pete came to the church with his wife Dawn and children initially to help out when the church was at a very low ebb. Eventually becoming Pastor in 1996.
Early years, what went on and who was there?
It is evident from Marion’s statement that the work started as a youth work (The United Braunstone Christian Fellowship for Youth) and not as a Church, but it could have been the intention of the original founders that one day a church could be established as indeed it has been.
We know from Marion’s statement that a Sunday school was started very early on in the work. Also The boy/girl Covenanters were in existence at this time but have no exact date for their start at the present time.
Our earliest records are dated 1954 and these are in the form of meeting minutes for what was known at the time as a management committee. There are no records at this time of Elders or Deacons.
The following is a list of names that were on the management committee for The United Christian Fellowship for Youth, taken from the minutes of a meeting held in November 1954.
Mr George Humphries
Mr Harold Cashmore
Mrs Hartwell (often referred to as Gran Hartwell)
Mr Frank Ball 1952
Mrs Betty Ball 1952
Miss Sheila Holmes, became Mrs Mee
Miss Margaret Tredell, became Mrs Hartland
Miss Jesse Matthews
Mr Morris Wesley
M Moody
D Sharett
Mr Philip Denton
Rita Orton
Mr George Humphries pictured here
Started the work at Braunstone in 1949
Even though the work was just a youth work, there was obviously great concern for all the people on the Braunstone estate. 1954 saw the start of an old folks tea, suggested by Mr Cashmore. The first of these was held on December 11th 1954.
Nay milk two sugars ta
December 11th 1954 the first of the old folks tea parties held at Bendbow Rise infants school. Phil Denton is on the left of the image and Mr Harold Cashmore can just be seen on the right hand side of the image. Just to the left of Harold Cashmore, near the top of the image, appears to be a young Joyce Woodcock who married Morris Wesley (Now Mrs Joyce Wesley).
One thing is for sure - there were no mobile phones in those days so no getting disturbed whilst having your tea and scones.
Entertainment for the old folks was provided in the form of a film and a guest speaker. The film was of the Sunday school outing, possibly 1953 and a Mr Les Coley was invited to speak.
We know from Marion Punters statement that the Sunday school was in existence well before 1954, also Boy/Girl covenanters but it’s impossible at this time to fix an accurate date for their beginnings.
1955 saw the introduction of a Bible study group. This group commenced on Thursday May 5th and was led by Mr David Wesley. The object of this group was to strengthen new converts. Praise God people were being saved. (location Bendbow Rise school).