Baptist Chapel in Lower Road

click Baptist Chapel for the new Chapel built in 1905

click Baptist Sunday School for this.

click Amenities for list of others

Research by Joan West

The first Baptist Chapel in Loosley Row. Prior to this the Baptists had met in a Meeting House, which was somebody's home.

Land Purchase. Circa 1863/4 Henry Janes purchased a plot of land from Peter Tyler, part of a new allotment given in 1823 at the Enclosures of Princes Risborough. On this land he built a premises consisting of a house, with a bread oven and shop and started a bakery business.

Gift of Land for Baptists. Henry was a church man, but he gave a small piece of the ground to his Loosley Row Baptist customers upon which they built a small brick chapel.

Monday 9^th March 1857     CONCERT  IN LOOSLEY ROW BAPTIST CHAPEL     Bucks Free Press

On Monday evening a concert of vocal and instrumental music was given in the Baptist Chapel by the musical amateurs of Princes Risborough and Speen. Led by Mr B Lacey.

The object being to assist in establishing a Sunday School in this place.

The music was selected from the works of  J Fawcett Snr., Pueitta, J Shonbridge, C Ward and W Ward.

The following are the pieces performed -----Instrumental. Introduction (Paradiee) : Chorus. A Second Adam : Bass solo. The Word of Promise :

Chorus. Angels of God Rejoice : Duet. On Bethels Plains : Chorus. Joy to an Exciled World : Duet. He Comes the World’s Desire and Lord

Chorus. Thou oh Lord Art Our Father : Duet. The Virgin Blest : Anthem. Strike Seraphs Strike : Treble solo. Eve’s Lament : Anthem. The Second Advent

Trio. Descending From His Azure Throne : Overture. The Caliph of Bagdad : Chorus & solo. Strike the Cymbal : Anthem. The Lord is my Shepherd

Anthem. I Was Glad : Finale. The Heavenly Pilot

Most of the pieces were effectively given.

The solo “Eve’s Lament” was very sweetly sung by Miss Gomme and warmly applauded. The Messrs. Biggs and Ward sang  “He comes the worlds desire and Lord” with great taste.  A unanimous encore was the result , when it was repeated with still greater effect. We must not omit to mention the beautiful trio of “The Second Advent”. “Descending From His Azure Throne” This was admirably given by the Messrs Plumridge, Biggs and Lacey. The band also played the Overture with great spirit and vivacity.

The concert terminated with Fawcett’s favourite piece “The Heavenly pilot”.    All the audience stayed until the final note.

Between the first and second parts, Mr J Stockwell, the Minister of the Chapel made some very appropriate remarks on the advantages of education and at the conclusion Mr T Martin proposed a vote of thanks to the performers making also some remarks on the innocent enjoyment of the evening.

It will be seen by the above list that the performers wisely selected such pieces as could be effectively given by amateurs; this is not always the case, for it not infrequently happens that the choruses of the mighty Handel, and other great masters are attempted  with a few voices and instruments and in some instances without any accompaniment, thus imparting a character of insipidity to their grandest productions.

In concluding these remarks, we should be happy to see the time when every town and village in the kingdom can boast of its choral society, and it’s annual musical festival; such meeting cannot but have a beneficial effect in their tendancy. 

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Report by researcher Rita Probert

The former Baptist Chapel in Lower Road eventually closed in 2001 and the property was sold. Although now a private dwelling it still retains its original exterior aspect, iron railings and gate.