Looking up, Reaching out, Seeing lives transformed
Origins and Early Foundations
Bethel Baptist Chapel, situated in Windmill Square, Macclesfield, is one of the oldest Nonconformist places of worship in the borough. According to Mr. John Earles, author of A New History of Macclesfield, it was built on the site of a portion of Mr. Charles Roe's important and extensive copper works — hence the name of the neighbouring Brasshouse Street.
By 1770 AD the Bethel Chapel was already recorded as the only place of worship on the Common.
A publication of 1888 entitled A Walk Through the Public Institutions records that in the latter half of the 17th century, a Rev. W. Marshall came from Wigan, gathered a congregation of Baptist adherents, and served as their pastor. He laboured successfully but, thinking he might do better elsewhere, left the flock in the charge of Rev. J. G. Pike of Derby.
The General Baptist Era
1823
Messrs. Pike, Hodgson, and Barron visited Macclesfield to inspect the Bethel Baptist Chapel, which had been offered to the connexion then known as "General Baptists." Finding it suitable, they purchased it, including an adjoining school capable of seating 600 children, for £750.
A church was formally constituted — the first Baptist Church in Macclesfield — its pulpit initially supplied by various ministers.
1828
After fifty persons had been baptised, a call was given to the Rev. Richard Kenny to take the oversight of the church, which he did with marked success for fourteen years before resigning. He was followed in succession by the Revs. Lindley, Stocks, Maddeys, Maden, Heckitt, and Watts, during whose ministries the cause prospered.
1872
Soon after Mr. Watts settled, it was decided to remove the congregation to St. George's Street, where a new chapel and school were built. It was through the energetic action of Mr. Abraham Bury that the site in St. George's Street was secured. After this departure, various efforts were made to continue worship at the Bethel building, but without lasting success.
The Old Baptist Union Takes Over
1894
Sooner than see the place closed, a few friends made application to the conference of the Old Baptist Union, meeting at Stoke Newington, London, asking them to send a suitable minister to organise the cause for the Old Baptists.
The Old Baptist Union holds that its principles and practice are identical with those of the first Christian churches.
The conference requested the Rev. A. C. Jarvis to undertake the work, which he did, commencing his first year's fruitful ministry on this date. He is described as a "scholarly" preacher whose work blessed the church from its very beginning.
During a visit by Revs. T. H. Squire (the then International President of the Old Baptist Union) and H. Killick, a church of seventeen members was formally constituted. This marks the formal founding of the Old Baptist cause in Macclesfield.
The Rev. A. C. Jarvis was then succeeded by the Rev. R. G. Allen of South Africa, whose stay, though short, was recorded as successful.
The Long Ministry of Rev. Harry Deall
1899
Rev. Harry Deall commenced his pastorate at Bethel, succeeding Rev. Allen.
Rev. Deall was born on 16 April 1874 in Lewes, the county town of Sussex, and was the second son of the late Mr. Walter Ellis Deall, a descendant of Major G. Deall. As a boy he was employed by a printing firm at Lewes. Having a strong conviction to enter the ministry, he studied privately under the late Rev. J. Barker and Rev. H. Killick, then entered the Old Baptist Union Training Centre in London, where he successfully passed the theological examination.
In 1895, he was ordained with the imposition of hands, entering the ministry from the Providence Old Baptist Union Church, Lewes.
He married Miss Edith Frances Alderton, the fifth daughter of the late Mr. William Alderton of Lewes, at Cambray Baptist Chapel, Cheltenham, officiated by the Rev. Beynon Phillips.
His pastorates prior to Macclesfield were, in order: Cheltenham (his first pastorate), Brighton, Tunbridge Wells, Stockwell, Brixton, and Balham.
1906
Rev. Deall came to live in Macclesfield in April 1906, but he had begun his pastorate in December 1899.
On coming to Macclesfield, he found a considerable debt on the church, which he faced with optimism and courage. Under his leadership the church grew substantially: by the time of the 1920 renovation appeal, nearly 400 people had been publicly baptised, immersed, confirmed, and added to the church; by the time of the 1933 fund-raising letter, this figure had risen to nearly 500.
The church's gospel witness spread to Manchester, Stockport, Hazel Grove, and other districts. Active agencies under his leadership included a Sunday School, Band of Hope, Christian Endeavour, Bible Classes, Gospel and Preaching Services, Tract Distribution, a Silver Band, and — as the 1933 letter also lists — a Prize Band and open-air Mission Services.
The Silver Band had been organised approximately fifteen years before the 1920 appeal (i.e., around 1905), under the conductorship of Bandmaster George Bailey. It was suspended during the First World War when most of its members rendered Army service, but was subsequently revived.
Rev. Deall served the Old Baptist Union with distinction at national and international level, occupying the presidential chair of the English Conference on three occasions, serving as general secretary, sitting on the International Council as secretary for foreign matters, serving on the executive governing board of officers, and chairing the Midlands and Northern Districts.
1923
Deall wrote a booklet entitled The Genealogies of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The Renovation Appeal
1920
A History Sketch document, doubled as a fund-raising appeal, was published around 1920 (the text notes Deall "is, therefore, in his forty-seventh year," consistent with his 1874 birth date, and states the church had been occupied by Old Baptists for "nearly 26 years" from 1894). The appeal aimed to raise at least £500 for renovation and reconstruction of the ageing buildings.
Donations already received at the time of publication totalled £126 17s. 6d., with notable contributors including the Mayor (Alderman J. G. Frost, £10), Mr. Harold W. Whiston J.P. (£10), Alderman William Frost J.P. (£10), and Mr. F. Baron (£10).
The Roof Collapse
1933
The roof suddenly collapsed, causing the consequent destruction of the whole building. Mercifully, no one was hurt; only hours before, the building had been crowded for special services. In his fund-raising letter, Rev. Deall stated he had by then ministered at Bethel for 34 years.
The trustees immediately opened an appeal fund, estimating the reconstruction cost at a minimum of £1,800. Donations were to be directed to the Mayor (Councillor E. Lomas), or to Rev. Deall at 73 Windmill Street, or to the honorary treasurer, Councillor F. Baron, Field House, Ryle Street, Macclesfield.
The rebuilt church was reopened, at a total cost of over £2,000. A new Sunday school was included in the rebuilding scheme. The money raised also proved sufficient for the erection of a new church hall.
Death of Rev. Harry Deall
1937
Rev. Harry Deall died unexpectedly at his home in Windmill Street, Macclesfield, after a very short illness. He had been active until the Saturday before his death, visiting the Macclesfield Infirmary. He died between 7:00 and 7:30 on Tuesday morning, 8th June 1937. He had never fully recovered from an attack of influenza earlier in the year, during which — despite his own illness — he had nursed his sick wife. He was 63 years of age.
The Times and Observer published a detailed obituary headlined "A Friend to All in Need — Death of Rev. H. Deall." He was described as a man of deep spiritual convictions who spent an hour in prayer every morning before breakfast, and as a fluent and able preacher.
The funeral service was held at Bethel Church at 1:30 p.m. 12th June. A memorial service was conducted by Pastor T. H. Mottershead.
He was survived by his wife Edith Frances; a daughter, Mrs. W. Wilson of Sheffield; and two sons, Messrs. W. Deall and R. Deall, both employed by Messrs. Hovis Ltd. His son William had served four years at Enfield and Cheshunt in the Old Baptist Union ministry and assisted his father at Bethel. His son R. Deall was bandmaster of the Bethel Band and also organist of the church.
The Macclesfield Times was informed that the question of a successor would probably not be considered until a conference in August of the Old Baptist Union.
His total ministry at Bethel lasted thirty-eight years.
Subsequent Pastors
Rev. T. H. Mottershead — An important figure associated with Bethel. He went out from Bethel, Macclesfield, to establish a new church at Newton Heath, Manchester, where he remained for thirty-six years, nurturing a church known for its vigorous evangelistic witness. He was described as "always ready to take the lowest place, to perform the most menial task in the furtherance of God's work."
Rev. A. H. Atkins — Named both in a group photograph of Old Baptist Union ministers (captioned as one of the ministers at Bethel, Macclesfield) and in the news cutting about his successor. We don't yet know the dates of his Macclesfield pastorate beyond identifying him as the direct predecessor of Rev. Froud.
Rev. S. H. Douglas Froud — Appointed to succeed Rev. Atkins as minister of Bethel Baptist Church, Macclesfield. Both he and Mrs. Froud had previously been members of both the church and the choir, and had been married there in 1936 by the then minister, the Rev. H. Deall. During the 1914–18 war Froud had served in the Bible-lands. He was ordained at the Easter Conference of the Old Baptist Union in 1924, and was then appointed to the pastorate of Bethel Baptist Church, Stockport, which he held for twelve years. He then moved to Bramhall Baptist Church, staying there until he went to Poynton four years prior to his Macclesfield appointment.
Rev. Froud was inducted at Bethel, when the President of the Old Baptist Union, the Rev. J. C. Percy of East Leake, officiated.
Modern Times
Our research is ongoing and turning up many things as we go. Here are the last three Pastors of Bethel: Rev. Philip Warbouton, Rev. Chris Whitely, and Rev. Harry Pritchard.
Rev. Harry Pritchard has served as Pastor since March 2016, having previously pastored Coverdale Baptist Church. In recent years the church has been going through a period of renewal and change, with a refreshed vision focused on "Looking up, Reaching out, Seeing lives transformed" — ministering with the compassion of Jesus to the people of Macclesfield, including the vulnerable and broken.
Denominational Identity
Bethel is one of around 16 member churches of the Old Baptist Union across England and Wales. OBU churches are General Baptist, believing in general atonement, and have historically placed particular emphasis on the laying on of hands, divine healing, and personal holiness. Bethel is also a member of both the Free Churches Council and the Evangelical Alliance.
Community and Neighbourhood
The church sits in a neighbourhood broadly split between social housing to the north and industrial premises to the south. One of two Baptist churches in the town — the other being St George's Street Chapel less than half a mile away — Bethel has sought to serve the wider Macclesfield community, including through school assemblies and outreach work.