Records of St Andrew's English Presbyterian Church (from 1972 St Andrews United Reformed Church) and St Columba's English Presbyterian Church, Nottingham, 1849-1975

Scope and Content

The St Andrew's material comprises one baptism register (1866-1899), Communicants Roll Books (1867-1946), Sunday School records (c.1870-1964), minutes of Sunday School staff meetings (1870-1975), financial records (1866-1972), Managers' Committee minutes (1871-1963) and annual reports (1884-1933 and 1956-1974). There are also some church magazines (1903-1914, 1960 and 1974-1975), and some photographs of church events and Sunday School outings.

There are a number of papers relating to clubs and societies at St Andrew's, including the Social Committee, the Table Tennis and Badminton clubs, and the Fellowship of Youth. Of further interest are a small number of items, including University Degrees and call papers (1870-1875), belonging to the Rev. John Charles Grant, and correspondence and papers relating to the union of St Andrew's with Castle Gate Church (1962-1975).

The material relating to St Columba's comprises one baptism register (1896-1946), administrative records including Committee and Session minute books, and accounts (1896-1949), and Sunday School records (1903-c1926). There are also plans, photographs and drawings of the church.

Administrative / Biographical History

The first meeting of what was to become St Andrew's English Presbyterian Church was held on 5 January 1866 in the school room of Park Row Chapel, Nottingham. However, it was not until September 1870 that the newly completed church of St Andrew's, Belgrave Square, was opened for public worship. By this time the church had already attracted a substantial congregation and established a Sunday School.

St Andrew's formed two daughter churches: St Columba's English Presbyterian Church, Mansfield Road, Nottingham (1896), and the Noel Street 'Preaching Station' or mission (1901). The records of the former are also to be found in this collection, following the merging of the two congregations in 1946.

On 5 October 1972 the English Presbyterian and the Congregational Churches joined to form the United Reformed Church. In 1975 St Andrew's merged with the former Castle Gate Congregational Church, Nottingham (see CU) to form St Andrew's-with-Castle Gate United Reformed Church (see CAA).

Arrangement

Material is arranged according to church (AU for St Andrew's, and AU/Z for St Columba's), and further subdivided chronologically within series according to form (e.g. minutes, printed material, photographs).

Access Information

The bulk of the collection is accessible to all registered readers. However, access may be restricted to some files which contain personal information.

Other Finding Aids

Copyright in all Finding Aids belongs to the University of Nottingham.

In the Reading Room, King's Meadow Campus:

Typescript Catalogue, 55 pp

At the National Register of Archives, London:

3 Typescript Catalogues; 15 pp, 1 p, 2pp (the latter two supplements forming part of consolidated catalogues of accruals including records of related churches). Please note that these catalogues are out-of-date versions of the typescript catalogue in the King's Meadow Campus Reading Room and the current online catalogue.

On the World Wide Web: Catalogue accessible from the website for Manuscripts and Special Collections, Manuscripts Online Catalogue.

Separated Material

Nottinghamshire Archives holds records of Noel Street Presbyterian church, as follows: Session minutes, 1932-1950 (NC/IR15/1/1); Session minutes, 1950-1955 (NC/IR15/1/2); Communicants' roll book, 1934-1953 (NC/IR15/2/1); Certificate appointing Noel Street Presbyterian Church as a recognised place of worship, 1949 (NC/IR15/2/2).

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

Custodial History

The main body of the records were transferred to the Manuscripts Department by the Trustees of St Andrew's-with-Castle Gate in 1977. A number of accruals have been received up to 2009.

Related Material

Records of Castle Gate Congregational Church (CU) and St Andrew's-with-Castle Gate URC (CAA)

Architects' plans of St Columba's Church, Mansfield Road (MS 717)

Bibliography

'Early annals of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church : Belgrave Square, Nottingham' (Nottingham : Thos. N. Storer ; London : Howard House, [1905?]) King's Meadow Campus [East Midlands Collection Not 3.M72 SAN].

Littlefair, Joseph. 'St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Belgrave Square, Nottingham, 1866-1966' (Nottingham : s.n., 1966) King's Meadow Campus [East Midlands Collection Pamphlet Not 3.M72 SAN]