05/04/2016

Beddome's Baptism

In the Baptist Register for 1798, Rippon has this note
88. To the life of the Rev. Benjamin Beddome, printed in a former number of the Register, we add, that he was baptized north of the river at a Baptist church in the Barbican by the famous Samuel Wilson, September 27, 1739, in company with six other persons one of whom yet survives, viz Samuel Etheridge, Esq. one of the members of Mr Booth's church.
In the book Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 Timothy Whelan has this note on Etheridge, who died in 1807.
Etheridge, Samuel - Etheridge was a deacon for many years at the Baptist church at Little Prescot Street, in Goodman's Fields. He was the uncle of Samuel Jackson of the Baptist congregation at Unicorn Yard. Etheridge was a great benefactor of Baptist causes. In 1784 he gave a bequest of £100 to the Particular Baptist Fund. In 1805 the Sunday School Society of the church received a legacy of £50 from Etheridge, the bequest reading, "To a Society who meet at Mr. Booth's Meeting House to teach young girls to read, Fifty pounds in aid of their benevolent design." See Ernest Kevan, London's Oldest Baptist Church (London: Kingsgate Press, 1933) 94, 101.

No comments: