Welcome to
Haywards Heath United Reformed Church

‘THAT’S THE WAY THE MONEY GOES’

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A few years ago I enjoyed looking through a church account book for the years 1783-1864 – Baddow Lane Independent Church in Chelmsford, later Congregational and URC.  Here is a random selection of items:

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New Trust Deed £2.10s.6d.                    Bible for pulpit 12s.6d

Repairs to window 11s.            Candles for a year £1.15s.9d     

Mrs Brooks 1s6d for Communion bread and 6d for washing [Communion Table] cloth     

19 bottles (one year’s supply) of wine for Communion @ 1s10d each (Probably Port or Sherry – those were pre-nonalcoholic times)

Shoemaker with smallpox – 10 gifts of 1s

Mary at the workhouse – regular gifts of 1s       

Coals for poor members    Some via Chelmsford Coals Committee

Balance of cost of Mr Warwicker’s coffin   Possibly a pauper

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I think it’s good to learn some details of how our predecessors faithfully and generously did their job of being church.