Staincliffe Baptist Church

The first Baptist service in the Batley area was held in 1819 by Joseph Wilson, an itinerant preacher from Westgate Baptist Church, Bradford; he preached outside James Taylor's house at Chapel Fold, Staincliffe.

Services continued to be held at James Taylor's house and then in a room in Narrow Lane at Chapel Fold lent by Joshua Pyrah and then in another room nearby.

Four people were baptised by the Rev Isaac Mann of Shipley in a pond in Dark Lane belonging to John Scatcherd of Chapel Fold in December 1820.

A congregation was established in 1821 and a chapel built in Chapel Fold in 1822.

A Sunday School was established by 1834 and a Sunday School was built next door to the chapel between 1851-1852.

A Sunday School was built in Halifax Road (then known as Staincliffe Road) between 1871-1872.

The minister Rev Simon Hall and most of the congregation left Chapel Fold due to problems with the chapel trustees and established a new congregation using the Sunday School premises in Staincliffe Road 1872.

The two congregations reunited in 1876.

It was decided to sell the buildings in both Chapel Fold and Staincliffe Road and use the proceeds to build new premises in 1876.

A new chapel was built in Garnett Street between 1878-1880 amd opened in 1880. This building also included accommodation for a Sunday School.

The old chapel in Chapel Fold was then made into cottages.

The congregation withdrew from the Baptist Union for theological reasons in 1996-1997.

The church is still in existence in 2009 http://staincliffebaptist.com/.

Records relating to this church can be found at WYAS: Kirklees under the reference numbers: KC516 and KC1032.