Zion Independent

[KPM]

Hi
I have just found some records for my Knight family on the IGI and the baptism took place at the Zion Independent in Frome and also Bath Street Rook Lane Independent.  Please excuse my ignorance but does anyone know what denomination this would be as I have never come across it before?

[corbie]

Hi KPM,
  The Zion plus any other "Independent", were called disenters. Which means they broke away from the Church of England. They are now the Methodist,Unitarian,and other's.
 
Just a little note. My 6xgrt Grand Father "Rev John Hyatt" was the minister there from 1800 until 1806 when he took the post of resident minister of The Tottenham Court Chapel in London where he remained until his death in 1826.
       Sue

[behindthefrogs]

The Independent Churches tended to become Baptist and Congregational (now United Reform)

They were not really a break away from the CofE like the Methodists who maintained a structured church which was administered top down like the CofE.  There was a group of Methodists who called themselves the Independent Methodists but they nearly always used that title. 

With the Independents each individual church was self governing.  Although Unions were formed around 1800, which was when the term Independent started to disappear in favour of the name of the Union, the rule of the church was and still is democratically from the bottom up.   

[KPM]

Hi Sue and 'behind the frogs'
Many thanks to you both for your explanation of the Independent church.  I will look into this in a little more detail now I know what it's all about.
KPM