Crumlin Road Presbyterian Church, Belfast

[jdchisim]

Hello all,

Does anyone know if records for this church exist?

There's no listing for a Crumlin Road Presbyterian Church in the PRONI Church records listing.

Thanks

[scotmum]

...

[jdchisim]

Very helpful reply.

[aghadowey]

Crumlin Road Presbyterian Church founded 1867, first minister installed 2 years later...

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Guide-to-Church-Records-October-2019.pdf
Perhaps PRONI just don't hold any records for it. It comes under the North Belfast Presbytery but I have been unable to find any mention of what records exists (the church was bombed in WWII so it's possible earlier records don't survive).

[jdchisim]

Yeah, I checked there and couldn't find it.

I didn't know this particular church got bombed so maybe that is the case. Such a loss of history

[aghadowey]

Got interrupted earlier... "church buildings were completely destroyed by an enemy air-raid on the night of 15/16 Apr. 1941," congregation met nearby at Edenderry School and new church built in the 1950s.

Two places to ask about location and dates existing records- the church itself and The Presbyterian Historical Society.
https://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com/

[Jon_ni]

Whilst Crumlin Road Presbyterian was destroyed WW2 as mentioned in Belfast Blitz wiki and https://connor.anglican.org/2009/04/21/memorial-dedicated-on-68th-anniversary-of-belfast-blitz/ it was re-built on the same site adjacent to Tennent Street as is still there today https://goo.gl/maps/CTSYm3YA2KYrvp9y5 (with a Facebook group).

It is listed as the 28th Presbyterian in Belfast Street Drectory of 1877, https://streetdirectories.proni.gov.uk/media/KTaYy4FBPnE5EpATdlfTgA..a
But not in the previous online 1870 directory which ends with the 26th (so not sure of that established 1867).
Checked streets, does not appear 1870 https://streetdirectories.proni.gov.uk/media/rGebdqNHtAhzw064tI1tEA..a but does in 1877 https://streetdirectories.proni.gov.uk/media/wQo7CWzULGAwVom4B_0JgQ..a
However, that is bit beside the point, one must assume as church destroyed Apr 1941 so were the records.

[aghadowey]

I didn't give full history of the church but it was founded in 1867, first minister installed 1869 and "This congregation met for worship in its early years in the dining room of a neighbouring linen mill. The first church building was erected in 1872..." (which obviously falls between the 1870 directory when it was not listed and the 1877 directory when it was)
My source is "A History of Congregations in the Presbyterian Church 1610-1982" published by the Presbyterian Historical Society.

[Elwyn Soutter]

I have a list produced by PRONI which lists 60 churches in Belfast destroyed or damaged by German bombing in 1941. Crumlin Rd Presbyterian is on that list and is described as damaged (as opposed to destroyed).

The PRONI note says: ”A number of church records were also destroyed, there was particular concern over some recent Church Marriage Records that had not yet been registered. The Register General issued a directive that destroyed Marriage records needed to be reconstructed for registration purposes.”

As Aghadowey has already suggested, your best bet is probably to ask the Presbyterian Historical Society if any of the church’s records were saved.