DWL/PPS

Fonds

The Order of Pioneer Preachers and Sisters

The Order of Pioneer Preachers grew out of the ‘New Theology’ movement of the Revd. Reginald John Campbell (1867 – 1956) when Minister of the City Temple, London in the years 1903 – 1915. He formed the League of Progressive Thought and Social Service (later re-named the Liberal Christian League) in 1908. The Pioneer Preachers followed in 1910, and were established at 28 King Square, E.C. in April 1911. Campbell resigned the Wardenship of the Preachers in 1912, and after a conference at Essex Hall in September 1912 there was a formal transference of the Preachers to the British and Foreign Unitarian Association in November 1912. The Revd. Dr. William Tudor Jones was appointed Warden, and the Revd. Thomas Perkins Spedding as Secretary. The house in King Square was given up in 1914, and the Preachers moved to 23 Highbury Place, acquired for the purpose by the British and Foreign Unitarian Association and opened on 14 May 1914. Spedding was succeeded as Secretary in 1918 by the Revd. John Arthur Pearson, who remained as such until the Hostel closed on 30 September 1933 and the Order came to an end. Pioneer Sisters Letters and other papers relating to two women workers associated with the Pioneer Preachers, Lydia Seymour and Bertha Annie Knight, who commenced work in February 1913, firstly whilst in domestic employment. A few months later they moved to 21 St. Paul’s Road, Canonbury and c. April 1914 to 27 Carnarvon Road, Stratford, then c. July 1916 to 23 Carnarvon Road, Stratford. Miss Knight worked first at Kilburn and Miss Seymour was, by October 1913, working at Stratford, Forest Gate, and Walthamstow. On moving to Stratford they worked together, in cooperation with the Preachers and the London District Unitarian Society, at Stratford, Forest Gate, and Walthamstow, making their reports to the London District Unitarian Society. Miss Seymour resigned on her marriage to A.J. Heale in December 1916 and Miss Knight resigned in July 1917, when the work of the Pioneer Sisters ended.