| Administrative History | Unitarianism has its origins in the early Christian church but it was not until the mid nineteenth century that the first Wirral Unitarian church was established. This was the period when many English Presbyterian congregation became known as Unitarian. Clive Hall was established at Charing Cross, Birkenhead in 1851. Relocating to Bessborough Road in 1903, the congregation worshipped there until 1976. In Wallasey, Unitarianism began with a series of Sunday services at Albert Hall in New Brighton. In 1892 the ‘iron church’ became the place for worship but this was soon followed by the Memorial Church in Liscard which opened in 1899. Famous for the Della Robbia panels found in the chancel, metalwork by Walter Gilbert and the Pre- Raphaelite paintings by Bernard Sleigh, this building is now owned by the Historic Chapels Trust. Meanwhile in West Kirby, the first Unitarians met in 1906 when West Kirby Free Church (Unitarian) came into existence. Early meetings were held in the Blenheim Café in The Crescent. These were followed for a few years at the ‘tin church’ which is now a funeral parlour. Finally a church was opened in 1928 in Brookfield Gardens. Sir Adrian Boult, the conductor, is probably this church’s most famous worshipper, his family having been among the church’s founders. From the 1980s this became the church for all Unitarians living on the Wirral. In 2008 Wirral Unitarians were worshipping at the Quaker Meeting House, North Drive, Heswall. Please see www.wirralunitarians.org.uk and www.unitarian.org.uk. |