Our History

The Thomas Cooper Memorial Church has a long association with Lincoln. However the present building only opened its doors in 1972.

Prior to this the church building was situated in St Benedicts Square, further north along the high street, in the square behind St Benedicts Church, in area now accomodating Marks and Spencers and Wigford Way relief road.

This church building had been built only in the mid 1800s on the banks of the Brayford Wharf.  By the late 1960s it had developed numerous structural issues and the church officers and trustees at that time accepted an offer from Marks and Spencers, who wanted to develop their exsisting town centre store. 

(A rear view of the church hall, with the Brayford in the foreground.  This building was the original church building before the Victorian one pictured above, was built.  Originally in the foreground was a cemetry, running down to the Brayford.  This was of the age when baptisms used to done in the Brayford!)

TCM aquired land on the corner of the High Street and Chaplin Street and commenced building of our present church building in the early 1970's.

By 1972 TCM opened the doors to its new church building and have remained there ever since.  See the Find Us page for our current location.

In the mid 1950s a book was written about TCM church by one its past pastors, the Rev Radford.  The book was called "These Five and Twenty Years—a brief history of Thomas Cooper Memorial Baptist Memorial Church, St Benedict Square, Lincoln 1923-1948”.

This book is an interesting read and a copy for loan can be found in our library.

Below is an intersting extract from "These Five and Twenty Years—a brief history of Thomas Cooper Memorial Baptist Memorial Church, St Benedict Square, Lincoln 1923-1948”.

A fateful night and our returning men.

We shall never forget the fateful night of Friday, the 15^th January 1943, when we had a very sharp air raid on our city and HE bombs and Incendiaries were showered over us.  Several delayed action bombs were dropped that night, one within 30 yards of our Church.  As the hours and days went by, one by one these bombs exploded and did their deadly work, all save the one near to us. 

 After a week of anxious waiting, the Bomb Disposal Squad began the task of removing it.  They had to dig down twenty-four feet before they came across it.  What heroes these fellows were!  On Wednesday the 27^th January, it was laid bare, and the work of removing the fuse began.  From the afternoon until seven o’ clock in the evening the work went on, and at last the efforts of those two gallant officers of the Bomb Disposal Squad were rewarded and the bomb was “killed”.   

How we rejoiced that God had seen fit to allow us to suffer no damage.  We gave Him the glory then, and we still do, for let it be remembered that of all the bombs dropped within the city boundary that night, the one near to us was the only one which did not explode.  From the Thank offering taken at the Thanksgiving meeting we sent gifts to all those in our city who had suffered loss.  During the Sundays when our Church was closed, we worshipped with our friends at Mint Street Baptist Church, where we were accorded a gracious welcome.  This was not the only occasion when our building was preserved for we were visited many times by the enemy. 

One by one our men and women returned.  How glad we were to have them back at home.  With a view to getting them into touch once more with civil and church life, a Men’s Fellowship was formed.  Our men felt the need for comradeship.  It was strange to be back in the little home circle after mixing with the crowds of men in a camp.  It was not easy to settle down and take one’s place again after an absence of so many years.   

In some cases the Men’s Fellowship meeting has helped and a number of our men are back in “active service” for the King of Kings.  We wish we could say the same about them all.  Some hardly ever come now.  If they should read this paragraph may it stir up a longing in their hearts to return to the Church of their youth.  We should like to sincerely assure them of a loving and friendly welcome.  They were never forgotten during the time they were away, either in our prayers or in our correspondence, and we are convinced that God, in answer to our prayers, brought them safely home. 

The Men’s Fellowship meeting is not confined to ex-service men.  Each Monday night in the winter months they meet for discussion and study, preparing themselves for the many tasks which need to be done, not the least being the summer open-air campaign in city and country. 

For more history click here.