The collection comprises deeds, minutes, correspondence, accounts and financial records, and miscellaneous papers. Early Registers of Baptism and Burial are held by The National Archives.
The Trim Street congregation first formed in 1672 and are the oldest dissenting meeting group in Bath. Their first meeting house was in Frog Lane in 1692 (analogous with New Bond Street). The Frog Lane Assembly had adopted Unitarianism by the 1780s, however, as Unitarianism was considered a heresy and was technically illegal in England until 1813, they were often described as Presbyterian instead. In 1790 a plot of ground was purchased in Trym Street [Trim Street] by the Trustees of the Frog Lane Meeting House for the purpose of constructing a new Chapel for the congregation, this was completed and occupied by 1795. Management of the Chapel was initially the duty of the Trustees but with the formation of the Congregational Committee in 1837, during the tenure of Rev. Jerom Murch, some of their duties passed to or, in the case of payment of expenses, had to be approved by the committee. This seems to have led to a somewhat turbulent working relationship between the Trustees and the Committee; this is most evident in the 'Receipts and Vouchers' series (0028B/4/3), where some files are identified as being Trustees accounts, others Congregational Committee accounts, and some as both.
Related Units of Description
-Early Registers of Baptism 1719-1837, and Burial 1819-1837, are held by The National Archives; RG 4/55, RG 4/85, RG 4/2053, RG 4/2347, RG 4/2348, RG 4/2922 -Bath Record Office, Acc.0178, COPY DEED OF SETTLEMENT, 1820, being an appointment of new trustees for the Trim Street Chapel -Bath Record Office, Acc.0333, RECORDS OF THE TRIM STREET UNITARIAN CHAPEL, BATH. Includes Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1837-1970; as well as 20th century administrative records.
