FOREWORD
This history has been written as a record of the circumstances surrounding the founding of Ebenezer Mission Hall, recognising the dedication and commitment of the founders, together with all those who followed, in ensuring that God’s work continues in the local community of Nechells.
The text is based on family notes made over the years and compiled by Mary Johnson, grand-daughter of the Founder, in conjunction with David Clark, whose help has been greatly appreciated. Internet sources provided historical background to life in Nechells around the time of the founding of the Mission.
The church continues to meet for worship and Bible Ministry each Sunday, to which visitors are warmly welcomed.
Other ongoing activities continue to provide contact and support for people in the local community.
NECHELLS – A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The inner-city suburb of Nechells lies a few miles to the East of the centre of the City of Birmingham. Nechells was incorporated into the city in 1838 and developed as a diverse mixture of industrial and residential properties.
Several of the larger industries were Brass Foundries while many smaller businesses included the manufacture of screws, tools, nails, buttons, jewellery and many other items. All of these contributed to Birmingham becoming known as the ‘city of a thousand trades.
By 1841, the population of Nechells and adjacent Duddeston had increased to over 20,000 and continued to grow over the next sixty years as people were attracted to the area by higher wages that could be found in these new industries.
The migration of people to Nechells for work resulted in the need for additional accommodation. Cheap houses were hurriedly built, close to places of work. These were densely terraced back-to-back houses, few of which had a bathroom, indoor lavatory, lighting or running water. Shared amenities were to be found in a courtyard serving a number of families living in close proximity to one another.
Having been hurriedly erected, these dwellings soon began to fall into disrepair. By the turn of the century, people living in Nechells and Duddeston had to endure life in some of the worst slum dwellings in the city.
Though the dawn of the twentieth century brought hopes of a better future, the dark clouds of war were soon to cover the horizon. On the industrial front, businesses began to grow in size and become more mechanised. By 1918, many residents in Nechells now worked for much larger firms such as Birmingham Paper Mills and Nechells Power Station. Not everyone worked in the expanding industries. A living could still be made by independently minded local tradesmen, who recognised new trends and opened up workshops such as cycle and car repairing and electrical contracting.
THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918
Growing mistrust in Europe led to the opening of hostilities between Britain and Germany in 1914 and the young men of Nechells were not alone in those who enlisted for military service. The absence of the bread winner from many of these families made life particularly hard for the women folk, especially those with young families to raise. Official War Office support was slow to reach desperate situations at home when the priority was to provide for those on the frontline.
The war years saw great poverty among the families of Nechells. Many of the men were to give their lives on the battlefields of Europe, depriving their families of a father, husband or older brother.
SOCIAL CONCERN
There were those in the Nechells community who saw the plight of so many destitute families and who gave themselves to seek ways to alleviate their pain and deprivation.
At the outbreak of war in 1914, a group of Christians, members of the Presbyterian Church in Long Acre, Nechells, saw the need of Nechells’ families and were moved to act on their behalf. Among them was Mr. Jesse Hill, a local businessman who owned the brass foundry, Davis and Hill, in Pritchett Street, Aston. Mr. Hill was the father of six children and his attention was drawn to the needs of families around him. God touched his heart to do something to help. It became a family commit- ment, involving his wife Ann, and their younger daughters in particular, Elsie and Dora, residing in Reservoir Road, Erdington.
Families in need soon came to the attention of members of the Hill family. Parcels of groceries were made up and as the need became known Families in need soon came to the attention of members of the Hill fam- more widely, other friends provided sacks of potatoes, loaves of bread and other essentials. Where individuals were unable to meet rents for their homes, payment was made on their behalf until monies were made available from the War Office.
A SPIRITUAL DIMENSION
As well as being a practical man, Mr. Jesse Hill was also concerned for the spiritual wellbeing of this group of people with whom he and his family were becoming involved. He said, ‘Their bodies are being cared for, but what about their souls?’
It was not long before a Gospel Meeting was being arranged for each Monday evening, commencing at eight o’clock, in the school room of the Presbyterian Church. The first meeting was eagerly anticipated and the congregation was made up of about fifty local women. Christian hymns were sung after which Mr. Jesse Hill explained the reason for bringing the ladies together in this way. He shared the gospel message of the love of God for each of them, and the demonstration of that love through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross at Calvary, to bear the punishment for their sins.
The Monday meetings continued each week. The women invited other friends and neighbours who together spoke of the evening as being ‘their little meeting’. It was a meeting which provided happy fellowship for those who attended and it became a lively Christian witness in the district. There were ladies who attended those early meetings who passed on the good news through the generations to family members who attend the church today. One of these was Mrs. Jackson, the grandmother of Margaret Jobborn.
This outreach ministry had the full support of the minister of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. JH Scott. He gave every assistance to the group who were intent on demonstrating the love of God in practical ways to needy folk in the district. When he retired, the Presbytery replaced him with a lay-preacher because no qualified minister was avail- able to fill the pulpit. In any spiritual work there is always the potential for trouble as the enemy of souls prowls around to create difficulty and upset through sowing seeds of jealousy or division.
CHANGED LOCATION
The newly appointed leader at the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Mann, was of the opinion that the developing outreach ministry in the community should be brought under his jurisdiction, as the appointed minister of the church. His interference brought about a great deal of unhappiness and ultimately distress.
Those involved in the ministry were not inclined to relinquish their involvement and the women who were being served through it were also unhappy at the prospect. Mr. Jesse Hill, an elder at the Presbyterian Church, together with many of the church members felt that the ministry should continue in its present form and under its current leadership. These were the people who had gained the confidence of the people in the community.
Disappointingly, the situation was brought to a head one Monday evening. When folk arrived at the church for the meeting they found the doors locked and entrance barred to them. Such extremities can be God’s opportunities to demonstrate that He is in control even when things appear to be going amiss.
One dear member of the Monday Meeting was a Mrs. Shaw. She was also the caretaker of the West Mission, affectionately known as the ‘Tin Mission’, an Anglican centre in Long Acre. She was of the opinion that the vicar would allow the group to use that building. Mr. Hill visited the vicar who was kindly disposed to the venture and allowed the West Mission Hall to be used to continue the outreach work and to maintain the gospel witness in the district. The ministry continued in this new home for a period of eighteen months, a rental being paid to the vicar for its use.
A PERMANENT HOME
At that time thought was given to finding a more permanent location for the growing ministry. Land with a suitable building was in short supply but those involved were convinced that the Lord had somewhere for them. This confidence was based on the conviction that God would meet and supply all the needs of this work which sought to glorify God through all that they did.
The search led to a plot of land upon which a derelict building provided shelter for the horse and cart of a local jobbing coalman. Situated in Cook Street at the back of houses in Nechells Park Road and Chattaway Street, the site was right in the centre of the gospel work in which the group was engaged. Some of those involved queried the suitability of the location and premises, but there was a strong belief that God had led them to this place and that He was the One who already knew their future needs.
Without considerable restructuring, the derelict building would not meet the needs of the intended ministry. Two new walls were added while keeping the old stable walls as a reminder of humble beginnings that were shared with our Saviour, who had been born in a stable in far away Bethlehem of Judea. Further renovation involved laying a permanent floor, adding windows to bring in natural light to dispel the darkness, being a symbol of the ‘Light of the World’ who would shine into darkened hearts and lives to bring new life.
A small kitchen was added, essential for providing a friendly cup of tea to those who visited the Mission. The carpenter from the Davis and Hill factory turned his hand to make benches to provide seating. An organ was donated from the Hill family residence and the transformed building was prepared for a grand opening.
Before the event it was felt that a name should be chosen for the building and the ministry. Full agreement was given to the proposal of Elsie Hill, that the name ‘Ebenezer’ should be taken. This Old Testament name marked the reflection of Samuel on God’s leading and direction when he said, ‘Hitherto has the Lord helped us.’ (1 Samuel 7:12). That truly had been the experience of all those involved in the ministry that began as the ‘Monday Meeting’ some ten years earlier.
GRAND OPENING
On the 4th of October 1924 the doors of the new building were opened and so began a week of prayer in recognition of God’s leading and direction up to that point in time. It was sincerely felt that God’s loving care and clear guidance would be needed more than ever for the next phase in ministry. What a time of blessing and encouragement that week proved to be as all who participated felt strengthened, refreshed and further prepared for the challenge of the work that lay ahead.
The ‘Monday Meeting’ continued among the women, now in their own Mission Hall! Many came to saving faith, trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and power to live lives that would honour and please Him. The time had come to consider beginning a Sunday morning service at Ebenezer and this was to be influenced by other factors.
MOVING ON
The Hill family still attended the Presbyterian Church in Long Acre where they continued to be involved in different ways. Mr Jesse Hill had handed on the care of the Young Men’s Bible Class, which catered for those over 18 years of age, to his daughter Dora, now Mrs. Benton, and Elsie looked after the young people aged 13 and 14 years.
Again a difficult situation in the Presbyterian Church became the catalyst for change. A special ‘silver’ collection was announced in the church notices for certain expenses in the church. The elders and managers had agreed that part of the collection should go to the Young Men’s class but that the men themselves should be involved in contributing and collecting.
Dora Benton, now leader of the class, was of the opinion that the boys in this group, who were from some of the poorest homes in Aston and Nechells, were unlikely to have a sixpence piece to give to a ‘silver’ collection. She proposed to donate personally an amount equal to what might be expected of the group, but the offer was not accepted. This led to acrimony and to Dora leaving the Presbyterian Church. The young men, who respected Mrs. Benton and her love and care for them, went with her. This created pressure for Elsie Hill, leader of the younger boys, and she felt that her time at the Presbyterian Church had also come to an end.
A WIDENING MINISTRY
The newly renovated building in Cook Street thus became a centre of new activities. To the Monday Women’s Meeting, and the recently commenced Sunday Morning Service, were added a Sunday School for the young men who had left the Presbyterian Church. The new premises were soon filled with enthusiastic young people coming under the sound of the gospel.
The Sunday School eventually outgrew the facilities at Cook Street. The opportunity to reach so many children and young people led to arrangements being made to secure the use of the local Junior School in Eliot Street. The boys began to meet there while the girls continued to meet in the Mission Hall.
As the numbers in the Sunday School increased, more teachers joined and Jesse Hill Junior became the Superintendent. Many years later Mr. James Atkins took on that responsibility.
BUILDING EXTENSION
There was sufficient spare land available on the Ebenezer site for consideration to be given to erecting a new building designed specifically to meet the needs of the expanding work. A large hall was envisaged with a number of individual classrooms leading from it. These would provide space to gather a large number of people for worship events, doubling as a hall for games and youth activities and classrooms for Sunday School and Youth work.
The new building with six individual classrooms became a reality in 1930; just six years after the work in Cook Street had begun. Classrooms were allocated to different groups. The senior girls, under the leadership of Mrs. Ann Hill had a special room. The young men met in the original small hall. A number of teachers were recruited, Miss Gladys Jackson later to become Mrs. Jobborn – being the first teacher from outside the Hill family. She and Miss Ethel Tongue took care of the infants.
The leadership was strengthened by the addition of brothers Jesse and Horace Hill and other family members. Later, Mr. and Mrs. James and Florrie Atkins, Mrs. Theresa Johnson and others, gave of themselves to further the cause of the gospel at Ebenezer.
A GROWING WORK
The work continued to grow and various activities were added. Many of the children of Nechells had never travelled more than a few miles from their homes and the sea side was far away, a figment of the imagination for many.
SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTINGS opened up the wonders of a journey by train to Sutton Park and the enjoyment of open spaces, lakes and paddling pools to the city youngsters.
A highlight of each year was the SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY held over two weekends during the summer time. Children and adults were trained and conducted by Elsie Hill and the prepared songs and recitations were appreciated by the parents and family members. There was always a specially invited speaker, one of whom was Mrs. Alexander Dixon who was the founder of the Pocket Testament League. This society encouraged young people to carry a Bible or New Testament wherever they went.
In the early 1930’s the first BOY’S CAMP under canvas was held at Weston Super Mare. Though this was washed out by rain it did not deter the leadership from continuing to use the opportunity of summer camps as a means of introducing children to a Christian envi- ronment and daily Bible teaching. Camps continued at Towyn in West Wales until the war broke out in 1939.
Post war camp activity resumed with annual visits, first to ABERDOVEY, again in West Wales, before moving to a school in Tenby in South Wales which became the venue for summer camps over many years. These were camps for both boys and girls and many lives were touched covering two and three generations.
Ebenezer Mission Hall lay almost within the shadow of the Aston Villa Football Club and young men in Nechells were ardent football fans. To maintain their church interest and to give direction to their lives, FOOTBALL TEAMS were organized. In the mid 1930’s three Ebenezer teams played against other church and club teams in theBirmingham area.
BUILDING DEVELOPMENT IN NECHELLS
As early as 1937, much of Nechells and Duddeston was declared a redevelopment area by City planners. Further action was delayed by the Second World War when Nechells suffered death and destruction from German air raids on the city.
Work eventually began, in 1947, on a massive clearance scheme, to develop 267 acres of Nechells Green. This name was chosen by public competition and covered Duddeston and Nechells. Housing space was, however at a premium and so building began on high-rise blocks of flats. The very first of these in the City were the Four Towers (Queen’s, High, Home and South) in Duddeston, opened by the Queen in 1954.
HOMECALL OF FOUNDER
In January 1948 Mr. Jesse Hill, the founder of the work at Ebenezer was called home into the presence of the Lord. He had served the Lord valiantly and faithfully, giving of himself unstintingly in reaching the people of Nechells with the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Only eternity will reveal the extent of those lives which were touched by his influence.
Responsibility for the continuity of the ministry at Ebenezer was entrusted to the remaining members of Jesse Hill’s family, daughters Elsie and Dora, and sons, Jesse (junior), and Horace. With the support of many other workers in the church, they continued to serve the Lord together in the ongoing witness of Ebenezer Mission Hall to the people of Nechells and beyond.
SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS
There were some special times of celebration over the years. Major Anniversaries of the church were celebrated as a means of reaching members of the community and bringing together those who had been involved in the life of Ebenezer over the years.
ANNIVERSARIES
The 50th Anniversary of the opening of the church was celebrated on 12 October 1974. The invitation included these words from Psalm 100.
‘Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs Know that the Lord is God.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues to all generations.’
Such was the note of celebration for 50 years of life and ministry at Ebenezer. Truly, ‘Hitherto the Lord has helped us.’
The 60th Anniversary was just missed by Elsie Hill, the last remaining offspring of the founder. She had carried the flame of her father Jesse in continuing the work at Ebenezer. She had lived in joyous hope and anticipation of Lord’s return. How appropriate that she was to enter into her heavenly home on New Year’s Eve 1983. As the 60th year of ministry dawned at Ebenezer, Elsie was to celebrate in the presence of the One she loved and served so faithfully throughout those 60 years.
The 60th Anniversary was celebrated with an evening of Fellowship and a Buffet Meal on 6th October 1984, complemented by an evening of Worship and Praise on the following day.
Further redevelopment of the area immediately around Cook Street created some uncertainty and fears that the future of Ebenezer might be in jeopardy. However knowing, ‘If God is for us who can be against us?’ the cause for alarm passed and the ministry continued in Cook Street.
In Elsie’s papers, her prayer for the future of Ebenezer, was found;
‘My sincere prayer is that God will continue to lead and guide us and to raise up those who will be faithful in their service for Him in spreading the glad tidings of a full and free salvation and experience the joy of winning precious souls for His glory. That the work may continue to prosper till we are all called to give an account of our stewardship at the judgement seat of Christ where all faithful believers will receive their just reward.’
HANDING ON THE BATON
Upon the decease of Elsie Hill, responsibility for the work was passed on to the grand-daughter of Jesse Hill, the founder. Mary had been born to daughter Ada (nee Hill) and Henry Robinson, in 1927. Upon the early death of her mother aged 34, Mary was raised by her grandparents in their home The Laurels, in Gravelly Hill.
Mary had attended Ebenezer all her life and had married Bill Johnson, who had also grown up in the fellowship. Together Mary and Bill served the Lord at Ebenezer with Bill carrying various responsibilities including Sunday School teacher, deacon, elder, secretary and treasurer, continuing in membership until his sudden home-call in October 2005.
In June 1989 Mary and Bill Johnson initiated the setting up of the ‘Hill Memorial Trust’. The appointed Trustees were Mary and Bill Johnson, Colin Spencer and Doug Surridge who continued to be responsible for the oversight of the work at Ebenezer into the new Millennium.
After the resignation of Mrs. Mary Johnson in April 2006, the Hill Memorial Trust was dissolved. In June 2007 Custodian Trustees were appointed with a Management Team overseeing the work.
The Management Team continues to pursue the vision of reaching the people of Nechells with the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Outreach to the children of Nechells is still a priority and the Word of
God is regularly and faithfully preached.
God has proved Himself to be faithful throughout the many varied turns of Church life and experience. He is the One who gives confidence that He will continue to be our help and strength, until the day when Jesus returns in glory and power, to gather His church to be with him through the ages of eternity
REFLECTION
The name ‘Ebenezer’ continues to be a true reflection of the experience of all who have served the Lord at the Mission Hall in Cook Street, or enjoyed the lively fellowship with those who have worshipped there. The roots of the ministry go back over nearly one hundred years. Over that time thousands of lives have been touched by the Word of God and the love of Christ. Many have gone to be with the Lord and have begun to enjoy the eternal provision of God for His people.
For those who have gone on to their eternal reward, and those who belong to the ongoing fellowship, the name Ebenezer, chosen in 1924, continues to be a true expression of the experience of succeeding generations, ‘Hitherto has the Lord helped us.’
It is the fervent desire of those involved in compiling this brief history of Ebenezer Mission Hall, that all who read it should know this truth in a personal way.
To God be the Glory.