Irish Evangelical Society and other miscellaneous Societies and Associations

Repository: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Identity Statement

TitleIrish Evangelical Society and other miscellaneous Societies and Associations
Archive ReferenceGB 0255 PRONI/CR7/2
Web Link to this Entryhttps://iar.ie/archive/irish-evangelical-society-other-miscellaneous-societies-associations
Creation Dates1814-1951
Extent Medium33 volumes + a small number of related correspondence

Context

Creator(s): Irish Evangelical Society Irish Congregational Home Mission Western Congregational Association

  • Administrative History ↴

    During the immediate post-rebellion and post-union era it became clear that Ireland was a prime location for evangelical missionary endeavours. As a result numerous organisations were formed in England to commence work in Ireland. The Hibernian Bible Society and the Hibernian Sunday School Society were the largest and most influential of Ireland's Protestant religious agencies, but there were many others, including the London Hibernian Society (1806), the Baptist Society for Ireland (1814) and the Irish branch of the Religious Tract and Book Society (1816).{D.Hempton & M. Hill, Evangelical Protestantism in Ulster Society, 1740-1890, (London, 1992)} The London Hibernian Society was founded with three related aims: the establishment of schools; distribution of tracts; and the ministry of the gospel. However, in 1814 it was decided that the society should concentrate on its educational mission. As a result the Irish Evangelical Society was formed. The Society was managed by two committees in Dublin and London respectively. Although undenominational its founding members and chief supporters were principally Congregationalists. The work was met with success and many preaching stations were established and chapels built such as those at Bray, Carrickfergus, Londonderry, Newry, Wexford, Wicklow, and Youghal. The churches although obviously independent by principle were heavily reliant upon the Irish Evangelical Society for financial support. In 1829 the London committee which had gradually assumed increasing control decided to close their theological academy in Dublin and dismiss the Dublin committee of the Society. This action resulted in the formation of the Congregational Union of Ireland within a few months (See CR7/1). In 1840 the Irish Evangelical Society came under the direct control of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. This resulted in tensions with the Congregational Union of Ireland which were successfully resolved for a short period. Nevertheless, the I.E.S. remained inextricably linked with the Congregational Union of England and Wales until the late 1850s. During 1857-58 the direct connection between the Society and the Union was severed. Prior to this Irish Congregationalists had formed their own separate missionary organisation in 1853 known as the Irish Congregational Home Mission (See CR7/2/B). In 1861 the Irish Evangelical Society and the Irish Congregational Home Mission merged to form the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission. The organisation was administered once again by two bodies: a committee in London and a committee of the Congregational Union of Ireland respectively. In 1899 the joint Society was transferred to the complete control of the Congregational Union of Ireland.
  • Archival History ↴

    Unknown
  • Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

    Unknown

Content & Structure

  • Scope & Content: Irish Evangelical Society Irish Congregational Home Mission Western Congregational Association ↴

    The records of the Irish Evangelical Society and other Congregational bodies comprise 33 volumes and a small number of related correspondence, dated 1814-1951. The bulk of the archive, however, pertains to the Irish Evangelical Society and its successor the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission. It also closely links in with the archive of the Congregational Union of Ireland (CR7/1).

    -Extracted from a full account of the Irish Evangelical Society Papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

  • Appraisal Destruction ↴

    Permanent Retention
  • Arrangement ↴

    CR7/2 Irish Evangelical Society and other miscellaneous Societies and Associations

    CR7/2/A Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/1 Minute Books of the Irish Evangelical Society (post 1861 Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission)
    CR7/2/A/2 Minute Book of the Publication and Corresponding Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/3 Minute Book of the English Branch Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/4 Quarterly Minute Book of the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission
    CR7/2/A/5 Minute Book of the Executive Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society (and Congregational Home Mission)
    CR7/2/A/5/2 Correspondence relating to the work of the Executive Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission about the compliance of statistics dated 1890; and a letter referring to the above minute book dated 1916.
    CR7/2/A/6 Letter books of the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission
    CR7/2/A/6/3 Correspondence of the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Mission referring to the debts of Lisburn Congregational Church, etc.
    CR7/2/A/7 Cash Books of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/8 Receipt Ledgers of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/9 Irish Agents Ledger of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/10 Ledger of the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/11 Membership Returns of Donaghy Congregational Church to the Irish Evangelical Society
    CR7/2/A/12 Miscellaneous

    CR7/2/B Irish Congregational Home Mission
    CR7/2/B/1 Minute book of the Irish Congregational Home Mission [See also CR7/2/A/1]
    CR7/2/B/2 Minute book of the Sub-Committee of the Irish Congregational Home Mission

    CR7/2/C Western Congregational Association
    CR7/2/C/1 Minute book of the Western Congregational Association

    CR7/2/D Irish Congregational Minister’s Provident Fund
    CR7/2/D/1 Minute books of the Irish Congregational Minister’s Provident Fund

Conditions of Access & Use

Access Conditions The collection can be consulted in the reading room in PRONI in accordance with PRONI guidelines.
Conditions Governing ReproductionItems may be copied for personal research use only. If a researcher wishes to publish any documents from this collection, a request must be submitted in writing to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Creation Dates1814-1951
Extent Medium33 volumes + a small number of related correspondence
Material Language ScriptEnglish
Finding Aids A descriptive list is available to search online at: http://www.proni.gov.uk/ Archive Web Link →

Allied Materials

Related MaterialPRONI also holds further related material: Congregational Union of Ireland (CR7/1)

Descriptive Control Area

Archivist NoteIAR Archivist
Rules/ConventionsISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottawa: International Council on Archives, 2000. National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names. Chippenham: National Council on Archives, 1997. UK Archival Thesaurus (UKAT)
Date of Descriptions41699