Church History
The Baptists in Shipley date back to the middle of the 18th century when the
church at Rawdon sent a Mr Gaukrodger to begin a work in what was then a small market town with a growing trade in woollen goods. This was before any other denomination, or the railway or even the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which runs through the town. The work quickly grew and Bethel Baptist Chapel was built close to the town centre. When this proved too small, in 1862 a large non-conformist cathedral, Rosse Street Chapel, was built at the other side of the town centre. Handel Parker, composer of the tune “Deep Harmony,” was organist at Rosse St. before his call to be Cathedral organist in Bermuda. 
Shipley then had two Baptist churches, which developed quite different characters. One quite formal, the other much less so.
In the 1960s, the church at Rosse St moved from its grand premises (the organ is now in Guildford Cathedral) into what had been their suite of Sunday School and social rooms, and were soon joined by Bethel. Thus Shipley Baptist Church was formed in 1968.
SBC then shared a minister with the Heaton church up the hill, until in 1988, with the aid of a Home Mission grant, a full-time minister was called. The next few years saw rapid growth, and the buildings, modernised and extended, became well used by church and community.
Theologically, SBC is now probably much more of a “broad church” than its Particular founders would have expected, and in character probably more relaxed.
For those trying to trace their ancestors, we have no graves, but above the railway station are the remnants of the Bethel graveyard, now landscaped and overgrown with brambles. All surviving historical documents are lodged with The West Yorkshire Archive Service, but be in touch. Some of our members have been around for a very long time!
