A little history  

89 St Michael's Road, Northampton

At the 40th Birthday celebration of the Church in it's occupation of 89 St Michael's Road in October 2005,  Duncan Gascoine, President of the Spritualists' National Union, produced a cutting from the Two Worlds  magazine of October 9th 1903, which had a short piece called "Progress in Northampton".  This showed a photograph of the same premises currently occupied (see above photo) which had been purchased by members of the Northampton Spiritualist Society for £360.   It was subsequently enlarged by building out into the garden, making it capable of seating 130.  The alteration to the front cost £45 (presumably a re-modelling of the front door and the construction of the door surround). It was then said that it could seat over 200.  As we can only seat about 80 comfortably, they must have been squashed up sitting on wooden forms!   Then, no doubt, one would step straight into the hall from the street, whereas at present the Vestibule and Library take off approximately 12 feet from the original space.   (Click here to see the original article)

At some point the Society left these premises and we know that it was used by the Mormons prior to our re-occupation in 1965.  

The Church Committee hope to find better premises in the future, but there is no doubt that when that day finally comes, 89 St Michael's Road will have served the cause of Spiritualism very well over a great many years in Northampton.

It is worth noting that on 3rd May 1871, Mrs Emma Hardinge Britten spoke at the Mechanics Institute in Northampton her talk entitled The Ministry of Angels.  So Northampton Spiritualists go back a long way!

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