History of Plumstead Baptist Church

From 2007, until today

In Jan 2007, ministry began at our new location at 20 Toulon Avenue Plumstead, having moved from our historical address in Wynberg. For most of 2007, the existing building at 20 Toulon Avenue was renovated,
specifically to make a small room for us to hold our Evening Church Services.

On the 10th of February 2008, we held our first Evening Service and kept our Morning Service at the Dutch Reformed Church in Ophir Road, Plumstead. On the 3rd of September 2009, work began to build our New Hall in which we would hold both Morning & Evening Services, as well as other events.
On the 5th of December 2010, with all work on the New Hall completed successfully, we held ourfirst Morning Service.

We give God all the Glory for his continued Grace over all these years, now spanning over 123 years.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

It would be impossible to attempt to compile a history, however brief, of the Plumstead Baptist Church (formerly known as Wynberg Baptist Church) without acknowledging the past role played by the members of Wale Street Baptist Church (now located in Orange Street) in its establishment.
In these records, tribute is paid to the evangelising zeal of the Rev. W. Hamilton who came to South Africa from Spurgeon’s College in London. Soon after his arrival, a preaching station was established at Wynberg.

The work began with cottage meetings in 1876. In 1878 the Rev. H.T. Batts arrived in Cape Town to assist the Rev. Hamilton. For two months after his arrival the two men held a series of special services between Cape Town and Wynberg, preaching almost every night. The cottage meetings soon grew into an organised service held in the old Government School at the corner of Tenant Road. A year later the old Court House in Durban Road was hired.

In 1880 the work moved into the Baptist Hall in Lower Church Street. The work was under the charge of Cape Town until the arrival of the Rev. Ernest Baker from Spurgeons in 1891. Among the preachers in the early days were W. Roberts, George White and D. L. Niddrie. These men often walked the whole distance from Cape Town to Wynberg and back.

In 1891 the Wynberg cause was formed into a separate Church and the Rev. Ernest Baker was invited to be the first pastor. The church thus constituted had twenty-one “foundation members”:

Miss Helena van der Bos, Mrs. R. Crane, Miss L. Gomez, Miss R. Stephens, Mrs. J. A. Cresner, Mrs. W. Bridgens, Miss J. Higgs, Mr. J. Higgs, Miss A. W. Mathew, Mr. James Creser, Mr. Wm. Wright (Church Secretary), Mrs. Wright, Miss Grace Wright, Mrs. A. Y. Mathew, Mr A Y. Mathew (parents of your life-Deacon Mr. E. A Mathew), Mr. I. van Renan, Miss J. van Renan, Mr. Geo. Hutchinson, Mrs. G Hitchinson and Mr. A. W. Mathew.