Chedworth
Letter to Joseph Sly, 8 February, 1847

Transcribed by Mike Tovey
Courtesy of Mike Tovey
Letter to Joseph Sly, Grocer of Chedworth 8 February 1847

Sir, I beg to furnish you with a copy of the invitation sent to me and which you requested when you called on me.

Chedworth March 31st 1840
Dear Sir,
We as a church and people worshiping together in the Independent Chapel Chedworth, Gloucestershire having been now nearly six months without a pastor and having in the course of the months gone by had the pleasure of hearing your preaching with pleasure and we hope to profit after prayer and consultation together we have unanimously agreed to give you an invitation to settle amongst us as our stated minister, still praying that you and us may be guided by that wisdom that cometh from above. We believe God has directed us in our making choice of you and pray you may be guided by the God of all grace, if inclined to accept our cordial invitation, with regard to salary from ourselves we will make you £40 pounds per year with the dwelling house belonging to the chapel. Should these imperfect lines be accepted will thank you Sir to answer as soon as convenient for the satisfaction of the church. Whereon this sheet of paper we have signed our names.
William Palmer, Henry Collett, Joseph Sly, Robert Collett

Note by M. Tovey: Although the author (and original recipiant) of this letter is not clear it would seem to be from Mark Cunningham, a native of Bristol, who was pastor of the Chedworth Congregational Chapel in early 1841 (census and baptism register evidence). There is a gap in the baptism register between August 1846 and July 1848 which suggests that the chapel was again without a pastor for a time. Between at least August 1846 & April 1851 (baptism and census evidence) the pastor was Joseph Stratford. Mark Cunningham had returned by 1852 and remained in Chedworth until he died in 1883.