WESTBOURNE GROVE CHAPEL.
The names of a few of the old church members are still to be found on the register of the church books at Westbourne Grove Chapel, but the majority have found a better, more enduring home. “They rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.”
Campden Hill Road, at this time called “Plough Lane,” was a private road leading to large houses, one of which had been occupied by Sir I. Newton. The high Water Tower which may now be seen as a land mark for many miles was not then erected.
At the corner of Plough Lane (the east side now covered with houses and the north side by shops) stood a mansion surrounded by a wall. This was occupied by a Captain Coote, a German. I believe both he and his wife had in former time had something to do with the trial of Queen Caroline as witnesses for the Queen.
About 1846 building commenced in earnest. The beautiful Portobello Lane was denuded of its hedges near Notting Hill, and a roadway cut through to where Horbury Chapel now stands. Beyond this, in that which is now Kensington Park Road the first new buildings were erected known at that time as the Swiss and Italian Villas. Ladbroke Square and other houses in that locality soon followed.
On the top of the hill, where once stood Notting Hill Farm and the grand stand of the Hippodrome Race Ground, the foundation stone of a new church, St. John’s, was laid about 1846. The last owner of this farm seems to have been a man highly respected. A tablet was erected to his memory in the old church at Kensington, from which I make a short extract:
“IN MEMORY
Of John Hall, &c., &c., and of Notting Hill. For those who remember him that name were his best epitaph. To others it may be useful to record that John Hall was one who in life, by his good works, and by fervent faith in death proved that the source of virtue is in the love of God.
&c., &c.
He died August 10, 1816, aged 54.”
The first minister of St. John’s Church was not so highly esteemed as the old owner of the Hill had been. It was stated that in asking for signatures to a petition that the Church should be a District Church, he misled those who were asked to sign by saying it would make no difference, but directly the object was attained a church rate was called for. He became very unpopular, and the last I heard of him was that he headed a strange procession. Walking through the street he was met by a crowd following a broker, who had seized a large clock for church rates. He was immediately surrounded, and compelled to follow the broker to his house. Some hundreds of people joined in the procession. He soon after obtained a fresh living, and the church has always since had ministers who were respected.