Dr. Collinges died in January, 1690, and was probably succeeded soon after by Mr. Josiah Chorley, who was not a native of Norwich, but came from Lancashire. He officiated about thirty years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Peter Finch, a highly esteemed preacher for many years. After he died his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Taylor, who said:—
“Surely the character of Mr. Finch, drawn out so even and clear without any remarkable spot or flaw, through the long course of sixty-three years in this city, must be deserving of remembrance and imitation, since it must be the result of a steady integrity and solid wisdom.”
The Rev. Mr. Finch was one of the first pupils who entered into the first dissenting academy, erected after the Reformation, by the Rev. Mr. Frankland; and he survived almost all the 300 gentlemen who, in the space of thirty years, were educated in that academy. He died October 6th, 1754, on his 93rd birthday, and was buried in St. Peter’s Church, in this city. His descendents were residents here till 1847. His son was many years clerk of the peace for the county of Norfolk.
Mr. John Brooke was invited to take his place towards the end of the year 1718. This minister was born in or near Yarmouth, where some of his descendants have generally resided. He resigned in 1733, and removed to York, where he died. Dr. John Taylor was elected to the vacant office in 1733, and continued till 1757, when he resigned. He was the author of many works of a religious character. In 1753 the old chapel was pulled down, and a subscription was raised of nearly £4000 for a new one. The first stone of the new building was laid on February 25th, 1754, by Dr. Taylor; and within three years the present elegant chapel was completed at a cost of £5174.
Mr. Samuel Bourn, son of Mr. Bourn of Birmingham, was ordained co-pastor with Dr. John Taylor, and he published volumes of sermons which established his reputation in that kind of composition. He resigned in 1775, and retired to a village near Norwich. Several gentlemen, who afterwards attained considerable eminence in science, were brought up under Mr. Bourn’s ministry, viz., Sir James Edward Smith, so long president of the Linnean Society; Mr. Robert Woodhouse, the eminent mathematician and professor of astronomy at Cambridge; and Dr. Edward Maltby, afterwards bishop of Durham. Mr. Bourn removed to Norwich not many months before his death, and died in the 83rd year of his age; he was interred in the burying ground of the Octagon Chapel. Mr. Bourn was succeeded by the Rev. John Hoyle, who was minister for seventeen years. He died in the 51st year of his age, on November 29th, 1775, and was interred in the Octagon burying ground.
On December 15th, 1776, Mr. Alderson was chosen minister, and soon afterwards Mr. George Cadogan Morgan became co-pastor. He had been educated under the inspection of his uncle, the celebrated Dr. Richard Price, so that great expectations were formed of his abilities, and the congregation were not disappointed. He soon, however, resigned and went to Yarmouth; and in 1755, Dr. William Enfield was invited to become co-pastor with Mr. Alderson, and he accepted the office. In 1786, Mr. Alderson resigned; and in 1787 was succeeded by Mr. P. Houghton.
In 1784, Mr. P. M. Martineau projected the establishment of the Public Library at Norwich, in which he was cordially seconded by Dr. Enfield, who was one of the earliest presidents of an institution, which for the extent and variety of its catalogue surpasses most provincial libraries. In the early periods of the first French Revolution, a periodical work was established by the liberal party in Norwich, entitled “The Cabinet;” to which the principal contributors were Mr. John Pitchford, Mr. Wm. Youngman, Mr. Norgate, Mr. C. Marsh (afterwards M.P. for Retford), Mrs. Opie (then Miss Alderson), Mr. John Taylor, and Dr. Enfield. After publishing many learned works, Dr. Enfield died in the 57th year of his age, on November 3rd, 1797. After his death, three volumes of his sermons were published by subscription; and among the subscribers were persons of almost every sect in Norwich, from the cathedral prebendary to the independent minister. More than twenty beneficed clergymen’s names appear in the list, and it is very well known that Dr. Enfield’s sermons have been heard from many pulpits of the established church. Professor Taylor, late of Gresham college, thus wrote in a supplementary memoir:—
“With his dissenting brethren Dr. Enfield was always on the best terms, especially with Mr. Newton and Mr. Kinghorn, the ministers of the Independent and Baptist congregations. The Presbyterian congregation, comprising many individuals of station and influence in the city, took the lead in every movement of the dissenting body, who never appeared in a more united and honourable position than when Dr. Enfield was their acknowledged head. The state of society during his residence in Norwich, was eminently suited to his habits and tastes. Parr, Peel, Walker, Howes, and Smyth were his contemporaries. Parr was the head master of the grammar school, Potter was a prebendary of the Cathedral, and Porson was occasional resident at the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Hawes of Coltishall, a village a few miles from Norwich. Dr. Enfield was a welcome visitor at the bishop’s palace; for though Dr. Bagot had no political or religious sympathy with the minister of the Presbyterian congregation, he knew how to estimate his talents, his manners, and his admirable conversational powers. Among the residents in Norwich at this time, with whom Dr. Enfield associated, were Dr. Sayers, Mr. William Taylor, Mr. Hudson Gurney (afterwards M.P. for Newport and a vice-president of the Society of Antiquaries), Dr. Rigby, Dr. Lubbock, Sir James Edward Smith, the Rev. John Walker (an accomplished scholar and one of the minor canons of the Cathedral), Mrs. Opie (then Miss Alderson), Mr. Bruckner, the minister of the Dutch and French protestant congregations at Norwich, and others, who though unknown to the world as authors, were yet worthy associates in such a society.”
Dr. Enfield’s estimate of the character of society at Norwich, is thus expressed in a letter from Liverpool to Professor Taylor’s father:—
“You will easily imagine the pleasure I feel in enjoying the society of my old friends here, especially that of Mr. Roscoe and Dr. Currie; but with these and a few other exceptions, I find more congenial associates at Norwich. For a man of literary tastes and pursuits, I can truly say that I know of no town which offers so eligible a residence.”