Brief Records of the Independent Church at Beccles, Suffolk / Including biographical notices of its ministers,and some account of the rise of nonconformity in the East Anglian counties

by S. Wilton Rix

[174] MSS.

[175a] Harmer’s MSS.

[175b] Prot. Diss. Mag. vi. 349.

[176a] Rev. Samuel Hurrion’s Diary. MS.

[176b] Prot. Diss. Mag. vi. 95. Wils. Diss. Ch. iv. 369.

[177] Harmer’s MSS. Wils. Diss. Ch. iv. 369. The seceders were afterwards joined by the Baptist church of Rushall, which is said to have been as ancient as the protectorate. About 1730 a Mr. Miller was its pastor. He subsequently removed to Norwich, and was succeeded by Mr. Milliot. Towards the close of his life they chose a Mr. Simons, the benefit of whose ministry the Baptists of Beccles were also desirous of enjoying. For their accommodation the seat of the church was removed to Beccles, and there Mr. Simons resided till his death. After that event the interest at Beccles declined. It was broken up about 1766, and the members residing in or near Beccles re-united with the Independents there and with the congregation at Rushall.—Harmer’s MSS.

[178a] Dr. Ridgley published a sermon on his death, preached at Fetter-lane, Nov. 9, 1749.

[178b] When the chapel was re-built in 1812, several gravestones were laid down in the floor of the entrances, and amongst them Mr. Tingey’s. This accounts for the partial obliteration of the inscription. Two or three are almost entirely effaced. There is one to the memory of “Mrs. Elizabeth Playters, relict of Mr. Richard Playters, who departed this life December the 22nd, 1727, aged 44 years.” And another which pointed out the resting-place of “Joshua Nunn, who departed this life Feb. y^e 27th, 1729, aged 80 years.” Surely a more respectful mode of disposing of these memorials of the departed might have been adopted.

[179a] He had a daughter married to the Rev. W. Parry, the late divinity tutor of the Academy at Wymondley.

[179b] Mr. Samuel Hurrion being obliged, by an impaired state of health, to resign his ministry, retired first to Bungay, and then to Beccles, where he died Oct. 25th, 1763, aged fifty-three years. He was buried at Denton, his native place. Wils. Diss. Ch. iii. 296. He is described on his tombstone as “late of Beccles.”