_Dudley, 16th June 1853._
The Unitarian Chapel, 1853. This Chapel is situated in a retired
arched gateway, in Wolverhampton Street, adjoining the old Post
Office. It was originally built in 1701; but that structure unhappily
shared the fate of many other Nonconformist Chapels, destroyed under
Dr. Sacheverell's fanaticism against Dissenters, for in 1714, it was
burnt down by a lawless mob, but was shortly afterwards re-built by a
Parliamentary Grant of £500. This comfortable and commodious chapel
has been much improved and ornamented since that period, and it now
seats 450 worshippers. There is also an excellent school attached
to this denomination, known as Daniel Parsons' Foundation School,
having 150 children therein, under the able tuition of Mr. and Mrs.
Lewis. The life of Dr. Sacheverell reveals the impression that he was
a learned madman, whose craze was to preach "the Church in Danger,"
and that dissent ought to be stamped out by fire and persecution. He
was appointed preacher at St. Saviour's Church, Southwark, London, in
1705, where he preached his violent crusade against Dissenters, which
commanded much attention at the time. For his intemperate language,
both in and out of the pulpit, he got impeached by the House of
Commons, and was suspended preaching for three years, but through some
powerful Court influence, he eventually managed to get appointed to the
valuable Rectory of St. Andrew's, Holborn, London, where he died in
1724. During this period of our history, the Rev. John Palmer, B.A.,
of Trinity College, Dublin, was appointed on February 18th, 1833,
the minister of this highly intelligent and wealthy congregation.
Mr. Palmer was a gentleman of great mental power, and was a good
and pleasant preacher, and during the nineteen years he held this
appointment he secured the esteem and regard of all good citizens. Mr.
Palmer, like many of his countrymen, was a very energetic politician,
and his often expressed Radical opinions at times shocked the nervous
sensibility of his friends. However, after 19 years of great zeal and
energy in the sacred cause he had undertaken to uphold and propagate,
we find him suddenly transformed into an officer of the Crown, for
in 1853, he was appointed Crown Treasurer in the Island of Dominica,
whither he departed, being succeeded after a time by the Rev. Richard
Shaen, M.A., who only remained a few years as minister. Some of our
"oldest inhabitants" are in possession of relics and curiosities of the
old burnt chapel, in the form of oaken stands and curious boxes made
from the ponderous oak timbers, which were not entirely consumed in the
conflagration of the chapel. The Rev. Mr. Gibson is the present genial
and courteous minister. The Election for the _first Local Board of
Health_ took place on June 23rd, 1853, with the following results:
DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.--The election of this board was
brought to a close on Thursday last, and the result is as
follows, the first fifteen being elected:--Dr. Browne, 1,227;
S. H. Blackwell, 1,161; E. Hollier, 1,135; A. B. Cochrane,
981; R. Smith, 974; T. Lester, 951; J. C. Cook, 887; J. E.
Swindell, 872; I. Badger, 870; W. O. Wood, 848; E. Dixon, 844;
A. Patterson, 841; G. Thompson, of Corngreaves, 812; T. Badger,
jun., 801; J. G. Walker, 793; J. Finch, 754; E. Feny, 725; W.
Haden, 676; T. Griffiths, 671; W. Timmins, 633; W. Harrison,
625; E. F. Smith, 615; E. L. Cresswell, 586; J. Renaud, 504;
C. Cartwright, 495; J. Marsh, 491; J. Bagott, 485; T. Danks,
471; J. Owen, 466; T. Fereday, 374; J. Guest, 246; W. Harper,
121; D. Lloyd, 117; C. F. G. Clark, 113; W. Sheppard, 105. From
an inspection of the list elected, it will be seen that, with
few exceptions, the ratepayers have chosen the board from the
most active and intelligent members of the Board of Guardians
and the late Board of Highways and Town Act Commissioners, and
we hope to see the "Health Act" now carried out in Dudley in
its integrity, with advantage to the general social condition
of the inhabitants, and with due regard to the pockets of the
ratepayers.--_Birmingham Journal._
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