Crafton Street Church of Christ, Leicester, 1972, prior to demolition under a Council area clearance scheme
The beginning of the Crafton Street Church of Christ can be traced back to origins in Nottingham and Loughborough.
In 1836 Scotch Baptists in Nottingham began to seriously discuss the true import of baptism and the operation of the Spirit of God in conversion. A number of members left and on 25th December 1836 fourteen of them began to meet in an upper room at the warehouse of Johnathan Hine, Mount Street, Nottingham.
The new cause rapidly grew. By 1841 membership exceeded 200, and other congregations had been planted in Lincoln, Horncastle, Donnington, South Spilsby, Newark, Bulwell and Loughborough.
In 1848 two members in Mountsorrel, the Hardings, persuaded James Leavesley of the same village to attend the meetings of the Loughborough church. James Leavesley was a well-known sceptic. Hearing, he believed and was immersed. At once he opened his home for Bible study, teaching and preaching, and soon a church was established in Mountsorrel
Later James Leavesley’s brother – a local preacher – came to hear what “this new doctrine” meant (it was new to him, as to many religious people in the locality, but in fact it was as old as the New Testament). At first, he opposed his brother, but he kept coming back for more. Eventually, he left Methodism and was immersed in the river Soar in the presence of hundreds of witnesses.
Because of trade depression, Thomas and James Leavesley went to live in Leicester, starting up a boot and shoe factory in Erskine Street.
Here they found a handful of brethren meeting in an upper room above a coffee shop in Charles Street, to which they brought new vision and enthusiasm.
A meeting-room was hired and meetings widely advertised. Capable preachers gave help (among them Bro. Blair and David King) and soon a flourishing work was under way.
The church engaged the Lecture room of the Temperance Hall, and in meetings there, many were added to the Lord.
By 1865 they had purchased a small plot of land in Crafton Street and built a “Christians Meeting House”.
Membership swelled to over 400 members, including the future Mayor of Leicester Sir Johnathan North.
In the 1970’s the area became slums, and was cleared by the Council as part of constructing a new ring road and the St Matthews Estate.
Today the plot of land is grass.
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