A previous minister of St Mary’s Baptist Church, Norwich is remembered in the 27/02/2004 edition of Norfolk's Eastern Evening News (See scans below). Joseph Kinghorn was minister at St Mary’s from 1789 to 1832. His time saw the construction of a stylish new Regency church starting in 1811, just before Jane Austen wrote “Pride and Prejudice” . No longer a persecuted and marginalised sect the Baptists were an upwardly mobile social group at that time. They were Liberal and Whiggish in outlook. By the time of St Mary's Sir George White (1840-1912) it was said of the church that it was, quote, “a fashionable place of worship for prominent Liberal businessman and provided a forum for debate on the moral and political issues of the day.”
(Click scan to enlarge)
