THE CORN EXCHANGE BAPTIST CHURCH

Services were held on each following Sunday in the Corn Exchange, and the first Communion was held on August 1st. By now the congregation had decided to declare itself to be a Church of God and on the first Sunday in September 1880 in the afternoon the Corn Exchange Baptist Church was formed. The right hand of fellowship was extended to 35 people and the church was declared duly constituted. The Rev. Henry W. Taylor was formally invited to be its minister which he accepted and he then conducted a Communion Service at which the future life of the Church was offered to God.

The Church was formed but there were many difficulties still to be overcome. Wednesday 13th October 1880 saw the Service of Recognition for the new minister. It had to be held in the public baths, "the floor being boarded over for the occasion" as their request to use the Assembly Rooms of the Court House later known as the Town Hall, was curtly refused by the magistrates. Over 300 people heard Rev. William Cuff of Shoreditch Tabernacle preach; there was a large choir who gave musical selections and there followed addresses from a furthur six local ministers. (The local baths are now the Salvation Army Citadel.)

The services continued in the Corn Exchange each Sunday. During the week the building reverted to its intended role at the centre of agricultural trading in the area.  Their next priority therefore was to obtain a building of their own.  Within a year a piece of land in Sweet Briar Lane (now Victoria St.) was purchased for the sum of £320 which as Mr Taylor recorded was "subscribed with difficulty". Plans of a building were prepared, probably by Mr. Taylor himself and a local builder Mr. Dunham was employed to erect the St.Albans Tabernacle.