Press Release - 12th August 2003

A Piece of History Returns Home After 11,000 Mile Journey

A leaving gift presented by members of Wolverhampton's Presbyterian Church in Merridale Road to the pastor, who was leaving to go back to Canada, has returned to the City more than 140 years after it left.

The certificate of thanks was presented to the Rev John James in 1863 as a leaving present but it has now returned to the City after it was presented to Wolverhampton City Council's Archives. Rev James had arrived in Wolverhampton from Glasgow in 1862 when he was appointed to work for the church, then based in Union Mill Street, for three guineas a week but, a year later he decided to leave the City to return to his native Galt in Canada. Last year, the certificate was left anonymously at the door of the First Presbyterian Church in Arcata, California, presumably by one of James's descendents. The church has recently presented the certificate to Wolverhampton City Council's Archives.

The Presbyterian Church building in Merridale Road was designed by well-known architect George Bidlake and was built in 1869 at a cost of £5,000 and opened the following year. It ceased to be a place of worship in 1964 when the congregation moved to Finchfield.

The certificate expresses 'Christian love and respect' from the church in Merridale Road and the prayer that God will bless and prosper James in the future.

No one knows what happened to the Rev James once he arrived in Canada. The City Archivist, Peter Evans, has delved into the archives of the Merridale Road church and found references to Rev James in the Deacon's minutes. Peter said: "This piece of Wolverhampton's history arrived out of the blue after travelling more than 11,000 miles. What happened to Rev James we don't know but part of his story is now safely lodged in the City Archives."

Extract from the Deacon's minutes from 1863: 'Congregation present an address to Mr James expressive of their Christian regard and best wishes for his future happiness and success as he leaves Wolverhampton to proceed to another sphere of labor in Canada.'