MBC ARCHIVE · 1926 TO 2026

Photographic Archive

Explore photographs of Milton Baptist Church's buildings, fellowship, youth work and shared life across the generations.

Explore the complete timeline

A CURATED COLLECTION

A church made of people, not only dates

These photographs have been selected from MBC's historical archive to show the church's buildings, worship, friendships and shared life. Select any photograph to explore it in the gallery.

On a phone, swipe between photographs or use the previous and next buttons.

1926 TO 1938

Beginnings and early buildings

A large congregation gathered outside the small Salisbury Road church building — The first Salisbury Road building at its opening on 15 August 1926.

The original brick Baytree Road Baptist church building — The Baytree Road church that opened for public worship in 1938.

1950 TO THE 1970s

Growing together

The first Milton Baptist Church diaconate gathered for a formal group photograph — MBC's first diaconate in 1950, when the church became independent.

The enlarged Baytree Road church with its new front and schoolrooms — The enlarged church and new schoolrooms, opened on 16 January 1965.

The former Baytree Road sanctuary viewed from the rear with rows of blue chairs — Inside the former Baytree Road sanctuary, looking towards the front.

A minister baptising a person in the church baptistry — A baptismal service in the former Baytree Road sanctuary.

A minister and newly baptised person standing beside the church baptistry — Celebrating a baptism in the former Baytree Road sanctuary.

Church leaders gathered outside the former Baytree Road church — Church leaders outside the former Baytree Road building.

Young people and leaders gathered inside Spurgeon Hall — Youth Fellowship in Spurgeon Hall before 1972.

A large Milton Baptist Church youth group outside Brunel Manor — Milton YPF at Brunel Manor, Torquay, in 1975.

A Christian youth fellowship band performing on a church hall stage — The Combined Christian Youth Fellowship band in the 1970s.

Young people and leaders gathered outside at Greatwood — YPF at Greatwood Youth Weekend in 1976.

Young people and leaders sitting in a circle outdoors at Greatwood — A circle gathering during the YPF Greatwood Youth Weekend in 1976.

Milton Baptist Church young people and leaders gathered outdoors — A Milton YPF outing around 1976 to 1977.

Milton Baptist Church youth football team in sports kit — The YPF football team in 1977.

Young people taking part in a raft race beside the Marine Lake causeway — A Bristol and District Baptist Churches youth raft race at Marine Lake.

A youth raft race team paddling on Marine Lake — Another moment from the Bristol and District Baptist Churches youth raft race at Marine Lake.

Young people performing a musical in the former church sanctuary — A YPF musical in the former Baytree Road sanctuary; the date is not recorded.

COMPANY LIFE AND THE BAND

Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade

Photographs from MBC's Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade history. The original prints identify a company anniversary in 1983 and a band photograph in 1984; the other photographs are undated.

Brigade members and leaders gathered for a group photograph outside the church — 1983: the 50th anniversary of the 2nd Weston-super-Mare Company, as recorded on the original print.

Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade band members with instruments and a display of trophies — The Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade band with winners' trophies in 1984, according to the handwritten caption.

A large group of Brigade members and leaders arranged in rows outside a brick building — Brigade members and leaders gathered for a company photograph. The date is not recorded.

Brigade members and leaders posed together on steps outside a brick building — A Brigade group on the steps outside the building. The date is not recorded.

ACROSS THE YEARS

Fellowship and celebrations

Milton Singers arranged in rows inside the church — Milton Singers, preserved in the church history presentation.

Church members relaxing together on a countryside outing — A church family outing; the date and location are not recorded.

Church members gathered on a pebble beach during an outing — A church outing to the coast; the date and location are not recorded.

People dancing together during a church social evening — A church social evening; the date is not recorded.

A large group sharing a meal around long tables in the church hall — A fellowship meal in the church hall; the date is not recorded.

People talking around tables during a church social — Fellowship around the tables at a church social; the date is not recorded.

A large Christmas fellowship meal in the church hall — A Christmas fellowship meal; the date is not recorded.

People gathered informally inside the former church sanctuary — An informal gathering in the former sanctuary; the date is not recorded.

A large Milton Baptist Church congregation filling the former sanctuary and balcony — The MBC fellowship gathered in the former sanctuary in 1998.

Milton Baptist Church deacons gathered outside the new church building — MBC deacons outside the new building in 1999.

SERVING NEAR AND FAR

Mission and partnership

Rev Donald Boyes with his wife and two children — Rev and Mrs Donald Boyes and family, linked with MBC through the Andes Evangelical Mission from 1962 to 1976.

People gathered outside a church during an overseas partnership visit — A church partnership visit preserved in MBC's archive; the location and date are not recorded.

A group gathered outdoors during an overseas church partnership visit — Friends gathered during a church partnership visit; the location and date are not recorded.

1998 TO 1999

A church rebuilt

The church family gathered outside the old Baytree Road building — The church family outside the old building at its final service in April 1998.

The front of the former church sanctuary with its pulpit, communion table and organ pipes — Inside the former Baytree Road church before rebuilding.

The former sanctuary partly demolished with its arched front window still standing — Demolition of the former church building in 1998.

A crane lifting steel columns into place on the church construction site — The new steel frame taking shape during the 1998 to 1999 rebuild.

Church deacons and the architect seated together to sign the building contract — Church deacons and the architect signing the contract for the new building.

The new brick church building surrounded by scaffolding — The rebuilding project under scaffolding on 7 February 1999.

The new Baytree Road church nearing completion — The new building nearing completion on 8 May 1999.

The church family gathered outside the new Baytree Road building — The church family outside the new building in 1999.

The completed modern Baytree Road church seen from across the road — The completed Baytree Road church on 5 October 1999.

2023

Friendships that endure

Former youth fellowship members gathered outside Cirencester Baptist Church — YPF friendships continuing at a reunion in Cirencester on 16 September 2023.

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