The Church in a Brewery

The building shown here, built in 1902, is thought to be unique as it was founded as a chapel by a brewer, Mr. Edgar Tarry Adams, in his brewery grounds in Trinity Street. Mr Adams was a lay preacher and on Sunday afternoons held services in the chapel for his employees and their families. On other days of the week it was used as a Reading Room for lectures, concerts and parties as well as a drill hall for the local defence volunteers and a Boys Naval Brigade; all these activities being run and supported by the various members of the Adams family. Adams also served as a chaplain to the Halstead workhouse and would sometimes invite a party of inmates to the Reading Room to be regaled with prayers and a service, entertainment and refreshments. Did they, one wonders, also have the opportunity to sample the products of the brewery?. The building is now the Town Museum founded and run by the Halstead and District Local History Society.