Deutsche Evangelical Kirche - Bradford, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 47.480 W 001° 45.558
30U E 581731 N 5961020
This Lutheran church was originally established by German immigrant textile mill owners and their workers.
Waymark Code: WMJYZB
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/19/2014
Views: 1
During the industrial revolution Bradford became a major textile manufacturer and was known as the 'Wool capital of the world'. An area of Bradford known as Little Germany got its name because a large number of German merchants spent large sums of money constructing imposing warehouses for the storage and sale of their goods.
The German population of Bradford started holding church services in 1876, and by 1883 had bought the premises for this church which was originally an English Wesleyan school.
Some of the funding for the church including stained glass windows came from the Delius family. They owned a large warehouse in the Little Germany area. Frederick Delius pursued other interests and became a well known musical composer.
These days the size of the German population in Bradford has fallen and the church congregation numbers has fallen proportionately. They have now converted part of the building to be used as a community arts centre, named the Delius Arts and Culture Centre in honour of the church's connection with the Delius family.
However church services are still held in German in the Lutheran tradition.
The church's web site has a more detailed description of its history.
link