Brook Street Chapel and Burial Ground

Brook Street History

Tucked away behind the bustling High Road, Brook Street Chapel holds nearly 200 years of stories. Built in 1839, the Brook Street Chapel Gospel Hall still works now as it did then, serving the community. 

From early on, Brook Street Chapel’s work with local children was a major concern; it had a Sunday School of around 600 children at the turn of the 20th century. Founded at a time when Tottenham was well established as a wealthy London suburb, it was already known for being a home to religious dissenters and non-conformists, especially Quakers. Amongst Brook Street’s founding members was Robert Howard and John Eliot Howard, sons of Luke Howard, who had broken away from the Tottenham Quakers. Visit Tottenham Clouds for more on the Howards.

One of Brook Street’s defining features is its ‘baptistery’ – a small pool in which members are immersed as a public declaration of their faith. The baptistery sits hidden underneath the chapel floor and is revealed for baptisms. 

Notable attendees at Brook Street Chapel were the Gosse family. The artist and writer Emily Bowes married Philip Henry Gosse ‘the man who invented the aquarium’ - at Brook Street Chapel in 1848. Although not members of the Chapel, the Gosses had many friends at Brook Street and were members of a similar group of Christian believers meeting at Hackney. Sadly, Emily died just 9 years after their marriage (today, a building for student accommodation in Tottenham Hale is named after her). Their son, the poet, author and literary critic Sir Edmund William Gosse (1849-1928)  was a member of Brook Street Chapel from 1867-c.1873 and taught Sunday School there. He is best known for his 1907 memoir Father and Son. Brook Street was also associated with Thomas Barnardo, the infamous founder of homes for deprived children. His legacy is remembered by a charity of the same name.

During the First World War, Brook Street Chapel was attended by some who refused to take up arms when conscription became law in 1916. Conscientious objectors (known as COs) William George Couchman and Ernest Cuthbert were both members at Brook Street Chapel. All First World War COs in Haringey are remembered by the Haringey First World War Peace Forum.

Brook Street Chapel remains an independent, non-denominational congregation and does fantastic work for the local community, especially active in supporting those living without a home in Tottenham. 

A Hidden Burial Ground

Across the street from Brook Street Chapel, beneath the unassuming paved space, is the congregation’s old burial ground. It is remembered by a large memorial stone which says: ‘Brook Street Chapel Burial Ground 1841 – 1858. In memorium of 53 local people of all ages buried on this site. Some were from families that lived in the cottages that once lined Brook Street.’

Further resources

Brook Street Chapel- Tottenham
Brook Street Chapel on Tottenham Clouds