West Cumbria Brethren: The early years of five churches of the Christian Brethren movement in 19th century Cumberland

This book, the second to emerge from the author's long-term project "Brethren of the North", explores the early history of five churches in West Cumbria owing their origin to the Christian Brethren ("Open Brethren") movement, from the 1830s through to the turn of the twentieth century.

Using church archives where available, press reports, magazine articles, published book and letters, personal diaries, legal documents and more, not only the churches themselves but also many people now largely forgotten are brought back to memory.

Keswick, Whitehaven, Workington, Cockermouth and Frizington each had thriving independent churches within the movement, two of which continue today. The focus in this book is the 19th century. At the peak of the movement there were ten of these Christian Brethren churches (or "assemblies" as they were usually called) in West Cumbria and it is hoped that those that were formed a little later, in the 20th century, may be covered in a later volume.