John KINGSFORD

KINGSFORD, JOHN (b. Canterbury, England, 30 March 1818; d. Brisbane, Qld, 4 Aug 1905). Baptist pastor, founder and minister Jireh Particular Baptist Church, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

John Kingsford was well known as a young preacher amongst Strict and Particular Baptist Churches in Canterbury, England before moving to Brisbane in 1861 to join his brother Richard Ash Kingsford (later mayor of Brisbane and member of the Queensland parliament) in the family drapery business, located in the heart of the city. John also assisted his brother in preaching at the Presbyterian Church, Grey Street, South Brisbane and at Wharf Street Baptist Church where Richard was a foundation member and had served as acting pastor 1857-8.

Later in 1861, John Kingsford became involved with a group of members who were concerned at the decline of Calvinistic beliefs in this church which had initially been constituted in 1855 'holding Calvinistic doctrines', but had dropped that feature only two years later. After a short period in which home meetings were held, John Kingsford became acting pastor of the new group which was formally constituted as the Jireh Particular Baptist Church in March 1862. He was officially inducted as pastor on 7 Dec 1862 when their 200-seat chapel, designed by Benjamin Blackhouse in Gothic Revival style, was opened in Gipps Street, Fortitude Valley. He served continuously as a well loved and respected pastor for 37 years until 1899 (full-time from 1871) and saw his church prosper through effective preaching, evangelism and pastoral care (although not without many struggles) and establish new churches at Windsor Road (Red Hill), Nundah, Toowong Bulimba, and Albion. At first, the church did not enjoy close fellowship with existing Baptist churches, but Kingsford was honoured with the presidency of the Baptist Association (now Union) in 1880, when he spoke on 'The Furtherance of the Gospel'.

He died in Brisbane and was buried at the Toowong Cemetery where his headstone reads, 'He was a plain and earnest preacher of the Gospel. The theme of his ministry was Jesus Christ and Him crucified'.

David Parker, 'Jireh Particular Baptist Church, Brisbane: Calvinism in an Australian context', The Baptist Quarterly 31, 1985, 159-78; David Parker, 'John Kingsford—plain, earnest preacher', Queensland Baptist, June 1983; John E White, A Fellowship of Service (Baptist Union of Queensland, 1977); Queensland Baptist Jubilee Record Volume 1855-1905 (Baptist Association of Queensland, 1905)

DAVID PARKER