The 18th Century pewter communion plate, which disappeared from Chipperfield Baptist Church 100 years ago, has been found in a Kensington antique shop.

While Mr C Savory, of Hatfield, was browsing round the shop, which is in Brompton Road, he noticed a set of plate bearing the inscription: “Presented by Mr Robert Davis to the Dissenting Meeting Place of Chipperfield, Hertfordshire.”

He telephoned a friend [who lives in the village] who herself then inspected the plate, and it was ascertained that it originally belonged to the Baptist Church.

Mr C.S. Walden, of Chipperfield Road, Chipperfield, treasurer of the Baptist Church, told an “Observer” reporter this week that the pewter set, which consists of two plates, two chalices and an urn, may have been sold in 1860 to meet the cost of the present silver set.

He did not think it had been stolen.

He went on to say that steps were now being taken to repurchase the plate.

[From the Watford Observer of February 24, 1961]

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