Background to the Collection
The Anglican Evangelical Group Movement (AEGM) started in 1906 as a small, informal grouping of discontented evangelicals within the Church of England. The Group Movement, as it was initially called, began in Liverpool, with F. S. Guy Warman, then vicar of Birkenhead, who was the first secretary.
Regional groups were quickly set up and a series of pamphlets were produced under the title "English Church Manuals". The Group's heyday was during the 1920s and 1930s, when its message focused on freedom of religion and thought, and on the conversion power of the Gospel (known as "Liberal evangelism").
In 1923 the Group Movement was renamed the AEGM and it began to hold a yearly meeting called the Cromer Convention. Bible readings at these conventions were often given by Canon Storr, who emerged as the effective leader until his death in 1940. The organisation was dissolved at the final annual conference held in 1967 on the grounds that the job it originally set out to do had largely been achieved.
What is in the collection?
Material in this collection covers the period 1907-1979. Records include minutes, subject files, indexes and lists of members, correspondence, study outlines, press cuttings, articles, pamphlets, publications and financial papers.
Records relate to various subjects including meetings, the Central Committee, the Liverpool Six, the Birmingham Group, the Group Brotherhood, The Liberal Evangelical, F. S. Guy Warman, Leonard Hickin, incorporation of the movement, thoughts on the sacraments, and the work of federal, regional and Indian committees.
What areas of research would the collection support?
Material in this collection could be used to produce a written history of the AEGM, as well as contributing to a wider study of 20th century evangelism in Britain. The collection could also be used for more general research on the history of nonconformism in the 20th century.
Are there any access issues?
There are no access issues associated with this collection and it will be made available to any accredited reader.
Is there any related material?
Related material can be found in the following collections:
- Pamphlet file of John Saville re Religion [U DJS/4/36]
Please also see our politics and campaigning page for further guidance on our political collections.
See the online catalogue descriptions
U DEM