John Sirgood

Background

Sirgood was born at Avening, Gloucestershire in 1821.

Career

Travelling to Loxwood on the Surrey-West Sussex border, a village not controlled by any great Anglican landowner, his evangelism took root amongst the poor labourers and small farmers and tradesmen. At first meetings were held on common lands until the Loxwood chapel was opened in 1861. His sect had about two thousand followers when he died.

Achievements

• A shoemaker by trade he settled at Kennington in south London during the 1840s, where he became a disciple of William Bridges, founder of the Plumstead Peculiars.

Politics

His followers lived in an extremely austere manner and practised a form of Christian communism in the retail businesses and farms that they developed.