Tuesday April 27, 2021
King George VI's Attendance at an Assembly Bible Study - Truth or Legend?
When I first started attending Brethren meetings (in London), almost 20 years ago now, a story I heard frequently, was that His Majesty King George VI regularly attended an (OB) Assembly Bible Study in London for a period of time. Those older brethren who retold it, although not themselves personally familiar with the alleged event, were only one generation removed, and had enough details that it was hard to believe anything other than it was genuine. Unfortunately though I never wrote any of this down at the time, but always wished to investigate it further and tie down whether this was fact or fiction.
Is anyone else familiar with this, or able to add further details?
I had a vague recollection that the Assembly in question was in Earl's Court, where Sir William Dobbie was in fellowship at the time. But I've also been told that the Honour Oak area is perhaps more likely. I even thought I'd seen the story in writing somewhere once, but no idea where this could have been now.
Another interesting one I was told recently is that Prince Charles had spent some time in earlier years in the home of a prosperous farmer in the West Country who was in the Assembly in his locality, and was impressed with the conduct of family devotions and the prominence of the Gospel. Again no direct sources for this at present.