England: Chronology

May 1836 • Toronto, CanadaJoseph Fielding, John Taylor, Leonora Cannon Taylor, and other English immigrants to Canada joined the Church.

July 20, 1837 • Liverpool, EnglandThe first group of Latter-day Saint missionaries, led by Elders Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, arrived in England.

July 23, 1837 • Preston, EnglandHeber C. Kimball preached in the Vauxhall Chapel of Reverend James Fielding, brother of Joseph Fielding.

July 30, 1837 • PrestonGeorge Watt and eight others, the first converts in England, were baptized in the River Ribble.

August 6, 1837 • PrestonThe first branch of the Church in England was created in Preston.

July 8, 1838 • Far West, MissouriIn a revelation to Joseph Smith, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was called to preach the gospel in England.

December 19, 1838 • Far WestJohn Taylor was ordained an Apostle, the first General Authority born in England.

1840–42 • United KingdomNine of the Twelve Apostles preached throughout the United Kingdom.

March 1840 • Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, EnglandElder Wilford Woodruff baptized members of the United Brethren.

1840 • Pendock, Worcestershire, EnglandThe United Brethren deeded the Gadfield Elm Chapel to the Church, the first Church-owned meetinghouse in Europe.

April 16, 1840 • PrestonPeter Melling was ordained as the first patriarch in England.

May 27, 1840 • Manchester, EnglandThe first edition of the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star was published.

June 6, 1840 • LiverpoolThe first company of Latter-day Saint converts left Liverpool bound for the United States.

1840–1920 • Great Britain and United StatesMore than 50,000 converts from Great Britain immigrated to the United States. Many received assistance from the Church through the Perpetual Emigrating Fund.

1851 • LiverpoolThe first edition of the Pearl of Great Price was published by the British Mission, decades before it was canonized.

1874 • EnglandRelief Societies were organized in branches in London and Nottingham.

First Presidency, ca. 1880

October 10, 1880 • Salt Lake City, Utah

John Taylor, who was born in England, was sustained as President of the Church.

April 1, 1898 • Provo, UtahModern sister missionary work began when Inez Knight and Jennie Brimhall were called to serve in the British Mission.

1906 • EnglandJoseph F. Smith became the first President of the Church to visit Great Britain while serving in that position.

1910–11 • EnglandAn extensive government inquiry led by Home Secretary Winston Churchill found no evidence to substantiate common anti-Mormon allegations.

1914–18 • Great BritainDuring World War I, fewer American missionaries were called to England and local members began to serve as missionaries.

1916 • London, EnglandFlorence Allsop, Relief Society president in the Hyde Branch, organized the first Primary in Europe.

July 1937 • Great BritainHeber J. Grant, President of the Church, celebrated the centennial of the British Mission with Saints in the British Isles by dedicating seven newly built or renovated meetinghouses.

January 12, 1940 • Great BritainAt the start of World War II, missionaries from North America were evacuated. Andre K. Anastasiou was appointed acting president of the British Mission.

November 13–14, 1943 • LondonThe first missionwide Relief Society conference was held at the British Mission headquarters.

August 28, 1955 • United KingdomThe Mormon Tabernacle Choir concluded its first tour of the United Kingdom with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

September 7, 1958 • Newchapel, Surrey, EnglandDavid O. McKay, President of the Church, dedicated the London England Temple.

March 27, 1960 • Great BritainThe Manchester England Stake, the first in Europe, was organized, with Robert G. Larsen as president.

February 26, 1961 • LondonThe Hyde Park Chapel, the first Church-built meetinghouse in England, was dedicated.

March 1968 • Leicester, EnglandThe Deseret Club, formed by Latter-day Saint students attending Oxford and later renamed the Latter-day Saint Student Association, organized a convention for Latter-day Saint university students throughout Britain.

August 29, 1971 • Manchester EnglandSaints from across Britain and Western Europe attended the first regional general conference held in Manchester, England.

July 7, 1972 • Salt Lake CityHarold B. Lee became the first Church President since the Prophet Joseph Smith who had not served as a missionary or mission president in England.

1985 • NewchapelThe first England Missionary Training Center was dedicated on the grounds of the London England Temple.

November 9, 1990 • Westminster, London, EnglandTerry Rooney became the first Latter-day Saint to serve as a member of British Parliament.

Brief description

June 7, 1998 • Chorley, England

President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Preston England Temple.

1998 • ChorleyThe England Missionary Training Center moved from the London England Temple grounds to the Preston England Temple grounds.

2002 • EnglandThe BBC made The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a permanent part of its religion and ethics website.

May 26, 2004 • PendockGordon B. Hinckley dedicated the restored Gadfield Elm Chapel.

September 5, 2011 • EnglandMembers from stakes around England joined in Mormon Helping Hands projects throughout the country.

November 28, 2013 • LondonJanet Graham of the Luton Ward, St. Albans England Stake, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

February 4, 2015 • LondonDavid Cameron, prime minister of the United Kingdom, received over six generations of his family history from Patrick Kearon of the Europe Area Presidency.

June 10, 2015 • WestminsterElder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke in the House of Lords.