James Birch
James Birch (d. 1795?) was a Welsh sectary. He is believed to have been from the Pembrokeshire area, but to have moved to London as a young man to work as a watchmaker.
James Birch
- Born
- 1725 · Pembrokeshire.
- Died
- 1800
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Great Britain
- Occupation
- watchmaker · religious leader
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
James Birch (d. 1795?) was a Welsh sectary. He is believed to have been from the Pembrokeshire area, but to have moved to London as a young man to work as a watchmaker.
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Note VALÉORINE
James Birch (1725–1800) was a British religious leader and watchmaker. The religious leader was born in Pembrokeshire. James Birch worked in London. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q18325685
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Identity
Identity
He is associated initially with the Muggletonian sect, with his wife, in their records in July 1759. From 1771 he is known to have subscribed to 'The Saint's Triumph, and the Devil's Downfall', written by Muggletonian John Brown. In 1778 however, he controversially claimed God had spoken directly to him, and to be the new prophet of the movement. He was denounced by other members of the sect, and forced to separate. He founded his own sect, the ‘Birchites’ in 1778, with followers in London and Pembrokeshire. His writings include, 'The book of cherubical reason, with its law and nature, or, and 'The Book upon the Gospel and Regeneration'. He died in London sometime in the late 1790s.
James Birch is recorded as watchmaker and religious leader.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1725
James Birch born at Pembrokeshire.
1800
James Birch died.
Literature
Literature
Birch, James (fl 1759–1795), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2018
Birch, James, Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Birch, James (died 1795?), watchmaker and sectary.
- 2.OUP. James Birch. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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