Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (mainly)

Newhall Primitive Methodist chapel
Christian Messenger 1903/328
Woodmill 1823 Primitive Methodist chapel
Christian Messenger 1903/328
Burton on Trent Mosley Street Primitive Methodist chapel
Christian Messenger 1903/328

Transcription of Article in the Christian Messenger by W.B.

There are said to be over sixty Burtons in England, many of them but hamlets, but only one known all over the world, and that is Burton-on-Trent. It is situated partly in Staffordshire and partly in Derbyshire, the Trent, a fine, broad stream, once navigable, but now only used for light pleasure-boats, separating the two counties. Its early history is lost in tradition, but this much is certain, the Roman Road, the Rykenield Street, passed through it from Leicester, Ashby, &c., on to Chester, also the Icknield Street skirted the neighbourhood and crossed the Rykenield Street at the spot so well known as “Derby Turn.” The ecclesiastical history commences, or is supposed to commence, about the ninth century, and clusters around the Abbey, the foundations of which take us back to Ethelwolf, father of Alfred the Great. It is said in his reign St. Modwen, an Irish female saint, cured the king of a skin disease by the waters of a well at Burton. She is said to have built a chapel,  dedicated to St. Andrew. In 1032 a Benedictine Monastery was founded in honour of St. Mary. In 1295 Burton beer is first named, which the Abbey agreed to supply to Matilda, daughter of Nicholas de Shobnall. In 1540 the Abbey was surrendered to Henry VIII., who suppressed it in 1549, and gave it, with its rights and privileges, to Sir William Paget, whose descendant, the present Marquis of Anglesey, is thus enabled to draw a rent-roll of £70,000 per year, and which is still increasing. The old Burton Bridge was as old, or older, than the Abbey, and was 515 yards long. Some few traces are still to be seen a few yards north of the present one. There is a foot-bridge at Stapenhill, the first part of which, a fine iron structure, was given by Lord Burton in 1889.

Many stirring events have taken place in Burton. In 1320 the great Earl of Leicester opposed Edward II., but was compelled to retire in utter rout to Tutbury, in his haste throwing his money into the Dove, where it a was found, to the amount of 300,000 coins, in 1831. In 1586, Mary, Queen of Scots, passed through on her way to Fotheringhay. In 1611 Edward Wrightman, of Burton, was burnt for heresy at Lichfield, the last martyr for this in England. Coming to recent times, the town was incorporated in 1878, and quite recently created a county borough. The population in 1901 was 50,386, the rateable value, £313,898, and its area 4,025 acres. Public affairs are fairly administered. Free concerts at the Town Hall are very popular. The Public Library is an excellent one, and in the evening some of the schools belonging to the Board are provided with a supply of newspapers.

The chief employment, of course, is brewing and malting, but plaster and cement mills, flour mills, engineering, &c., employ considerable labour.

Burton is well supplied with churches, some of the Anglican being fine structures, while the Free Churches provide considerable accommodation, and, speaking broadly, attendance at the various places of worship will bear favourable comparison with most places.

Primitive Methodist missionaries early found their way to Burton. Mr. Sampson Turner writes, under date October 21st, 1819: “I walked 20 miles to Burton. We held a prayer meeting at night; the house was full, and souls were crying for mercy. There is at present a very bright prospect at Burton.”

Mr. Turner continued his labours in the town and adjacent towns and villages, visiting Lichfield, where he met with much opposition. Barton-under-Needwood was missioned, “but many of the inhabitants greatly opposed us. They caused the church bells to be rung, and employed kettles, cans, and various other instruments to drown our voices. The Lord, however, was with us, and, notwithstanding the persecution we endured, we obtained a footing in the place.”

But, before the date above mentioned, an entry in Hugh Bourne’s “History of the Connexion,” published in 1823, occurs: “On Sunday, June 3rd, 1810, Ramsor fourth camp meeting was held . . . it was a means of introducing the work into Derbyshire, where at Boylestone, Rodsley, and Hollington societies were soon raised up, and a foundation laid for extending the work.” Now these societies were all in the Burton Circuit when it was formed from Tunstall, and in the magazine for 1822 comes this notification: “Tunstall Circuit, 1822. At this March quarter-day a new Circuit was made out of Tunstall Circuit, and called Burton-upon-Trent Circuit. This new Circuit is chiefly in Staffordshire.”

The Circuit records date from March 1823, the accounts from December of the same year.

The Circuit had twenty-four preaching places, and three ministers, John Clark, John Westmoreland and William Room; in 1827 there were thirty-two preaching places and 358 members, in 1828 the membership was 458, in 1830 – 525.

We get glimpses of those early years from the Quarterly Meeting Minutes; a brother Barker is to “be spoke to by Bro. Parsons on the account of his son persecuting in the time of worship at Tutbury.” It is proposed and carried “that the travelling‘ preachers see the class papers every time they go round.” On April 22nd, 1823, William Yeomans is sent out to mission Tamworth. The delegates to the district meeting of 1824 are instructed to enquire “whether the travelling preachers are not to have their names on a class paper and pay their penny a week as other members.” It is decreed “that all our local preachers appear in the same uniform of dress as what the travelling preachers do.” The quarterly meetings must have occupied most of the day and were well attended. The first entry of expense is for 33lbs. of beef at 5d. per lb., 10lbs. of mutton at 5d. per lb., 9½ gallons of beer &c.; other items bringing up a total cost for the dinner of £2 6s. This seems to have been an institution for many years. While as much as 14s. have been paid for ale, in 1827 a collection was made at dinner which brought in 19s., and these brethren, though well supplied with ale, did  not hesitate to -pass strong resolutions against intemperance such as these:—“ That . . . name be left of the plan for neglecting his appointments, and being too often seen muddied with drink, wasting too much time at public-houses.”  “That . . . be suspended for the notorious, dreadfull Black Crime of drunkenness.” “That . . . be suspended for the same a cursed evil.” The above are taken literally as written and spelt from the minutes of a single meeting.

Those, too, were days of persecution especially in the villages, notably at Tutbury and Boylestone, and at Rugeley, where a law suit occurred in 1824.

Chapel building dates a long way back. Probably the oldest building now existing is at Wood Mill, erected in 1823,but superseded in 1870 by a gothic structure with graveyard, etc., where resistance is being offered to the Romanising efforts of the Vicar of Hoarcross, Canon Knox-Little, and his curates and visiting (or rather, proselytising) sisters. Broughton Chapel was built in 1828. Burton Chapel was erected in 1829, in what was then known as Cat Street, (now Station Street). It was a roomy building, and a house was erected at the back for the minister, while the accounts show payment for “one load of coal to hair new house 7s,” and “goods carting to Cat Street 3s.” A minister named Ellis died there, and was buried in the precincts of the Station Street Chapel. This chapel served the church for many years, the debt was ultimately paid off, assisted by a challenge from Mr.Benjamin Walker, of Stretton (well known to Nottingham Primitive Methodists), and in 1878 the society removed to Mosley Street, which is now the head of the first Circuit.

During the ministry of the Rev. J. Barfoot, a chapel was built in Victoria Crescent (then described as California, and quite distinct from the other part of the town). This has given place to Parker Street, a substantial property purchased from the Baptists in 1891 for £700, and which was made a Branch in 1895 with 117 members and a Circuit in 1899, being the Burton Third Circuit, and its progress has been very encouraging. There are seven country societies, and recently a hired local preacher has been engaged. The establishment of the cause at Queen Street was in a large measure due to the exertions of Rev. A. Ward, of Derby, then a young and active layman in the Circuit. Here a flourishing society was formed, which eventually became the head of the second Circuit in 1883. The Queen’s Jubilee church, as it is called, was built in 1887, during the ministry of the late Rev. J.B. Horberry, and is a handsome building. The Newhall Ebenezer Church was commenced about the same time, and there can be little doubt that the great strain of these two erections hastened the minister’s end. From here, too, Rev. H. Buckenham went forth to Central Africa; more recently Rev. T.H. Richards  broke down in health and soon afterwards was called to the higher service. In addition to Queen Street, there are ten other societies causing a strain upon one minister, which renders further development well nigh impossible. It is felt that another minister or hired local preacher is urgently needed.

At present we have seven Chapels within the borough, and a case of extension is under consideration; at Stapenhill a new site has been secured, as we are crowded out, and altogether the outlook is hopeful. There are C.E. Societies at Mosley Street and Parker Street rendering excellent service.

Some temperance work is done, though there is room for considerable extension. Still it is gratifying to know that the President, Councillor J. Harlow, and the Secretary, Mr. B. Oldham, of the Burton-on-Trent Band of Hope Union, are both esteemed local preachers with us.

To name all the ministers that have laboured in Burton would occupy a large space, but there are many who have helped to make the Connexion what it is to-day, and a few names must suffice – Revs. Jeremiah Gilbert, George Herod, John Barfoot, George Booth, (father of Dr. Booth, J.P., of Chesterfield), S. Parkin, J. Hurd, W. Jefferson, (father of Rev. N. Jefferson), Charles Lace, etc.

Of laymen, the list might be longer still. In the early days Boylestone had twelve or thirteen local preachers. These were some of the men who have helped to make the Circuits what they are – Robert Beeson, William Tunstall, Robert Richardson, the Jeffreys, Thomas Bourne, John Wedgwood, Simon Oakden, Thomas Robinson, the Waits, Francis Dalton, Charles Walker, William Tomlinson, John Adshead, and many others. Joseph Lowe is remembered by many as a devoted class leader, S.S. superintendent, steward, etc., in Burton. A member named Kirkham, at Tutbury, was well known for miles around as a terror to Sunday gardeners and those who dared to desecrate the Lord’s day; and they have been seen flying from his appearance swifter than they would have done from representatives of the law. These have all been called to the higher service.

To speak of the living might seem invidious but even with this risk we cannot withhold the names of Joseph Green, of Yoxall senior steward of the Second Circuit, whose figure may be recognised by many ministers in the front of the portrait of Wood Mill Old Chapel and, with his devoted wife well advanced in years, esteemed for their long service, and Mr. John Prince of Foston steward of the third Circuit, and well-known to the district committees.

We lay down the pen with thanksgiving to God for many excellent laymen and other workers who are rendering able and loyal effort to uphold and extend our cause in town and country. The present ministers are Revs. W.B. Bache, E.I. Devenish and A.E. Rose.

References

Christian Messenger 1903/328

Comments about this page

  • Arthur William Read, born 1885 :
    He was a Primitive Methodist Chapel ( which one not specified in book cited below ) organist (also some churches ) in Burton on Trent from the age of 14, later achieving F.R.C.O. and A.R.CM.

    Their is a brief mention of him in:
    Organs and Organists, First Edition, page 323, publ. by H. Logan and Co., Bournmouth.

    By Raymond E. O. Ella (25/08/2021)

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