Primitive Methodism arrived in Luton from Aylesbury 1839. S Turner and H Higginson are the ‘connexional pioneers’ credited with evangelising Luton and Dunstable. The church developed so that in 1843, Luton was made into a separate Circuit.
The 1851 Religious Census includes a return for High Town PM Chapel, Luton made by Henry Pope, Minister Wellington Street. The return states that the chapel had been erected in 1839 and contained 130 Free Sittings, 220 Other sittings and 50 Standing. However, Pope noted that ‘Our religious Services were held in the Town Hall, our Chapel being too small. Attendances on Census day, 30 March and the average attendances for the preceding 12 months were:
| General Congregation
| Census Day 30 March
| Average for preceding 12 months |
| Morning: General Congregation Sunday Scholars Total | 500 178 678 | 200 178 378 |
| Afternoon: General Congregation Sunday Scholars Total | 900 178 1078 | 350 178 528 |
| Evening: General Congregation Sunday Scholars Total | 900 178 1078 | 400 128 528 |
In 1852 a new chapel was erected and was registered for worship by Thomas Bennett of Luton, grocer (trustee) on 15 December 1852. This chapel was registered again for worship on 14 December 1866 by William Kitchen, Hightown, Luton, minister and registered for marriages the following day.
In June 1867, High Town chapel, Luton hosted the PM Conference. A Conference Camp Meeting was held in the town. 2 processions were formed starting from High Town and Park Town chapels which met on Park-square where they were addressed by Rev R Fenwick. The Bedfordshire Times and Independent estimated that ‘there could not have been less than between 5,000 and 6,000 persons present’.
Although other PM chapels were built in Luton, a new chapel was built in 1897 at High Town adjoining the 1852 building which became the Sunday School. Fundraising for the new chapel started in 1895. There were no less than 3 stone-laying ceremonies for the new chapel between April and November 1897. The contract value of the chapel was £2,566 and the contractor was Mr Parkins. The chapel accommodating 900 people was opened on 4 May 1898 by the Mayor of Luton in a service led by the Superintendent minister Rev Thomas Humphris. This chapel was registered for worship and marriages by Thomas Humphries, 74 Wenlock St, Luton, superintendent minister on 17 May 1898.
Sources and References
HB Kendall The Origin and History of the Primitive Methodist Church Vol 2 – HB Kendall
Bedfordshire Chapels and Meeting Houses: Official Registration 1672-1901 Volume 75 Bedfordshire Historical Record Society – Edited by Edwin Welch
The Ecclesiastical Census, Bedfordshire, March 1851 Volume 54 Bedfordshire Historical Record Society – Edited by DW Bushby
Bedfordshire Times and Independent – 8 & 18 June 1867
Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle – 11 March 1897; 4 November 1897
Luton Times and Advertiser – 6 & 27 May 1898
Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service – Community Archives website
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The 1897 Primitive Methodist magazine (page 233) notes that “the friends at Luton High Town are providing themselves with a more commodious place of worship and hope to have it ready for opening towards the close of the year.” The next month’s magazine (page 314) tells us that the building in the course of erection would accommodate 900 people.
Continuing Primitive Methodism at High Town, Luton:
1st/High Town Primitive Methodist Circuit 1879-1932, 1933-1944.
The Luton High Town PM Chapel stayed out of the unification of 1932/3, yet the other 2 Primitive Methodist & 2 Wesleyan Circuits formed with the above circuit.
However, The High Town Chapel/Church although preferring to be a ‘Continuing’ Primitive Methodist congregation did finally join the others in 1944.
Bedfordshire Archives & Record Service: type Luton Primitive in their search box.
The Nation Archives (formerly the Public Record Office): type Luton Primitive in a search box.
The architects of the 1897 building were J.D. Mould & S.D. Mould of Manchester.
Now a listed building, the dome is used as a navigation aid for Luton Airport. The original chapel of 1852 was altered to make Sunday school premises on the opening of the 1897 chapel; it was rebuilt in recent years after major fire damage.
Samuel Turner describes in the December 1842 (page 453) Primitive Methodist magazine the opening of the 1839 chapel.
“Luton, Bedfordshire-—The first sermon preached by our people in this place was on the 2lst of April, 1839. The word preached in the open-air was attended with an unusual influence at times, and a society was soon formed. The congregations became so large that no house could contain them; we therefore were obliged to look out for a suitable piece of land on which to build a chapel. A plot in a very neglected part soon presented itself; the chapel was commenced, and, on the 14th of Nov., 1839, was opened for Divine service, in the morning and evening by Mr. T. Holliday, from London, whose sermons were listened to with thrilling delight; and in the afternoon by Mr. Horsell. On the following Sunday Mr. and Mrs. West preached four sermons, three in the chapel, and one in the open-air, to overflowing congregations. Good was done, and the collections were liberal. This chapel is thirty-six feet in length, twenty-two feet six inches wide, and fifteen feet six inches high in the clear. Since its opening a gallery has been put up at one end, Mr. Harland and Mr. Sanderson preached at the re-opening. A Sunday school has been raised, and nearly eighty children are taught the word of life. I here publicly present my thanks to the trustees for their liberal donations; but more especially for their valuable advice and active exertion in the commencement, progress, and completion of the chapel.”
transcribed by David Tonks
The Primitive Methodist magazine for May 1853 (pp.304-306) contains an extended article by Henry Sharman about the opening of Luton Primitive Methodist chapel in High Town Road (LU2 0BW), an area of around 1,500 – 2,000 people at the time. Luton is described as a town “noted for the manufactory of straw and all kinds of fancy bonnets“
The chapel site of 31.5 rods cost £120 and the overall cost of the chapel was £950 of which around £325 had been raised at the time of opening.
The foundation stone was laid on August 5th 1852 by S How, followed by a tea meeting in the townhall. Sermons were preached by G Jordan and J Waller.
The opening services started on December 16th 1852. Preachers included Rev Hobson of Bath, Mr Beal (Wesleyan), Everit, How, Jordan, Hobson, Rev Robinson., Rev Shovelton, Rev Brewin Grant B.A. (Birmingham), Henry Higginson of Ramsor (one of the original missionaries), Rev G Austin (London), Miss MC Buck (Leicester), Rev Harcourt (Luton) and Rev Male.
At the tea meeting the food was provided by friends of other denominations; this continued a tradition as several of the trustees of the previous chapel were of other denominations.
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