Alford Primitive Methodist chapel 1837

South Street Alford LN13 9AJ

Alford Primitive Methodist chapel
Keith Guyler 1993
PM Chapel, South St, Alford, built 1856
postcard belonging to Steven Wild
Alford PM Chapel, c1903
H B Kendall, The Origin & History of the Primitive Methodist Church, vol 1, p452
The first Alford PM Chapel
H B Kendall, The Origin & History of the Primitive Methodist Church, vol 1, p451

The first Alford Primitive Methodist chapel dates from 1820 and was in Ranters’ Row. It served until 1837 and was then sold to the Baptists.

The second chapel in South Street dates from 1837.  It opened on Sunday 19th February when the preacher was Brother Butcher. The Prims had opened their mission in the town early in 1836 and had more than 40 members by the opening. The chapel, which measured 27′(w) 36′(l), was one of a series of chapels opened in the Louth circuit following the mission work of John Stamp from Hull.

The chapel was enlarged in 1856 and a schoolroom added in 1873. The enlargement was described by W Marwood in the 1856 Primitive Methodist magazine. The reason was simply that the existing chapel was not large enough for the demand.  They did not have the room to extend, so raised the roof and added gallery to seat 180 “ornamented with a beautiful timepiece”. The gallery cost around £200; of which they had raised around £80 from donations, including from Messrs. Young, Maltby, and Byron, and a tea meeting for 200 held in the Mechanics Institute.

The re-opening took place on August 14th 1856 and the following days; “interesting sermons” were preached by the Revs. T. Hughes (Wesleyan), V. Sanderson, C. Kendall, and T Whit taker.

After amalgamation with the West Street society, the chapel was closed in 1946.  Keith Guyler’s notes with his photograph say that it was sold to a Funeral Director and in 1980 became a factory and egg packing warehouse. On Google Street View in 2009 it has the funeral director’s signage, so maybe the notes are the wrong way round. Can anyone help?

Thanks to Raymond Ella for providing  a link to further information about the establishment of the Alford society from Kendall’s History of the Primitive Methodist church, volume 1.  You can see it here 

location: TF 455797

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1837 page 437

Primitive Methodist magazine October 1856 p.618

 

Comments about this page

  • John Stamp records in his 1836 journal October 14- spoke on foundation stone of Alford Chapel.

    By David Leese (12/05/2023)
  • O. S. Map, Lincolnshire, LXV1.15, surveyed 1888, published 1889, – 25 inch scale :
    Alford top left of Map, Methodist Chapel ( Primitive ), etc.
    https://maps.nls.uk/view/114648855

    Other O. S. Maps depicting Alford town.

    Kind regards, R&M.

    By Raymond E. O. Ælla (02/05/2023)
  • Book, published in 1871 (Google books ) .
    The Thirty-Second Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records, page 39 :
    Deed, ref. 17.4., to Roll, year 1863, Alford, c. -Linc.-Residence at, for Primitive Methodist Minister.

    Kind regards, Ray & Marie.

    By Raymond E. O. Ælla (30/04/2023)
  • The 1837 certificate for a Chapel place of worship in Alford for the Primitive Methodists does not specify it purpose built or an existing building, also the date 1856 on the South Street built Chapel is not explainable unless further research can specify or not.

    Kind regards, Ray & Marie.

    By Raymond E. O. Ælla. (29/05/2022)
  • Our pictures were added of second PM chapel .
    ………………………………………………………………………
    Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln :
    ref. DOC/DISS/4/1837/5, Certificate of non-conformist chapel, Alford, Primitive Methodist, 1837.

    Kind regards,
    Ray & Marie. ( Æ ).

    By Raymond E. O. Ælla. (28/05/2022)
  • Thanks for the update Tracey.

    By Christopher Hill (13/02/2022)
  • The Primitive Chapel was bought by my Father in the 1990’s and was a joinery workshop at the rear and a kitchen showroom at the front. The front of the building was then sold to a funeral director and the rear was converted into two houses on Mount Pleasant

    By Tracey Barker (13/02/2022)
  • There are photographs of the Ranters Row Chapel in the Historic Environment record here.

    By Philip Thornborow (21/01/2022)
  • I believe the chapel in question that was a funeral directors is now privately owned by a friend of mine who is in the process of converting it into a family home and art studio.

    Thanks,
    Rob.

    By Robert Johns (03/01/2022)
  • Thanks – that makes sense of the dates and succession of buildings.

    By Christopher Hill (22/11/2018)
  • The first entry gives a new chapel on South Street in 1837, enlarged 1856 and closing 1946. A subsequent entry gives build date of 1852 but with photo showing date-stone of 1856. I suggest there were three chapels viz: that of 1802 and its replacement in 1837; the latter then replaced in 1852 and this third chapel rebuilt just four years later in 1856 (hence a renewed date-stone for that year) and closing 1946. Reports in the Stamford Mercury suggest the rebuild was of the 1852 chapel and gives the location as the “South-end”.

    By David Secker (20/11/2018)
  • Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln:

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P: Alford Primitive Methodist Circuit, formed from Louth PM Circuit in 1847. Alford Methodist Circuit from 1932/3.

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/A/1/1: Register of Baptisms 1949-1895. 

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/A/1/2: Registers of Baptisms to 1932/3. 

    These baptisms apart from Alford Station (Circuit) may or may not include Chapels within the circuit?. 

    By Raymond E.O.Ella (09/12/2017)
  • Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln:

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/H/1/4: Primitive Methodist Preachers Plan, year 1841.

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/H/10: PM Preachers Plan, 1908-1909.

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/12: PM Preachers Plans ( 2 items) 1921 & 1922.

    Ref. Meth/B/Alford P/1930-1932/3, last of the PM Preachers Plans.

    By Raymond E.O.Ella (08/12/2017)
  • The Primitive Methodist magazine of October 1852 p.626 contains an account by Thomas Kendall of the opening of Alford Primitive Methodist chapel in the Louth circuit.  The opening services took place August 15th, 16th, and 22nd 1852.

    What confuses me is that on the front of the building in the pictures above the date is very clearly 1856.  Can  anyone explain? 

    Mr Kendall says that the new chapel would hold 300 and the school-room connected with it 100. “The chapel is 86 feet square outside, and 15 feet from the floor to the ceiling, in which are four ventilators. It has a boarded floor, with an elevation ten pews deep. It has ten windows, which can never be obstructed, three circular-headed ones in front, and seven square ones on the sides. The roof has three pairs of principals, and is covered with slate. By means of a slide between the chapel and school-room the preacher can be heard by the children in the school. The school-room has three windows in it, also a fire-grate, and is fitted up with three gaslights. Ten gas-lights are in the chapel, eight of which have glasses and globes, and when lighted give it a beautiful appearance.

    The opening services took place August 15th, 16th, and 22nd, when the Revs. J. North, of Grimsby, and J. Ratcliffe, of Swine fleet, preached to large and attentive congregations. … …The collections were £19. 2s. 6d., and the profits of a tea-meeting £9 2s. 601., making a total of £28 5s. The entire cost will be about £340, towards which we hope to raise £120. To all the friends who have given donations, to those who furnished trays gratuitously, and to those who have collected, the trustees tender their thanks.  We have let about 180 sittings; we are going to commence a Sabbath school, and our prospects are cheering.”

    By Christopher Hill (13/02/2017)
  • Thanks to Raymond Ella for adding the pictures of the 1st and 2nd chapels. He adds that the building now has a sign at the front for the Co-operative Funeral Service.

    By Jill Barber (03/12/2016)
  • Lincoln Archives:

    Alford Primitive Methodist Circuit: Collection, 1847-1933, ref. Meth/B/Alford P.

    Alford P.M., South St., ref. Meth/C/Alford/PM.

    By Raymond E.O.Ella (19/07/2016)
  • Old postcard, c 1910, added 13/07/16.

    By Jill Barber (13/07/2016)

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