Bury St Edmunds Primitive Methodist Chapel

Suffolk

Click on photo to see it enlarged.
1830 Bury St Edmunds Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1990: 15a Garland Street
Keith Guyler 1990
1851 Bury St Edmunds Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1990: 23/4 Garland Street
1902 Bury St Edmunds Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1990: Garland Street
Keith Guyler 1990
1902 Bury St Edmunds Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1990: Garland Street

My sister, Alison, found this photograph amongst my mother’s old photos.  It is interesting, because both my grandfather and my great-grandfather are on it, which dates it between 1904, when my grandfather entered the ministry and 1917, when my great grandfather died. By enlarging the portions of the photo which contain the poster  on the left and the chapel notice-board on the right, we can discover that this Annual Assembly was held at Bury St Edmunds PM Chapel between Thursday 29th April and Monday May 3rd, and the minister of the chapel was Rev T. Bright.  We have tried to work out in which year April 29th fell on a Thursday and think it is 1909.  This fits with Rev T. Bright being the minister there, because, according to W.Leary (‘Primitive Methodist ministers and their Circuits’), Thomas Bright was the minister in Bury St. Edmunds from 1901, apparently until 1911 when he ‘ceased’.  The other photos show the enlargements.
In the background the chapel appears to be quite an impressive building.  It is not clear what the nature of this Annual Assembly was, but there appear to be some fiery preachers amongst those gathered there!

Comments about this page

  • Hello.
    Just a minor correction. The 1902 chapel is on Northgate, not Garland Street. You can see it on Streetview here – https://goo.gl/maps/djf4Pyb6z4gmK6Bz6

    By Steve Bulman (05/04/2022)
  • The opening of Bury St Edmonds Primitive Methodist chapel is recorded in the Primitive Methodist magazine (page 290) by G Appleby, who was one of the preachers at the opening on Friday and Sunday 22nd and 24th January 1830. Other preachers were Brothers Atterby, Tetley and Whitehead.

    At the time the society had 40 members and the number was rising rapidly.

    The new chapel measured 18′(w) x 40′(l) x 20′(h) and had a gallery at one end.

    By Christopher Hill (04/09/2017)
  • My Great Grandfather the Rev James Foster was the Primitive Methodist Minister in Bury St Edmunds for a period of three years (also at Stowmarket and Diss) I am just beginning my research

    By Peter Foster (07/04/2017)
  • Yes, there may be confusion. I’ve been looking at chapels at 23 and 15 Garland St., now houses. If you look on Street View, Google Earth, you can check the number of windows etc. Not sure which was the Primitive Methodist, though, but I am interested to find the name of ministers in late 1800s and where records are. 

    By G Norton (22/03/2016)
  • Surely this chapel is Northgate Independent Chapel (Congregationalists) built in 1825?  However, there may be another chapel in Northgate Street that I do not know of.

    There was a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Garland Street.

    By Christopher Bornett (15/03/2016)
  • I am preparing a short presentation on Methodism in Bury St Edmunds (I am a town guide and as part of our ongoing training we undertake projects to inform ourselves and our fellow guides). So it was great to see this photo. That chapel is now a beauty salon, the Primitives having moved to join the Wesleyans in 1934 at Trinity Methodist Church, in the adjoining street, Brentgovel Street (where we are still worshipping).

    By Sarah Friswell (19/01/2013)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.