Bradford Great Horton Primitive Methodist chapel

Great Horton Primitive Methodist chapel

Handbook of the Primitive Methodist Conference 1930; Englesea Brook Museum

Great Horton Schools

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

trustees of Great Horton Primitive Methodist chapel, Bradford: from a postcard sent in 1909

provided by Randle Knight

Boys Brigade 9th Bradford Company, Bradford Battalion

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

Joseph Wilson, long-time leader of the Sunday school

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

Mrs Mary Beanland, oldest member

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

JJ Bramwell, organist and choirmaster

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

Society leaders: Messrs Thorp, Bennett and Morley

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist Magazine September 1924

Primitive Methodism came to Great Horton in 1821, with meetings first held in a barn at Upper Green, then at a cottage in Southfield Lane. By 1824 there were 40 Primitive Methodists in Great Horton and a chapel at Town End was completed in 1825.  They could not afford to pay anyone to dig out the site, so the Society did it themselves.

The Primitive Methodist magazine for October 1853 contains a brief note by Richard Davies about the re-opening of the chapel on August 14th 1853 after its cleaning, repair and improvement. Charles Rhodes of Bradford and Rev J Parrott were the preachers. “There is an improvement of late in the society at this place and the prospect of greater gatherings still.”

A Sunday School was opened in 1861.  In 1865 the first chapel was demolished and a new, larger building erected on the site. The Sunday school was enlarged in 1868.

The 1924 Aldersgate Primitive Methodist magazine contained an article by the Rev FW Henshall on the chapel in its series on Notable Primitive Methodist churches.  The article outlines the history of the church and recounts life of the society, including Sunday school with the Primary Department led by Miss RA Johnson,  Boys Brigade led by Captain Oscar Sutherland, Band of Hope, and cricket, photographic and other societies. Worthies of the society included Mrs Mary Beanland and her son, A W Beanland, organist and choirmaster JJ Bramwell, Joseph Wilson, Ned Thorp, A Bennett and Mr H Morley. You can read the full article in the download at the foot of this page.  Pictures are displayed in the gallery on this page.

The chapel was demolished in the late 20th century to allow for road building. In July 2015, the site is shown on Google Street View as an area of unkempt grassland.

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine October 1853 p.622

Aldersgate Primitive Methodist magazine pages 604-608