The Primitive Methodist magazine for March 1852 contains an account by C Baylis Junior of the re-opening of Alderman’s Green Primitive Methodist chapel in the Coventry Circuit.
The area was first missioned in 1848 and services were held in a small house. It soon became too small and Brook Primitive Methodist Chapel was built on the East side of Alderman’s Green Road in 1849. Congregations increased still further and the chapel was closed for the construction of a gallery. The chapel was re-opened in January 18th 1852. Three sermons were preached by John Theobald of Leicester; five souls were converted. Building a gallery took them eight weeks – during which time 40 people were converted!
In 1928 Brook Primitive Methodists built a replacement Chapel in Alderman’s Green Road, about 150 yards south of the old Chapel, which was then used as a workshop.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine for March 1852 p.181
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Thanks for the information and the pictures Anne
The 1851 religious census records that the chapel (built in 1849) had 184 sittings and 90 people attended the evening service; there was no record of Sunday school attendance on the census day, but an average figure of 48 confirms that there was one. The form was completed by Charles Bayliss (a nailmaker) who was the chapel treasurer. In 1852-3 they were holding afternoon and evening services on Sundays plus an evening one on Thursdays. They were to hold a Missionary meeting in November and a Watch Night on December 31st. Preacher and Society Steward C. Bayliss lived in Aldermans Green. The chapel was enlarged in 1852 and moved locally in 1928. The first Primitive Methodist chapel appears on Aldermans Green Road on Warwickshire Ordnance Survey maps (1880s-1900s) beside a brook. This brick building was subsequently used as a workshop and still survives, though it appears to be disused at present; it has a tiny rose window above the entrance and a plaque (now illegible). The replacement chapel, built of brick nearby in 1928, was larger (seating 160) and has two foundation stones sadly defaced: ‘LAID FOR MR AND MRS [illegible]’ and ‘LAID FOR MRS [illegible] CANADA’. It is currently in use as a Scout hut; the current green metal roof was probably added later. It was part of the north Coventry Primitive Methodist circuit that re-joined The Methodist Church in 1945. Source: Religious census HO 129.399.1.4.18; Primitive Methodist Preachers’ Plan Coventry Circuit 1852-3; Victoria County History for Warwickshire, Vol. 8, p. 391. Site visit 2019.
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