Brimington Bethel Primitive Methodist chapel

“At Brimington, a village inhabited by workers at the great Staveley Iron Works, and situate about two miles from Chesterfield, there are three Primitive Methodist chapels …. When it is remembered that Brimington has only about 6,000 inhabitants, this is somewhat unique. It is only right to observe, however, that it is one too many. Bethel, the principal of the churches there, has nearly 100 members, and is well-nigh filled at the Sunday evening services. It boasts the possession of an efficient choir. At all three places there are very successful Sunday Schools.

In the early days Brimington had a somewhat chequered history. It was once given up as a forlorn hope, and came off the plan; the quarterly meeting recording a resolution to the effect that there were no prospects. But in 1841, the Rev. G. Booth, the father of Dr. Booth, who for so many years has been the superintendent of the Holywell Cross Sunday School, and is well known to the Connexion as the Editor of the Hymnal Tune Books, was stationed there, and Brimington has never looked back. Three chapels were built, Bethel in 1864, Brimington Common in 1867, and New Brimington in 1881.”

The  Ordnance Survey map for 1914 (and other years) shows a Primitive Methodist chapel on Ringwood Road and Google Street View shows Robinson’s Caravans on the site in July 2019.

Reference

Christian Messenger 1913/73