Bebington Primitive Methodist chapel
Chapel Street, Bebington
Bebington Primitive Methodist chapel was opened on 30th November 1834. The preachers at the opening were Mr Murrow, J Peart and Mr Horbury On the following day, Monday 1st Dec, the preacher was Mr Kendrick.
The new chapel had a good gallery. The society also built two excellent cottages from which the rents would assist with paying interest on loans used to finance the chapel
The opening took place within four months of the opening of Liverpool chapels at Mount Pleasant and Prince William Street.
J Peart described the occasion in the 1835 Primitive Methodist magazine.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine 1835 page 145
Comments about this page
1857: According to the 1857 Post Office Directory for Cheshire, page 17:
BEBINGTON is a parish in the lower division of Wirrall (sic) hundred, and comprises the townships of HIGHER BEBINGTON, LOWER BEBINGTON, POULTON-WITH-SPITAL, STORETON and TRANMERE.
The description of Lower Bebington in the Directory includes mention of a chapel for Primitive Methodists.
1859: The 1859 Q2 Preaching Plan for the Liverpool Circuit showed that the circuit had a Birkenhead Branch that consisted of eight ‘Places’: Birkenhead [location not given – either Beckwith Street or Camperdown Street], Liscard, South Tranmere [Grosvenor Street], Poulton[-cum-Spital], Bebington, Hoylake Open Air, Greasby and Irby. At Bebington there were weekly Sunday services at 6pm, led entirely by lay preachers apart from once during the quarter when the service was led by the Branch Superintendent Rev W. Wilkinson who lived at 190 Beckwith Street, Birkenhead. Almost every week, the preacher had taken the 2.30pm service at Poulton-cum-Spital before coming on to Bebington. Evening services were held on alternate Wednesdays, led by one of the four circuit ministers.
1869: The 1869 Q3 Preaching Plan for the Birkenhead Circuit (a copy of which was put in a time capsule under the foundation stone of Grange Lane chapel) showed the following Places: Camperdown Street (by implication the head of the circuit), South Tranmere, Lower Tranmere, Beckwith Street, Poulton, Bebington, Seacombe and Saughall. There were two Sunday services at Bebington, at 2.30 and 6, led entirely by lay preachers apart for one quarterly visit from each of the two circuit ministers, Rev T Swallow and Rev W Thornley, and a fortnightly service on Wednesday evening. The chapel had only one class (there were 19 in the whole circuit).
1878: The 1878 Post Office Directory for Cheshire, page 34 again mentions ‘a chapel for Primitive Methodists’.
I have not been able to find the chapel on any old maps.
Currently there are two Methodist chapels in Bebington:
• Lower Bebington chapel in Bromborough Road: opened by the Wesleyans in 1895; in 1928 a new chapel was built on the site and the previous chapel converted into a hall.
• Higher Bebington chapel in School Lane: opened in a former school in 1938 (previously the Wesleyans had taken over a former Congregational Chapel in Village Road in 1898).
Add a comment about this page