New Ferry Primitive Methodist Mission Hall and Chapel

New Chester Road PM Mission Hall

1889:  The Preaching Plan for the Birkenhead Circuit 1889 Q2 does not include New Ferry.

1894:  The Birkenhead News of Saturday 22 September reported at length on the annual harvest thanksgiving services in the morning, afternoon and evening at the Primitive Methodist Mission, New Ferry.  This was followed by a Fruit Banquet and Entertainment on the following Monday evening.

1896:  From Kelly’s Directory of Cheshire under the entry for Birkenhead, page 60:

NEW FERRY is an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1888 from Lower Bebington, and is also a steamboat station on the Mersey nearly opposite to Liverpool.  … There is also a Primitive Methodist Mission Hall.

Further on, in a listing of Mission Halls: New Chester Road, New Ferry (Primitive Methodist), services at 10.30am and 6.30pm; Tuesdays 7.30pm.

1902:  The 1896 information is repeated in the 1902 edition except that the morning service had changed to 10.45.

1910:  Kelly’s Directory of Cheshire page 79 lists the PM chapels that make up Birkenhead No. 2 Circuit: Mount Tabor, Holt Road, Tranmere; Poulton[-cum-Spital]; Irby; and New Ferry.  Services at the latter were at 10.45am and 6.30pm, and on Thursdays at 7.30pm.  Further on, the same information is given about a PM mission hall as was in the 1896 edition (were there two meeting places?).

Then in the Street Directory section on page 110: ‘New Chester road (New Ferry), continuation of New Chester road, Rock Ferry to Bromborough, North-east side:

• ….. here is Egerton rd …..
• 55 Price John & Son, coal dirs.
• PRIMITIVE METHODIST MISSION ROOM
• ….. here is Winstanley rd

One building can be seen in this location on a 25 inch 1897/8 map and a 1908/9 map but it is not labelled.

The site is now occupied by Price Wynne Opticians, CH62 1AB

Beaconsfield Road PM Chapel

1913:  According to the Cheshire Archives (EMS 157), the Beaconsfield Road Methodist Church opened at the corner of Beaconsfield Road and Mayfield Road (now Mayfields North).  It can be seen on a 1924 25” OS map.   The footprint scales at about 42 ft wide x 56 ft deep.  18 files survive including registers of baptism 1917-62 and of marriages 1931-89.

1940:  The 1940 list of Methodist chapels has an entry for New Ferry in the ‘Districts L’ download, pages 178/9, Birkenhead (South): ‘New Ferry (Beaconsfield Road): Structure: brick; Seating: 200; Type of seating: forms; School Halls: 1; Other rooms: 2’.

1966:  The Beaconsfield Road chapel was rebuilt as Trinity Methodist Church.

1990:  The chapel was closed in around 1990.  The building still exists (see photo above); it has been converted into flats – Ross Court CH62 1AD.