The 1886 Primitive Methodist magazine tells us about the laying of memorial stones for a new school-chapel in Chester Road. It was in part of what it calls the Old Institute grounds. I take this to mean the Sunderland Primitive Methodist Theological Institute which had been responsible for the training of itinerant Primitive Methodist ministers. The training responsibilities of the Institute had been transferred to the newly built Hartley College in Manchester in 1883. The May 1887 magazine tells us the chapel had been opened
When the society took over the Old Institute the membership was 18; by 1886 it was over 100.
There is a note in the 1898 Primitive Methodist magazine (page 475) telling us that the Institute, which had been used as a place of worship and minister’s residence, had been sold to the Roman Catholics to become a school for £5,000. £1,500 of this covered debts and the remaining £3,500 would be used to build two new chapels one further west in Chester Road and the other in Hylton Road, which would replace the chapel in Millfield
In 2021 the former Institute is the St Mary’s Building of the University of Sunderland. Could we have a picture please? See Andrea Gordon’s comment below.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine December 1886 page 761
Primitive Methodist magazine May 1887 page 316
Primitive Methodist magazine June 1898 page 475
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Thanks for the information Andrea
The Institution has long been part of the (former) Polytechnic – now University. My father, Geoffrey Milburn, lectured in its rooms.
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