Methodism has at its roots a revival movement in 18thcentury
Britain. It is based within the Church of England and led by, among
others, the brothers John and Charles Wesley.
The congregations in Peterborough represented three branches of
the Methodist Church. For each of these branches the main unit of
administration was the 'Circuit', that is, a 'parent' church, with
a Superintendent Minister, responsible for a group of smaller
chapels or 'mission stations'.The Wesleyan Methodist congregation
in Peterborough dates from c1814, and their Circuit was formed in
1825. The principal chapel was in Wentworth Street (built 1834,
rebuilt 1874, closed 1977). The Primitive Methodists formed a
congregation in the early 1830's, and established the Circuit in
1839; this was based on their church in New Road (built 1862,
closed 1953). They evangelised widely, and in 1888 were able to
establish a second Circuit, centred on the church in Cobden Street
(built 1871, closed 1965). Lastly, a small church of Wesleyan
Reformers was formed in Peterborough c1852; they subsequently
became the United Methodist Free Church in 1857 (the word 'Free'
being dropped in 1907). As they were isolated from any other branch
of the same denomination, they immediately became a Circuit, later
based on their chapel in Boroughbury (built 1867, closed 1955). The
various branches of the Methodist Church merged into one in 1932,
and the five Circuits in Peterborough (with their 51 chapels)
effectively combined from September 1933 creating 'Peterborough
Methodist Circuit'. Within this the churches were arranged in
several smaller groupings, all serviced by one Superintendent
Minister and eight other ministers. These groups were altered and
amended, but also augmented, firstly in 1964 by the addition of the
Oundle Circuit, and then in 1990 by the further addition of chapels
in the Market Deeping area.
See also: Basic facts about Methodist records for family
historians by Richard Radcliffe (FFHS, 2005)
Records for the following Peterborough Methodist Churches and
Circuits are known of:
Boroughbury United Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1855-1956: minutes, accounts and other financial records,
miscellaneous correspondence and papers (Reference: PMC
passim).
- 1855-1955: registers of Christenings/Births.
- 1870-1873, 1910-1953: registers of Marriages.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Brookside Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1975-1881: miscellaneous financial records (Reference:
PMC/625-32).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Cobden Street Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1873-1970 : minutes, correspondence and papers relating to
valuation and sale of church (Reference : PMC/180-85).
- 1873- 1966: registers of Christenings/Births
- 1911-1965: register of Marriages
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
- 1911-1965: marriage registers.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Cobden Street Primitive Methodist Circuit, Peterborough
- 1906-1922: minute book (Reference : PMC/56).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Eye Methodist Church
- Registers of Christenings/Births 1872-1928.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Fletton Wesleyan Methodist Church
- 1899-1958: miscellaneous financial records and church deeds
(Reference: PMC/186-87).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Glinton Methodist Church
- 1872-1970: registers of Christenings/Births.
Hampden Road Wesley Hall [Wesleyan Methodist],
Peterborough
- 1886-1972 : minutes, accounts, miscellaneous papers (Reference
: PMC/516-28).
- 1932-1972: registers of Christenings/Births.
- 1964-1972 : marriage register.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Helpston Methodist Church
- 1873-1954: register of Christenings/Births.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
London Road Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1906-1972 : minute book and church deeds (Reference :
PMC/450).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Midland Road Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1899-1971: registers, minutes, financial records, collection
journals, Sunday school records (Reference: PMC passim).
- 1967-1970: marriage register.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
New England Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1866-1977 : minutes, financial records, collection journals,
pulpit notices and other miscellaneous papers including church
deeds (Reference: PMC passim).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
New Road Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1913-1954 : baptismal register, minutes, accounts and other
financial records, miscellaneous correspondence and papers
(Reference: PMC/218-30).
- 1913-1953 : marriage registers.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
New Road Primitive Methodist Circuit, Peterborough
- 1890-1933: baptismal register, circuit plans and schedules,
minute books and financial records (Reference: PMC/57-66).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Newark Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1913-1960: minutes, accounts and other miscellaneous financial
(Reference: PMC passim).
- 1954-1958: registers of Christenings/Births.
Held by Northamptonshire Record Office.
Newborough Methodist Church
- 1872-1952: register of christenings/births.
Peterborough Methodist Circuit
- 1778-1977: schedules, plans, register of deeds, minutes and
other records (Reference: PMC/69-79).
- 1822-1937, 1841-1937: registers of Christenings/Births.
- 1978-1989: circuit plans and papers.
- 20th century: class book.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Some circuit plans held at Peterborough Central Library.
Peterborough Primitive Methodist Circuit
- 1844-1926: baptismal registers, minutes and miscellaneous
records (Reference: PMC/45-55).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Peterborough United Methodist Circuit
- 1857-1933: minutes, correspondence and receipts (Reference:
PMC/67-68, 403-04).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Peterborough Wesleyan Methodist Church
- 1822-1837: registers held at Peterborough Central Library on
microfilm [originals at The National Archives].
Peterborough Wesleyan Methodist Circuit
- 1841-1933: registers, schedules, minutes and miscellaneous
financial records (Reference: PMC/25-44, 401-02).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Stanground Methodist Church,
- 1872-1943: Registers of Christenings/Births.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Star Road Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1899-1971: minutes, accounts, miscellaneous correspondence
relating to sale of the Church (Reference: PMC/243-48).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Wentworth Street Wesleyan Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1834-1978: minutes, financial records, Sunday school records,
collection journals, miscellaneous plans and papers including
church deeds (Reference: PMC passim).
- 1909-1977: marriage registers.
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
- 1822-1837: baptism registers.
Held on microfilm at Peterborough Central Library [originals in
The National Archives].
Werrington Wesleyan Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1909-1976 : minutes, accounts and correspondence (Reference:
PMC/529-36).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
Woodston Primitive Methodist Church, Peterborough
- 1893-1964: minute book, loose miscellaneous papers including
correspondence relating to sale of church (Reference: PMC/304-07,
621).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
A detailed catalogue of the Circuit records held by
Northamptonshire Record Office is available for consultation in the
Local Studies and Archive Room at Peterborough Central Library.
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