Rushden Research Group: The Primitive Methodist Church

Primitive Methodist Church

Deed

Opening 1889

Minute Book

History by Dr C R Fisher

Memories - Reg Roberts

Officials

Thomas Holt

Harvest Festival 1897

James Paragreen

Notes

Circuit Plan 1925

Mr Wm Ambridge

The Primitive Methodist Chapel in Fitzwilliam Street. It was built in 1890

The original Primitive Methodist Chapel in Fitzwilliam Street.
It is now the home of the St John Ambulance Brigade

Extract from memories of the 1870s by Mr. Seckington in 1907:

Speaking of the appearance of the town when he commenced duty, Mr. Seckington said Mr. Robinson's newspaper shop was a typical piece of old Rushden. Where Mr. Maudlin's chemist's shop stands formerly stood an old homestead with fields at the back, where Church-street, and Alfred-street are now made. There was a row of thatched cottages turning down from the homestead, and one of the cottages was afterwards turned into the Primitive Methodist meeting-house.

In December 1883 a meeting was held "in the Primitive Methodist Mission-room on the Green" by the anti-vaccination league, so the church was well established by then. As the congregation grew it was decided in June 1889 to build, and the Primitive Methodist Church in Fitzwilliam Street was opened on Feb 22^nd 1890. It was a very small church and by the end of the Great Depression, around 1930, it began to decline: funds were short and the church leaders were feeling their age. In 1934 the church secretary left Rushden for his home town, Liverpool, and the following year the treasurer resigned. The expenses were rising; the boiler needed repair, as did the property, and it became clear that they could not survive. The decision to close and sell the building was taken in October 1936.

Note: the Chapel on the Green was sold in March 1889