Beech Hill Methodist Church Luton

The church and Sunday School in 1934 [MB448/1]

In the 1920s the congregation of the still relatively new Dunstable Road Wesleyan Methodist church began planning a new chapel. In 1932 the Wesleyan Methodists came together with the Primitive and United Methodists to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Thus, when Beech Hill opened it was simply known as Beech Hill Methodist church.

The church was designed by G. Withers in 1933 [MB1761] and H. C. Janes Limited won the tender to build in October 1933 for a cost of £7,013. The first sod was cut on 19th October 1933 and the stone laying took place on 29th November.

A Special Opening Appeal leaflet [MB448/1] read: “It is hoped to open the new Methodist Church and School premises on Beech Hill on Wednesday, May 23rd [1934]. It will be a red-letter day in the history of the Dunstable Road (Beech Road) Church, and also in the history of Luton Methodism”.

“It will be a red-letter day in the history of the local Church, because for years our people have looked forward to and worked for this development, while carrying on their work under almost impossible conditions in totally inadequate premises. It will be a red-letter day in the history of Luton Methodism, because, also for years, it has been felt that the existing Methodist Churches, close together in the centre of the town, were not meeting the need of the rapidly developing new areas. Hitherto none of the five Circuits [two Wesleyan, three Primitive] was able to attempt anything beyond the acquisition of sites, but Union has given the opportunity and our people have not been slow to take advantage of it. Now, at last, Methodism will be able to do something to keep pace with the rapid growth of the town, and the dream of years is quickly taking shape as the building progresses”.

“£2,000 was asked for at the Stonelaying. It seemed a fantastic amount to hope for, but was necessary to make the scheme at all practicable. £1,000 was raised locally, and this was augmented by a generous promise of 32,000 from an anonymous donor, making £3,000 in all. Since then we have had a promise of 3200 from the Connexional Home Missions and Chapel Committee, and have thus a chance of opening free of debt”.

The silver jubilee was celebrated in 1959 with a booklet [MB448/13] which gave a detailed history of the church under its various ministers. The life of the church was carried on through; a Junior Church; a Sunday School; a Girls’ Life Brigade; a Boys’ Brigade; the Life Boys; Inter-Club; a Youth Club; an Over-Twenties Club; young people’s groups; a Mother and Babies Group; a Women’s Bright Hour; a Men’s Fireside; the choir and road wardens who proselytised the church in their neighbourhoods. In 1965 the church moved into the Luton South Circuit.

Another booklet was produced for the golden jubilee in 1984 [MB1761]. By this time the church groups were: a Church Fellowship; the choir; a Junior Church; a Ladies’ Circle; the Tuesday Morning Club for mothers and toddlers; a Women’s Bright Hour; a Church Social Club; a Junior Church Social Club; a Girls’ Brigade; a Boys’ Brigade and a Men’s Fellowship. In 1987 the Luton South and North Circuits were amalgamated into one Luton Circuit.

The church interior in 1959 [MB448/13]

In 2005 a decision was taken to refound the church on a new site and they moved out of the old church. A new church at 385a Dunstable Road was built over the next two years and the congregation moved in at Christmas 2007. In 2010 the church was moved into the newly created South Bedfordshire Circuit.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has the following information on Beech Hill church:

• MB2349: Trustees’ minute book: 1908-1966;
• MB2350: Trust cash book: 1926-1959;
• MB448: material on the chapel opening: 1934;
• MB2351: list of members: c. 1933;
• MB2277: Leaders’ Meeting minute book: 1934-1947;
• MB448: Building Fund statement of accounts: 1935;
• MB448: opening of the new organ: 1935;
• MB449: printed accounts: 1935-1946;
• MB2275: Trustees’ Treasurer’s account book: 1935-1950;
• MB448: order of service for the Mayor’s Sunday: 1940;
• MB3157: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1940;
• MB2278: collection journal: 1940-1952;
• MB3158: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1941;
• MB448: Autumn Fellowship plans for youth: 1942;
• MB3159: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1942;
• MB450: use of the chapel as a combined rescue service depot and air raid shelter: 1943;
• MB3160: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1943-1948;
• MB448: programme for the Beech Hill Crusade: 1944;
• MB2853: Sunday School Council minutes: 1948-1956;
• MB3161: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1949-1955;
• MB2276: Trustees’ Treasurer’s account book: 1951-1971;
• MB448: photographs of the interior: 1953;
• MB2854: Sunday School Executive minutes: 1954-1968;
• MB3162: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1956-1967;
• MB2855: Sunday School Committee minutes: 1957-1981;
• MB448: Silver Jubilee events: 1958-1959;
• MB1760: booklet: Beech Hill Methodist Church, Luton, Silver Jubilee 1934-1959: 1959;
• MB448: Sunday School anniversary service sheets: 1962-1963;
• MB451: notes on stewardship: c. 1964;
• MB1982: Men’s Fellowship minute book: 1965-1977;
• MB2849: quinquennial inspection reports: 1966-1977;
• MB2850: Methodist Trust schedules: 1966-1979;
• MB2851: enquiries to be made annually at Trustees’ meetings following audit: 1966-1980;
• MB3163: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1967-1978;
• MB448: magazine advertising society meetings: 1968;
• MB2856: Junior Church Executive minutes: 1968-1974;
• MB448: reports presented to the Annual Society Meetings: 1969, 1971;
• MB3156: collection journal: 1969-1989;
• MB2165: pulpit notices: 1969-1973;
• MB2279: sale of church tennis courts and land in Waller Avenue and Wingate Road: 1970-1972;
• MB2852: Society Steward’s account: 1978;
• MB1983: Men’s Fellowship minutes and accounts: 1978-1989;
• MB3164: Women’s Bright Hour Committee minutes: 1979-1996;
• MB1761: booklet: Beech Hill Methodist Church, Luton, Golden Jubilee 1934-1984: 1984;
• MB3133: Family Committee minutes and correspondence: 1985-1997.