North Street Wesleyan Methodist Church Luton

The Wesleyan Methodist chapel on a map of 1901

North Street Wesleyan Methodist church was built in 1871 and was part of the Luton Wesleyan Circuit. The chapel was on the other side of the street and virtually opposite the later chapel. It cost £500 to build [MB726]. In 1880 the chapel joined the newly formed Waller Street Wesleyan Circuit.

By the 1913 the decision had been taken to sell the old chapel which was “no longer suitable” and there was the “necessity of providing a more commodious building”. The average attendance at services was then 250 people, there being 141 members and the chapel could seat 350 so there were evidently plans to proselytise and greatly increase the number of the congregation. It was hoped that the old building would fetch £500 or £600.

At the same time application was made to erect a new chapel [MB726]. It was hoped that it would accommodate 660 and the site had already been secured; it measured 70 feet by 80 feet and, at that time, contained six cottages. The new chapel was intended to measure 69 feet long by 48 feet wide. It was expected to cost £3,530.

In 1932 the Wesleyan Methodists came together with the Primitive and United Methodists to form The Methodist Church of Great Britain. The following year the five Luton circuits (two Wesleyan and three Primitive) were amalgamated into two – Luton Circuit and the largely ex-primitive High Town Circuit. North Street was part of the Luton Circuit.

In 1959 the decision was taken to close the church and sell the premises. Luton Borough Council would allow industrial use for two years otherwise the building would have to be used for worship or the site for private housing [MB564]. The buildings were valued at £5,000. In December that year representatives of the Seventh Day Adventist Church offered £5,500 but the Methodists felt that £8,000 would be a better offer. The former chapel, along with Bailey Hill, was then offered at auction but there was no buyer. Eventually the Seventh Day Adventists increased their offer to £6,000 and the conveyance took place in November 1960 [MB564].

The Seventh Day Adventist Church North Street August 2011

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has the following records relating to North Street:

• MB1407: Trustees’ minute book: 1898-1925;
• MB3060: souvenir of the Grand Coronation Floral Bazaar: 1911;
• MB726: application for permission to sell the old chapel: 1913;
• MB726: application for permission to erect a new chapel: 1913;
• MB1406: baptism register: 1913-1956;
• MB726: certificate of registration for worship: 1914;
• MB1410: Women’s Meeting minute book: 1914-1922;
• MB2434: Sunday School account book: 1914-1959;
• MB1409: Leaders’ Meeting minute book: 1917-1926;
• MB1414: pulpit notice book: 1922-1924;
• MB1411: Women’s Meeting minute book: 1923-1939;
• MB726: certificate of registration for marriages: 1926;
• MB1408: Trustees’ minute book: 1926-1948;
• MB2433: Leaders’ Meeting minute book: 1926-1941;
• MB1415: pulpit notice book: 1946-1950;
• MB1412: erection of a brick wall on the north side of the chapel: 1947-1948;
• MB726: choice and appointment of trustees: 1949;
• MB727: Trustees’ minute book: 1949-1960;
• MB1413: installation of a new boiler: 1956-1957;
• MB564: folder on sale of the chapel: 1958-1961