Saint Margarets Methodist Church Luton

Saint Margaret's Methodist church in 1962 [MB1694]

The Methodist church in Montrose Avenue was built in 1937 and formed part of the Luton Circuit. Impact! is a booklet detailing the history of Methodism in Luton up to the time of its writing in 1962 [MB1694]. It has a chapter on Saint Margaret’s written by T. Hewitt, extracts from which are quoted below:

“The development of this area from the mid-1920’s had been very rapid indeed, but Methodists of the period had the foresight to see the possibilities. In 1925 they purchased a piece of land, at the corner of Montrose Avenue and Blenheim Crescent, at a cost of £600”.

At the time of the Methodist Union [in 1932], the Superintendent Minister, Rev. S. E. Coley, called together representatives from a number of Methodist Churches to discuss the possibility of building a Church on this site. It was reported that a sum of £342 11s. 9d. had been received from the Will of the late Harry Burgoyne and £135 3s. 0d. being half the proceeds of the sale of a site in the Limbury district which had been purchased and not developed. Such was the small beginning of a project which was to prove a complete justification of the faith of the Twelve Trustees appointed in 1932”.

“Early in 1934 the Trustees decided to obtain sketch plans for a suite of premises to be built. In April 1934, under the chairmanship of Rev. Joshua Holmes, they met again to consider whether or not to change to a new site. It was felt by many that the site at the corner of Montrose Avenue and Saint Margaret’s Avenue offered greater possibilities than the one the Trustees had purchased. To change sites was no easy matter and not until April 1935 did the actual exchange take place. Having secured the site the Trustees invited the Architects, Messrs. Franklin and Briars, to prepare plans for a Church and Sunday School”.

“Several schemes were prepared, one included a square tower, at the Montrose Avenue end of the building, in which there were to be three rooms above one another. They were intended for the use of the Girl Guides, Boys’ Brigade and the Youth Club on the top floor. The scheme was not approved. The plans in their final state were approved in May 1936 and later the same year the tender of the Alliance Building Company was accepted”.

“In the midst of a thunderstorm on the 17th March, 1937, the foundation stones were laid, 46 in all, on behalf of the Churches of the circuit, by representatives of the Anglican Church and in memory of Mr. T. H. Burgoyne who was largely responsible for the inauguration of the project”.

“The opening of the Church was fixed for the 27th October 1937, but, unfortunately, in July it was found that the builders would not be able to complete the work and alternative arrangements had to be made. In addition to increasing the cost of the building there was a delay in completion, which meant a postponement of the opening until 1st December 1937”.

“The Sunday School buildings were opened during a thunderstorm on 1st December 1937 … and then followed the opening of the Church”.

It was then discovered that the church was indebt to the tune of nearly £6,000, the building having cost £12,504. This was not helped by the building being £1,000 more than estimated and donations £2,000 less. It took eleven years to pay off this debt.

In 1953 an organ was installed, costing £3,000. Denbigh High School met in the church hall until 1954 [MB3193]. The following year a permanent stage was built at the expense of a small meeting room. The kitchen was relocated in a space previously occupied by a vestibule and children’s toilets.

In 1965 the Luton Methodist Circuit split north and south with Saint Margaret’s being in Luton North Circuit. In the same year a new room was built, costing £3,600 [MB3193] and in 1969 a stained glass window and a stone cross were installed. The kitchen was enlarged in 1981 (and refurbished in 2002) and a new store room built.

In 1987 the two Luton circuits were re-amalgamated into one Luton Circuit and in 2010 the circuit joined the Chiltern Downs Circuit to create the South Bedfordshire Circuit. The chapel is still extant and used for Methodist worship at the time of writing [2012].

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has the following records relating to Saint Margaret’s:

• MB1694: Impact! A history of Methodism in Luton: 1750-1962;
• MB1745: papers regarding the creation and erection of the church: 1932-1937;
• MB775: Trustees’ minute book: 1932-1953;
• MB777: Trust accounts: 1932-1938;
• MB1748a: programme for church opening: 1937;
• MB1732: pulpit notice book: 1937-1941;
• MB1721: Trustees’ account book: 1938-1957;
• MB778: Trustees’ annual financial statements: 1938-1941;
• MB1729: Leaders’ Meeting minute book: 1938-1946;
• MB1735: Sunday School Council minute book: 1938-1940;
• MB1740: Saint Margaret’s Young Disciples roll: 1939-1949;
• MB1746: Trustees’ papers: 1939-1945;
• MB3191: Women’s Work of the Methodist Missionary Society minute book: 1939-1969;
• MB1736: Sunday School Council minute book: 1940-1943;
• MB1747: inventories of church, vestry and Sunday Schools: 1941;
• MB1725: Trustees’ annual statement of accounts: 1943;
• MB1737: Sunday School Council minute book: 1944-1953;
• MB793: glass negative of church deeds: c. 1945;
• MB780: Leader’s Meeting minute book: 1946-1957;
• MB779: Annual Society Meeting minutes: 1947-1961;
• MB1748c: souvenir handbook of the church’s eleventh anniversary: 1948;
• MB1741: Saint Margaret’s Young Disciples roll: 1949-1958;
• MB1744: Saint Margaret’s Methodist Cricket Club minute book: 1950-1954;
• MB2477: Young Disciples Roll: 1950-1957;
• MB785: Insurance policy: church money: 1952;
• MB776: Trustees’ minute book: 1953-1964;
• MB783: Young Wives Club register of members: 1954-1972
• MB784: Young Wives Club accounts: 1954-1972;
• MB2479: Finance Committee minute book: 1954-1976;
• MB1722: Trustees’ account book: 1956-1973;
• MB786: Saint Margaret’s Youth Council organisations and constitution: 1957;
• MB781: Leader’s Meeting minute book: 1957-1964;
• MB2480: Society Steward’s account book: 1957-1966;
• MB1748d: souvenir handbook of the church’s 21st anniversary: 1958;
• MB1748e: programme to celebrate the 21st anniversary: 1958;
• MB787: order of service for 21st birthday of the church: 1958;
• MB788: souvenir handbook of the church’s 21st anniversary: 1958;
• MB1742: Saint Margaret’s Young Disciples roll: 1959-1973;
• MB1739: Sunday School Council minute book: 1960-1979;
• MB1733: pulpit notice book: 1960-1964;
• MB2482 collection journal: 1960-1969;
• MB1743: Saint Margaret’s Young Disciples roll: 1961-1964;
• MB789: order of service for Jubilee Celebrations: 1962;
• MB790: block plan of the church and surrounding area marking 17 Saint Monica’s Avenue in red: 1963;
• MB791: specification and estimate for cleaning and overhauling the organ: 1963;
• MB1734: pulpit notice book: 1964-1966;
• MB782: Leader’s Meeting minute book: 1965;
• MB2478: Trustees’ and Property Committee minute book: 1965-1988;
• MB1730: Leaders’ Meeting minutes: 1965-1973;
• MB1748f: programme for Choirmaster Leslie A. J. Ansell’s jubilee service: 1966;
• MB1748g: programme for organist Gordon Bailey’s jubilee service: 1966;
• MB792: Easter Campaign papers: 1966;
• MB1726: Society Steward’s account book: 1966-1975;
• MB2484: pulpit notice book: 1966-1970;
• MB2483: collection journal: 1969-1971;
• MB1724: Trustees’ Special Account book: 1969-1974;
• MB3192: Women’s Work of the Methodist Missionary Society minute book: 1969-1978;
• MB1725: Trustees’ annual statement of accounts: 1970;
• MB2485: pulpit notice book: 1971-1972;
• MB1725: Trustees’ annual statement of accounts: 1972;
• MB3070: Sunday School accounts: 1972-1996;
• MB1723: Trustees’ account book: 1973-1975’
• MB1727: church account book: 1974-1980;
• MB3071: Church Family Committee minutes: 1974-1985
• MB1731: Leaders’ Meeting minutes and Church Council minute book: 1974-1980;
• MB1748h: souvenir booklet for 40th anniversary: 1977;
• MB3073: Finance Committee minutes and accounts: 1977-1984;
• MB1728: church account book: 1980-1984;
• MB3075: Church Council minutes: 1980-1986;
• MB3077: Annual Church Meeting minutes: 1981-1994;
• MB3173: Church Council minutes: 1981-1989;
• MB2481: church account book: 1984-1989;
• MB3074: Finance Committee minutes and accounts: 1985-1991;
• MB3072: Church Family Committee minutes: 1986-1992
• MB1749a: souvenir brochure regarding 50th anniversary: 1987;
• MB3076: Church Council minutes: 1987-1994;
• MB1749b: Flower Festival programme: 1987;
• MB1749c: Ninth Festival of Luton Gospel Male Voice Choir programme: 1987;
• MB1749d: invitation card for anniversary service: 1987;
• MB1749e: programmes for concert by Luton Concert Orchestra: 1987;
• MB1749f: posters for celebration fayre: 1987;
• MB1749g: programme for singing concert: 1987;
• MB1749h: programme for anniversary celebration: 1987;
• MB1749j: souvenir booklet of cuttings and photographs from the anniversary: 1987;
• MB3078: Appointment Committee minutes: 1989-1991;
• MB3079: Finance and Property Committee minutes and accounts: 1990-1997;
• MB3174: Family Committee minutes: 1993-2006;
• MB2486: diamond anniversary items: 1997;
• MB3193: booklet: Saint Margaret’s Methodist Church 70th Anniversary Year: 2007;
• MB3194: programme for 70th anniversary Flower and Craft Festival: 2007.