Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1880-1995 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.2 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Munster Park Wesleyan Church was founded in 1880. In 1932, following a vote taken at a meeting of the United Methodist Church, it changed its name to Munster Park Methodist Church. For many years it was highly attended, and became a centre of community life in Hammersmith, hosting meetings of the Munster Park Wesley Guild, the Munster Park Cycling Club and the 6th Fulham Girl Guides among others. During the Second World War, the roof of Munster Park Church suffered severe bomb damage, and the congregation was temporarily transferred to the Methodist church at Munster Road. The Munster Park church organ was rescued and rebuilt in the 1950s, when the church re-opened for worship.
As the years progressed, however, the congregation dwindled, and Munster Park Church became too large to serve the Methodist community's needs and too costly to maintain. In the late 1960s, the community took the decision to sell the old church and much of the land, and to convert the existing assembly halls into a new church. The sale was completed in 1971, and the new church opened for worship in 1972. It continued to provide a venue for community groups, and in subsequent decades other local church communities also used the premises for worship. At the same time, the Methodist congregation at Munster Park became involved in an ecumenical project at St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Kensington. The Anglican-Methodist Experiment, as it became known, began in 1966 and was formalised in 1969. In the 1980s, however, the Anglican community was considerably increased by the closure of nearby Anglican churches, while the cost of maintaining St. Barnabas placed a greater strain on Anglican finances. The Methodist community consequently felt under-represented at St. Barnabas, and began to question the feasibility of the Experiment. In 1985, the Anglican and Methodist communities jointly decided to terminate the project.
Munster Park Methodist Church saw a severe decline in attendance throughout the 1980s. The Hammersmith and Fulham Methodist Circuit, taking into account Munster Park's ageing congregation and lack of religious engagement with the local community, decided to close the church, and in 1995 Munster Park's remaining assets were sold.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 DD/0976 1880-1995 Collection 1.2 linear metres Munster Park Methodist Church , Hammersmith xx Munster Park Wesleyan Church , Hammersmith
Munster Park Wesleyan Church was founded in 1880. In 1932, following a vote taken at a meeting of the United Methodist Church, it changed its name to Munster Park Methodist Church. For many years it was highly attended, and became a centre of community life in Hammersmith, hosting meetings of the Munster Park Wesley Guild, the Munster Park Cycling Club and the 6th Fulham Girl Guides among others. During the Second World War, the roof of Munster Park Church suffered severe bomb damage, and the congregation was temporarily transferred to the Methodist church at Munster Road. The Munster Park church organ was rescued and rebuilt in the 1950s, when the church re-opened for worship.
As the years progressed, however, the congregation dwindled, and Munster Park Church became too large to serve the Methodist community's needs and too costly to maintain. In the late 1960s, the community took the decision to sell the old church and much of the land, and to convert the existing assembly halls into a new church. The sale was completed in 1971, and the new church opened for worship in 1972. It continued to provide a venue for community groups, and in subsequent decades other local church communities also used the premises for worship. At the same time, the Methodist congregation at Munster Park became involved in an ecumenical project at St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Kensington. The Anglican-Methodist Experiment, as it became known, began in 1966 and was formalised in 1969. In the 1980s, however, the Anglican community was considerably increased by the closure of nearby Anglican churches, while the cost of maintaining St. Barnabas placed a greater strain on Anglican finances. The Methodist community consequently felt under-represented at St. Barnabas, and began to question the feasibility of the Experiment. In 1985, the Anglican and Methodist communities jointly decided to terminate the project.
Munster Park Methodist Church saw a severe decline in attendance throughout the 1980s. The Hammersmith and Fulham Methodist Circuit, taking into account Munster Park's ageing congregation and lack of religious engagement with the local community, decided to close the church, and in 1995 Munster Park's remaining assets were sold.
Deposited at Hammersmith and Fulham Archives and Local Studies in 1998.
Transferred from Hammersmith and Fulham Archives and Local History Centre in 2015.
Records of Munster Park Methodist Church including church registers, administration and finance, records of clubs and societies and records of the St Barnabas Anglican-Methodist Experiment.
Arranged in sections as follows:
DD/0976/01: Munster Park Methodist Church
DD/0976/02: The Anglican-Methodist Experiment at St Barnabas
DD/0976/03: Clubs and Societies
DD/0976/04: Miscellaneous
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.
Copyright is held by the Depositor.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
See also DD/0370/02/12.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Added July 2015. Christians Protestants Nonconformists Protestant nonconformists Methodists Religious groups Religion Munster Park Methodist Church Hammersmith and Fulham London England UK Hammersmith Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited at Hammersmith and Fulham Archives and Local Studies in 1998.
Transferred from Hammersmith and Fulham Archives and Local History Centre in 2015.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Munster Park Methodist Church including church registers, administration and finance, records of clubs and societies and records of the St Barnabas Anglican-Methodist Experiment.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged in sections as follows:
DD/0976/01: Munster Park Methodist Church
DD/0976/02: The Anglican-Methodist Experiment at St Barnabas
DD/0976/03: Clubs and Societies
DD/0976/04: Miscellaneous
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is held by the Depositor.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See also DD/0370/02/12.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English