Coleção GB 0074 DD/0976 - MUNSTER PARK METHODIST CHURCH

1.2 linear metres

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

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.

• inglês

• latim

English

See also DD/0370/02/12.

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

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.

• inglês