Collection N/M/041-1 - WESLEY'S CHAPEL, CITY ROAD

Identity area

Reference code

N/M/041-1

Title

WESLEY'S CHAPEL, CITY ROAD

Date(s)

  • 1824-1957 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

3.15 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Shortly after the foundation of Methodism by John Wesley, he concluded that he needed a permanent base from which to preach and convert. He founded a chapel to the east of the City of London, but this soon fell in to disrepair. In 1778 he built a new and more permanent chapel on the City Road, which still stands today. Wesley's Chapel has been altered in some ways but was restored after a major fund raising campaign in the 1970s, and re-opened in 1978 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Wesley's House was built by Wesley in 1779. It was Wesley's winter home and also provided a home for the preachers of the Chapel, their families and servants. The house is now open to visitors and contains many of John Wesley's belongings and furniture, including his electrical machine, his study chair and his small Prayer Room.

Archival history

N/M/041-1 1824-1957 Collection 3.15 linear metres Methodist Church of Great Britain x United Methodist Church x Wesleyan Methodist Church x Primitive Methodist Church

Shortly after the foundation of Methodism by John Wesley, he concluded that he needed a permanent base from which to preach and convert. He founded a chapel to the east of the City of London, but this soon fell in to disrepair. In 1778 he built a new and more permanent chapel on the City Road, which still stands today. Wesley's Chapel has been altered in some ways but was restored after a major fund raising campaign in the 1970s, and re-opened in 1978 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Wesley's House was built by Wesley in 1779. It was Wesley's winter home and also provided a home for the preachers of the Chapel, their families and servants. The house is now open to visitors and contains many of John Wesley's belongings and furniture, including his electrical machine, his study chair and his small Prayer Room.

Received in 1977 (AC/77/058 and AC/77/067).

Circuit Records: minutes of quarterly meetings for the City Road Circuit/Wesley's Chapel Circuit, 1853-1925; Local Preachers' minute book, First London Circuit, City Road, 1839-1921; Stewards' accounts, 1843-1921; Circuit schedules for London North Circuit, 1824-1864; Circuit schedules for City Road Circuit, 1864-1902; Circuit schedules for Wesley's Chapel Circuit, 1902-1919; statistical summary of chapel and other trust property in First London Circuit, later City Road Circuit, 1856-1875 and report on schools in the City Road Circuit, 1871.

Trustees Records: Trustees minute book, 1902-1912; Trust accounts, 1893-1902 and Trustees' Treasurer's account books, 1907-1923.

Church Society Records: Leaders' Meeting minute book, 1895-1933; Wesley Guild minute book, 1897-1932; Wesley's House Committee minute book, 1898-1902; Missionary Society) minute book, 1821-1839; Young Men's Institute minute book, 1927-1933; Wesley's Chapel accounts, 1923-1936; Collections, 1810-1838; Class book, men, 1808-1827; Class book, women, 1808-1827; Leaders' book: Sisters, 1827-1850; scrapbook concerning the dedication of Wesley's House, 1898.

Sunday School Records: General Meeting minute book, 1798-1810; Sunday School Committee minute book, 1798-1802; Sunday School Society Memoir Book [reports on visits to sick children], 1813-1819; Milton Street Chapel, trustees minute book, 1840-1844.

Also Circuit Stewards's account book, 1927-1953; Circuit Officer's account book for Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, 1922-1957; Church registers, [1930-1960]; Circuit schedules, 1930-1957; correspondence relating to restoration, furnishings and building works at Wesley's Chapel, 1890-1891; general letters, reports and so on, 1885-1910; specifications relating to the new organ, 1890-1891; letters from trustees relating to the chapel keeper and Centenary Memorial Fund, Wesley's Chapel, 1890-1891; correspondence relating to the Centenary Memorial Fund, 1890-1891; letters relating to Wesley's House, City Road, 1891; City Road Chapel, class leaders' books, 1906-1913; general correspondence relating to Jewin Street Chapel, Hackney Road Chapel, the Leysian Mission, Chequer Alley Chapel, Angel Alley Chapel and Fellows Street School.

N/M/041/1-17: Circuit Records; N/M/041/18-21: Trustees; N/M/041/22-53: Church Societies and Finance; N/M/041/54-58: Sunday School; N/M/041/59-82: Administration and Correspondence.

Available for general access.

Copyright: Depositor
English

Fit

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

For other records of Wesley's Chapel, see LMA/4197. For the City Road Circuit see N/M/015-018. For Jewin Street Chapel see ACC/2330. For Hackney Road Chapel see N/M/023. For the Leysian Mission see ACC/2745 and ACC/3422. For the Chequer Alley Chapel see ACC/2330 and N/M/016. For Angel Alley Chapel see ACC/2330, ACC/2997 and N/M/015.

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. January to March 2009 Ancient religions Christianity Protestantism Protestant nonconformity Methodism Religious organizations Sunday schools Nonconformists Architecture Buildings Religious buildings Chapels Nonconformist chapels Organisation and management Administration Church administration Religious groups Christians Protestants Protestant nonconformists Methodists Religions Church architecture Church societies Churches Religion City Road Methodist Circuit x Wesley's Chapel Circuit Wesley's Chapel , City Road City Road Islington London England UK Western Europe Europe Religious institutions Nonconformity

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received in 1977 (AC/77/058 and AC/77/067).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Circuit Records: minutes of quarterly meetings for the City Road Circuit/Wesley's Chapel Circuit, 1853-1925; Local Preachers' minute book, First London Circuit, City Road, 1839-1921; Stewards' accounts, 1843-1921; Circuit schedules for London North Circuit, 1824-1864; Circuit schedules for City Road Circuit, 1864-1902; Circuit schedules for Wesley's Chapel Circuit, 1902-1919; statistical summary of chapel and other trust property in First London Circuit, later City Road Circuit, 1856-1875 and report on schools in the City Road Circuit, 1871.

Trustees Records: Trustees minute book, 1902-1912; Trust accounts, 1893-1902 and Trustees' Treasurer's account books, 1907-1923.

Church Society Records: Leaders' Meeting minute book, 1895-1933; Wesley Guild minute book, 1897-1932; Wesley's House Committee minute book, 1898-1902; Missionary Society) minute book, 1821-1839; Young Men's Institute minute book, 1927-1933; Wesley's Chapel accounts, 1923-1936; Collections, 1810-1838; Class book, men, 1808-1827; Class book, women, 1808-1827; Leaders' book: Sisters, 1827-1850; scrapbook concerning the dedication of Wesley's House, 1898.

Sunday School Records: General Meeting minute book, 1798-1810; Sunday School Committee minute book, 1798-1802; Sunday School Society Memoir Book [reports on visits to sick children], 1813-1819; Milton Street Chapel, trustees minute book, 1840-1844.

Also Circuit Stewards's account book, 1927-1953; Circuit Officer's account book for Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, 1922-1957; Church registers, [1930-1960]; Circuit schedules, 1930-1957; correspondence relating to restoration, furnishings and building works at Wesley's Chapel, 1890-1891; general letters, reports and so on, 1885-1910; specifications relating to the new organ, 1890-1891; letters from trustees relating to the chapel keeper and Centenary Memorial Fund, Wesley's Chapel, 1890-1891; correspondence relating to the Centenary Memorial Fund, 1890-1891; letters relating to Wesley's House, City Road, 1891; City Road Chapel, class leaders' books, 1906-1913; general correspondence relating to Jewin Street Chapel, Hackney Road Chapel, the Leysian Mission, Chequer Alley Chapel, Angel Alley Chapel and Fellows Street School.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

N/M/041/1-17: Circuit Records; N/M/041/18-21: Trustees; N/M/041/22-53: Church Societies and Finance; N/M/041/54-58: Sunday School; N/M/041/59-82: Administration and Correspondence.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: Depositor

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

For other records of Wesley's Chapel, see LMA/4197. For the City Road Circuit see N/M/015-018. For Jewin Street Chapel see ACC/2330. For Hackney Road Chapel see N/M/023. For the Leysian Mission see ACC/2745 and ACC/3422. For the Chequer Alley Chapel see ACC/2330 and N/M/016. For Angel Alley Chapel see ACC/2330, ACC/2997 and N/M/015.

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

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area