Society records of the Methodist Church, York, Wesley Chapel

Register of baptisms for Albion Street Chapel, 1848-1856; register of baptisms for Wesley Chapel, 1856-1982; register of marriages, 1859-1983.
Records of Trustees, including meetings minute book, 1856-1871, 1906-1976, bank book, 1854-1860, treasurer’s account book, 1856-1947, 1949-1973, secretary’s correspondence, 1959-1972, and papers concerning appointments of new Trustees, 1881-1963; Leaders’ meetings minute book, 1856-1880, 1912-1953, 1959-1981, and related correspondence, 1974-1979; Chapel Committee minute book, 1947-1962; Society Steward’s account books for Albion Street Chapel, 1849-1856, Wesley Chapel, 1856-1926, 1932-1940, and receipts and vouchers, 1856-1944; Wesley Chapel Trust accounts and annual reports, 1959-1971; pulpit notices, 1945-1946; service sheets, 1856-1983.
Financial records, including collections journals and accounts, 1856-1877, 1922-1976, pew rents book, 1867-1880, 1923-1977, envelope offering account books, 1964-1980, vestry cash books, 1947-1953, cash books of Methodist Church Council, 1973-1982, income and expenditure analysis book, 1960-1969.
Property and fabric records, including Building Committee minutes, 1848-1856, papers concerning use of chapel buildings, 1855-1980, and sale of land to York, Holy Trinity Church, Micklegate, 1895-1910, conveyance of chapel to York Assembly of God and of the Sport and Community Centre to York City Council, 1983;
Records of chapel groups and associations, comprising records of Priory Street Day School, including deeds, minutes, financial records, and fabric papers, 1855-1982; records of chapel Sunday School, including minutes, admission register, and attendance registers, 1846-1958; Priory Street Young Men’s Class records, including reports, press cuttings, newsletters, and souvenir publication ' Our Class History and Work,' 1862-1908; records of Workers’ Band (Wesley Brotherhood), including minutes and papers relating to group outings, 1907-1978; Young Disciples’ Roll, 1954-1958; Literary Committee minute book, 1899-1908; chapel choir records, 1961-1979; copies of ‘Notes and News’, the journal of the York Old Priory Choir, 1924-1989; records of Detached Youth Project, York, including annual reports, 1975-1978, letters, 1977-1978, and prayer letter, 1978; Brunswick Terrace Hostel annual report, c.1976.
Records of Forces Canteen on Priory Street, including committee minutes, 1940-1945, and visitors’ book, 1942-1945.
Historical material, including press cuttings and programmes relating to foundation of chapel, 1855-1856; anniversary souvenir book, 1856-1936; photographs of chapel, ministers and unidentified soldiers, 19th-20th century; printing blocks for chapels including Wesley Chapel, Peasholme Green Chapel and Lady Huntingdon’s Chapel, n.d.
Unlisted material.

Wesley Chapel opened on Priory Street in 1856. Day schools, Sunday schools and a preachers' house were added the following year. Designed by James Simpson of Leeds, the chapel could accommodate 1,500 people and replaced the chapel in Albion Street as the only Nonconformist place of worship in the rapidly developing area around the railway station and workshops.
A new organ was installed in 1892 and the chapel and schools were enlarged in 1907, 1910 and 1914. In 1867 members of the chapel began mission work in Skeldergate, leading to the creation of the Skeldergate Mission Hall in 1900.
The chapel was part of the York Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion until 1867 when it became the head of its own circuit covering the area of the city to the west of the River Ouse, known as the York, Wesley Circuit. Following the unification of the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches in 1932 it became part of a new Wesley Circuit of the Methodist Connexion, which now included the former Victoria Bar Circuit. In 1981 it became part of York, South Circuit.
The chapel was closed in 1982 and its congregation transferred to the Centenery Chapel in St Saviourgate, now called Central Chapel.

York, Albion Street Methodist Chapel was opened in 1816. Situated at the corner of Albion Street and Skeldergate, it could accommodate 700 people. A Sunday School opened there the following year.
By the mid nineteenth century the building was deemed too small for the rapidly growing population south of the river Ouse and around the railway station and workshops. A new and larger chapel opened in 1856 on Priory Street, eventually superseding the Albion Street chapel, which was sold by 1861.
The chapel was part of what was then a single York Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion from its foundation to its closure.
The chapel building was used as commercial premises and later demolished in the twentieth century.

The archive comprises the records of both Albion Street Chapel and Wesley Chapel, York.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute prior to 1984. Further additions were made to the archive in 1984, 1990, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2016.

Wesley Chapel opened on Priory Street in 1856. Day schools, Sunday schools and a preachers' house were added the following year. Designed by James Simpson of Leeds, the chapel could accommodate 1,500 people and replaced the chapel in Albion Street as the only Nonconformist place of worship in the rapidly developing area around the railway station and workshops.
A new organ was installed in 1892 and the chapel and schools were enlarged in 1907, 1910 and 1914. In 1867 members of the chapel began mission work in Skeldergate, leading to the creation of the Skeldergate Mission Hall in 1900.
The chapel was part of the York Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion until 1867 when it became the head of its own circuit covering the area of the city to the west of the River Ouse, known as the York, Wesley Circuit. Following the unification of the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches in 1932 it became part of a new Wesley Circuit of the Methodist Connexion, which now included the former Victoria Bar Circuit. In 1981 it became part of York, South Circuit.
The chapel was closed in 1982 and its congregation transferred to the Centenery Chapel in St Saviourgate, now called Central Chapel.

York, Albion Street Methodist Chapel was opened in 1816. Situated at the corner of Albion Street and Skeldergate, it could accommodate 700 people. A Sunday School opened there the following year.
By the mid nineteenth century the building was deemed too small for the rapidly growing population south of the river Ouse and around the railway station and workshops. A new and larger chapel opened in 1856 on Priory Street, eventually superseding the Albion Street chapel, which was sold by 1861.
The chapel was part of what was then a single York Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion from its foundation to its closure.
The chapel building was used as commercial premises and later demolished in the twentieth century.

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute. This includes all material received up to and including 2008. Later material has not yet been listed, please contact the Institute for more information.

Copies of the baptismal register, 1848-1900, and the marriage register, 1859-1899, are also available on microfilm at the Borthwick Institute (References: MF 1785).

Created by S. A. Shearn, 25.11.16.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

The visitors' book of the Wesley Chapel Forces Canteen has been digitised and fully indexed, see MR/Y/WC/47 (link below).
Circuit records for York Circuit and York, Wesley Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, and the York, Wesley and York, South Circuits of the Methodist Connexion are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute. The records of York Circuit are part of the records of York (New Street) Circuit and the records of both Wesley Circuits form a single archive.

Published

GB193