CMA: Records of Victoria Hall Church, Wrexham

Records of Victoria Hall Chapel, including account books, 1950-1995, a register of members, 1950-1965, a baptism register, 1958-1993, and marriage registers, 1925-1994.

Calvinistic Methodist activities at Victoria Hall, Wrexham, began in 1902, when the old British Schools were adapted for public worship as 'the Victoria Hall Forward Movement Centre'. The Forward Movement was designed to promote evangelistic, moral and charitable work amongst the poor, and this coincided with many of the activities of the Belle Vue Mission Church, which were transferred to Victoria Hall. The Hall thereby became de facto an English language Presbyterian chapel in many respects, although it was not registered for worship until 1916. There were a number of popular ministers, including the Rev. Ezekiel Williams, who was appointed in 1926, and succeeded by his wife, as 'sister of the people of the Forward Movement', after his death in 1952. Despite some difficulties, Victoria Hall was engaged in a variety of successful social projects throughout its history. The chapel moved to Bersham Road in 1960, and thereafter to Hampden Road. It ceased to function as a place of worship in the mid 1990s.

Arranged at NLW into the following two series: account books; baptism and marriage registers.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Gwawr Booth; Wrexham; Deposit; December 2002; 0200301357

Calvinistic Methodist activities at Victoria Hall, Wrexham, began in 1902, when the old British Schools were adapted for public worship as 'the Victoria Hall Forward Movement Centre'. The Forward Movement was designed to promote evangelistic, moral and charitable work amongst the poor, and this coincided with many of the activities of the Belle Vue Mission Church, which were transferred to Victoria Hall. The Hall thereby became de facto an English language Presbyterian chapel in many respects, although it was not registered for worship until 1916. There were a number of popular ministers, including the Rev. Ezekiel Williams, who was appointed in 1926, and succeeded by his wife, as 'sister of the people of the Forward Movement', after his death in 1952. Despite some difficulties, Victoria Hall was engaged in a variety of successful social projects throughout its history. The chapel moved to Bersham Road in 1960, and thereafter to Hampden Road. It ceased to function as a place of worship in the mid 1990s.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at NLW in CMA: Records of Welsh Chapels in NLW 2001-.

April 2003

Compiled by David Moore.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Dodd, Arthur Herbert, A history of Wrexham (Wrexham, 1957); papers within the archive.

Usual copyright laws apply.

Accruals are not expected.

A register of births and baptisms at Victoria Hall Presbyterian Church, 1958-1981, is held at the Denbighshire Record Office, Ruthin (DRO NTD/922); there are also papers relating to the Church in NLW, CMA AZ3/435.

Published