Circuit records of the Methodist Connexion, York (Monkgate) Circuit

Registers of Circuit baptisms, 1843-1869, 1871-1910.
Circuit administration, comprising Quarterly Meeting minute books, 1832-1853, 1864-1902, 1938-1957, and accounts, 1824-1894, 1906, 1913-1957; Circuit committee minutes, 1841-1854, 1864-1882, 1888-1898; and Circuit plans, 1858-1953.
Financial records, including accounts, 1832-1836; bank books, 1929-1944, 1947-1952; bank statements, 1949-1952; and financial papers, 1931-1957.
Property records, including papers relating to Trust property, 1901-1936; schedule of methodist trust property, 1934-1955; and annual chapel reports and schedules, 1838-1879, 1883-1920.
Circuit groups and organisations, comprising records of the Women’s Missionary Auxiliary (York Branch), including minute book for Monkgate and Victoria Bar Circuits, 1919-1935, and Monkgate Circuit alone, 1936-1945, and a brief account of meetings, 1934-1948.

The first Primitive Methodist society was formed in York in 1819. It was part of the Hull Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion until 1822 when the York Circuit was created to serve the growing congregation in the city and 32 preaching places in the surrounding area.
The principal Primitive Methodist Chapel in the Circuit at this time was the Grape Lane Chapel, established in 1820. However in 1851 this was replaced by the new Ebenezer Chapel in Little Stonegate. Between 1822 and 1883 the York Circuit also included chapels at Layerthorpe and Victoria Bar in York, as well as a Mission Chapel at Nunnery Lane. Outside of York, the Circuit included Primitive Methodist chapels at Acomb, Claxton, High Catton, Dunnington, Flaxton, Sheriff Hutton, Stamford Bridge and Strensall.
In 1883 the York Circuit was divided into the York First and Second Circuits. The First (sometimes called the Ebenezer Circuit after its principal chapel) was renamed Monkgate Circuit in 1903. The Second was more commonly known as the Victoria Bar Circuit.

In 1883 the York Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion was divided into the York First and Second Circuits. The head chapel of the First Circuit was initially Ebenezer Chapel on Little Stonegate (giving the Circuit the secondary name of York, Ebenezer Circuit). However in 1903 Ebenezer Chapel was replaced by the new and larger Monkgate Chapel and the Circuit was henceforth renamed York, Monkgate Circuit.
Within York, the Circuit included Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel (until 1901), Monkgate Primitive Methodist Chapel (from 1903), Burton Stone Lane Primitive Methodist Chapel and Layerthorpe Primitive Methodist Chapel. Outside of York the Circuit included congregations at Claxton, Dunnington, Flaxton, High Catton, Haxby, Stamford Bridge, Sheriff Hutton, Skelton, Strensall and Thornton.
In 1934, following the unification of the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches, it joined with the United Methodist Free Church Circuit to form the Monkgate Circuit of what was now a single Methodist Connexion.

In 1932 the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches united to form a single Methodist Connexion. Two years later the new Monkgate Circuit was formed by joining together the old Monkgate Circuit of the York, Primitive Methodist Connexion and the Monk Bar United Methodist Circuit of the York, United Methodist Free Church.
In 1954 the Circuit included Monkgate, Layerthorpe, James Street and Burton Stone Lane Methodist Chapels in York.
In 1957 the Monkgate Circuit amalgamated with the York, Clifton Circuit to form the new York, Clifton & Monkgate (also known as Trinity) Circuit of the Methodist Connexion.

The archive incorporates the archives of several consecutive Methodist Circuits, often in a continuous record series: the York Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, 1822-1883; the York First Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, 1883-1903, named the Monkgate Circuit from 1903 to 1934; and the Monkgate Circuit of the newly united Connexion of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, 1934-1957.

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 1994. A further addition was made to the archive in 1994 and 2018.

The first Primitive Methodist society was formed in York in 1819. It was part of the Hull Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion until 1822 when the York Circuit was created to serve the growing congregation in the city and 32 preaching places in the surrounding area.
The principal Primitive Methodist Chapel in the Circuit at this time was the Grape Lane Chapel, established in 1820. However in 1851 this was replaced by the new Ebenezer Chapel in Little Stonegate. Between 1822 and 1883 the York Circuit also included chapels at Layerthorpe and Victoria Bar in York, as well as a Mission Chapel at Nunnery Lane. Outside of York, the Circuit included Primitive Methodist chapels at Acomb, Claxton, High Catton, Dunnington, Flaxton, Sheriff Hutton, Stamford Bridge and Strensall.
In 1883 the York Circuit was divided into the York First and Second Circuits. The First (sometimes called the Ebenezer Circuit after its principal chapel) was renamed Monkgate Circuit in 1903. The Second was more commonly known as the Victoria Bar Circuit.

In 1883 the York Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Connexion was divided into the York First and Second Circuits. The head chapel of the First Circuit was initially Ebenezer Chapel on Little Stonegate (giving the Circuit the secondary name of York, Ebenezer Circuit). However in 1903 Ebenezer Chapel was replaced by the new and larger Monkgate Chapel and the Circuit was henceforth renamed York, Monkgate Circuit.
Within York, the Circuit included Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel (until 1901), Monkgate Primitive Methodist Chapel (from 1903), Burton Stone Lane Primitive Methodist Chapel and Layerthorpe Primitive Methodist Chapel. Outside of York the Circuit included congregations at Claxton, Dunnington, Flaxton, High Catton, Haxby, Stamford Bridge, Sheriff Hutton, Skelton, Strensall and Thornton.
In 1934, following the unification of the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches, it joined with the United Methodist Free Church Circuit to form the Monkgate Circuit of what was now a single Methodist Connexion.

In 1932 the Primitive, Wesleyan and United Methodist churches united to form a single Methodist Connexion. Two years later the new Monkgate Circuit was formed by joining together the old Monkgate Circuit of the York, Primitive Methodist Connexion and the Monk Bar United Methodist Circuit of the York, United Methodist Free Church.
In 1954 the Circuit included Monkgate, Layerthorpe, James Street and Burton Stone Lane Methodist Chapels in York.
In 1957 the Monkgate Circuit amalgamated with the York, Clifton Circuit to form the new York, Clifton & Monkgate (also known as Trinity) Circuit of the Methodist Connexion.

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute.

Copies of Circuit baptismal registers, 1843-1869, are also available on microfilm at the Borthwick Institute (References: MF 1764, 1784).

Created by S. A. Shearn, 15.11.16.

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 archive of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, York, Victoria Bar Circuit (which was formed from the York Circuit in 1883) is also deposited at the Borthwick Institute.
The records of chapels within the circuits are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute, namely Acomb; Claxton; Dunnington; Flaxton; High Catton; Stamford Bridge and Strensall, as well as Burton Stone Lane, Ebenezer, Grape Lane, Layerthorpe, Monkgate, Nunnery Lane Mission, and Victoria Bar in York.
The Borthwick also holds the records of the York District of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, the York and Scarborough District of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, and the York and Whitby District of the Methodist Connexion. The latter is included the records of York District (MRD/1) and York and Hull District (MRD/3)

Published

GB193