| AdminHistory | The Cubitt Town Primitive Methodist Chapel came under the aegis of the Poplar Methodist Circuit. This conferred upon it strong links with the ethos of primitive methodism.
The Chapel stood on the west side of Manchester Road, near the junction with Glengall Road. The first primitive Methodist building on this site began on a leasehold site in 1862. It was listed as the Jubilee Chapel in the Post Office Directory in 1869. It was said to have cost £800 to build, with space for 150. The building was extended backwards in 1878 and again in 1891, with capacity increased to 450. In 1904-5, after the freehold of the site had been acquired, the Chapel was completely rebuilt. This was just in time for the opening of the Primitive Methodist Conference when it was held in London in 1908.
When the Chapel first opened in 1862, its congregation numbered 39, with 90 children attending its Sunday school. Other activities included Bible classes; missionary work and the Band of Hope. The Chapel was licensed for marriages in 1901.
Primitive methodism was a major offshoot of Wesleyan methodism in the 19th century, when several differences were at play. Primitive Methodists emphasized the role of lay people, whereas Wesleyans preferred that leadership remain firmly in the in the hands of ministers. The main constituency of Wesleyan methodism was the affluent urban classes, while Primitive Methodists were committed to ministering among the working class and believed in the political significance of their ministry. Wesleyans did not welcome direct political involvement.
The Chapel in Cubitt Town was applauded for " devoting a large share of its attention and thought to working among the young ".* Its Sunday school was " stuffed with the best brain and heart of the church ".* The Chapel was deemed to have "very little encumbrance in the shape of debt".*
The Chapel was eventually demolished in 1978, at a cost to the Poplar Methodist Mission of £2,200.
Sources of Information:
british-history.ac.uk
myprimitivemethodists.org.uk
'Primitive Methodists' in methodist.org.uk
idea store.co.uk
*'Poplar Circuit, London ', W. Lee in Christian Messenger (1899: Transcription of article) via myprimitivemethodists.org |