Help Support Bethlehem Charities
[Long Street Methodist Church]
[Reminder]
[History]
[Centenary]
[Wood St. Chapel]
[Langley Methodist Church]
[Edgar Wood]
[Old Circuit]
[Manchester Circuit]
[Friends of Long Street]
[Scout & Guides]
[Long Street Sunday School]
[Bethlehem Charities]
Wood St. Chapel

The Wesleyan Chapel, Wood Street, Middleton. Manchester.

Opened in 1805 and replaced in 1901 by Long Street Church.

Wood Street Chapel with School-rooms at rear.

Prior to the building of the school-rooms lessons were held in the cellar of the chapel. In 1829, Joseph Fielding started day and evening classes at the chapel which recorded hundreds of pupils passing through its doors.

On of the most influencial Methodists behind the 1805 chapel was Mr. John Burton, a partner in the firm of John Burton & Sons who owned a cotton mill on the opposite side of Wood Street to the new chapel. Two of his brothers entered the Wesleyan ministry, Charles and James. Charles later entered the Church of England, he became the first rector of All Saint's Manchester.

In 1890 - to commorate the opening in 1790 of the first Wesleyan Chapel on Boarshaw Lane (Back o'th Brow) -  the Congregation of Wood Street Chapel started a building fund with the intention of  commissioning a new Church.  The building fund was established and a procession round Middleton held in which 1,400 Methodists took part, 150 younger children also took part, conveyed in three lurries.  Afterwards between 800 and 900 peoples sat down to tea in the Co-op Hall on Long Street.

The new church was opened with due ceremony in 1901 - on Long Street, Middleton.

The above building was converted into the Victory Cinema  -  the site is currently occupied by a row of shops and a recently closed branch of the Yorkshire Bank.
[Long Street Methodist Church] [Reminder] [History] [Centenary] [Wood St. Chapel] [Langley Methodist Church] [Edgar Wood] [Old Circuit] [Manchester Circuit] [Friends of Long Street] [Scout & Guides] [Long Street Sunday School] [Bethlehem Charities]