Description

Admin History:

Primitive Methodism grew out the preaching of evangelists Hugh Bourne (1772-1854) and William Clowes (1780-1851) in Staffordshire. However, Clowes had a strong link to Hull as well, as he had first arrived in the town in 1804 as an apprenticed potter, where he enjoyed a life of drinking, gambling and dancing. However, after being forced to flee, he returned in 1819, after dedicating his life to God and becoming a preacher. The Primitive Methodist Connexion grew out of disillusionment with the Wesleyan Movement, from which it would eventually split. Despite this break, the Primitive Methodist Movement retained the belief that its leaders and congregations were all connected, which in Methodist terminology, were called ‘connexions’. In 1820 the Primitive Methodists established an annual conference, the first of which was held in Hull, which became the church’s legal authority. However from the 1840s, the annual conference was overtaken by district meetings. By the end of the 19th century the Primitive Methodist Connexion nationally had over 200,000 members. Clowes himself died in 1851 in Hull, and was buried in the town’s General Cemetery.

Although Primitive Methodism did not actually reach Hull until 1819, the circuit of which it was the capital expanded rapidly to include churches from all parts of the British Isles. Hull had become a mission centre for the whole of the country. Chapels, sometimes also called stations, in various localities were grouped into branches which eventually attained the status of independent circuits. These circuits would then be grouped into districts. By 1824, there were 72 circuits and four districts: Tunstall, Nottingham, Hull and Sunderland.

A warehouse on North Street, owned by local preacher Richard Woolhouse was used as the first place of worship in Hull, until a new chapel was built in the town on Mill Street in late 1819. The chapels in Hull and its vicinity were initially grouped into a Home Circuit, which then split into East and West Branches in 1844. In 1853 these had become independent circuits. By 1930 these two circuits had continued to divide, until there were now eight circuits across Hull.

All through this period, the differences between the Primitives and Wesleyans which had caused the initial split, were becoming less relevant. This resulted in the various strands of Methodism, the Primitives, Wesleyans and United Methodists, coming together as the Methodist Union in 1932. As a consequence, circuits were amalgamated and as the Methodist Church itself contracted, many churches closed.

Primitive Methodism was characterised by a plain design of chapel, and a low church form of worship, compared to the Wesleyan Methodists. Membership was largely drawn from poorer or working class members of the community and had a more democratic approach to organisation. It was less centralised and in the early years, had a greater involvement of lay people, especially women. In addition, many members of the Primitive Methodist Movement also became involved within the early trade union movement.

Description:

Chapel Schedules; Minutes of Quarterly meetings; Committee minutes; Trustees minutes and accounts; Vouchers; Mission and Missionary accounts; Branch lists; Membership lists and chapel roles; Pulpit notices. Former library references, L.278.4, numbers 1-82.