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1829
This
engraving was first
issued by Fisher, Son and Co. in London in 1829 entitled The Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist
Chapel, its shows the chapel's ionic portico. It was engraved by Richard Winkles (fl.1829-1831) from an
original study by the brothers and landscape painters George and Charles Pyne and was originally produced for their father W. H. Pyne's
part-work "Lancashire Illustrated" (London: 1828-1831).
The
chapel was designed by William Byrom and although it is said
that it was erected in 1811, in fact records begin a year before
this, in 1810. Records exist on http://www.familysearch.org/
for 1810-1837, the batch number to view all of these is C088341.
It was located on Moss Street directly opposite Finch
Street, however Finch Street later changed its name and became
Kempston Street. At the time of its erection this was an area
of open countryside with 'detached villas and pleasant gardens'
and Gage's map supports this. The Liverpool Review described
this as a 'superb place of worship' and described the interior
as being of a 'novel and unique formation, it's shape being
that of a perfect amphitheatre' (which can be seen on the map).
Picton observed that the building was 'sadly marred by the
absurdity of placing the entrance doors outside the portico
on each side, exposed to the weather'. It originally had a three-tiered pulpit and The Review suggests
that is was called Brunswick as a gesture of loyalty to the
Royal house - whatever the truth of this it may be noted that
the chapel was sited virtually at the end of Brunswick Road.
(The
Wesleyan Methodist church was formed in the 18th century from
religious societies founded by John Wesley and his preachers.
It suffered many secessions, but was the largest Nonconformist
denomination in the 19th century. In 1932 the Wesleyan Methodists
joined with the Primitive Methodists and the United Methodists
to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain. (source : http://www.genuki.org.uk)
).
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